Early Setllers

This project embraces people who were early pioneers of the area - so you will see people such as Cecil Rhodes included who wasn't a settler.

Settlers should probably not be added to this project but to more specific projects where people who trekked and settled in the area should be linked -

Moodie - http://www.geni.com/projects/Moodie-Trek-to-Rhodesia-1894/14431

Edenberg - http://www.geni.com/projects/Edenburg-Trek-to-Rhodesia-1894/8955,

Moolman-Webster http://www.geni.com/projects/Moolman-Webster-Trek-1893/12837

Martin - http://www.geni.com/projects/Martin-Trek-1894

Mynhardt and Utrucht http://www.geni.com/projects/Mynhardt-and-Utrecht-Trek-1894/14432

Kruger-Bekker http://www.geni.com/projects/Kruger-Bekker-Trek-1895/9209

Henry-Steyn http://www.geni.com/projects/Martin-Trek-1894,

and a new "Rhodesian Settlers - after the Treks" which I am working on.

There were people who were early settlers post 1895/1900 who were not on the Treks detailed in "Many Treks Made Rhodesia" (my own family went up after the Boer War, the Marais brothers following their older brother who was on the Steyn-Henry Trek) and we can use that page to link them. I will post the link and add you as a collaborator as soon as it is up and running!

Up for debate but people who settled in Rhodesia after 1895 and probably up until 1910 would be considered to be Early Settlers as opposed to Pioneers. Initially the cut off date should be 1910 for Settlers.

Private User

Thanks for reminding me about Rhodesian Early Settlers.

Do you use the same criteria for all three territories? (Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland) - that may be somewhat misleading as the territories were not settled simultaneously. SR was settled a lot earlier than the other two territories as far as I recall. There were other differences as well, such as SR becoming a Colony whilst NR remained a mere Protectorate. I'm not worried if a single cut off date is used, but it might bring a little confusion.

We will stretch the cut off date to 1915.

This project is about the history of the three territories/Federation Private and I think can be quite broad in its coverage - the cut off query related specifically to the pioneers of Southern Rhodesia/Rhodesia - and there is now a project now set up for Early settlers post treks for Rhodesia/Southern Rhodesia http://www.geni.com/projects/Early-Rhodesian-Settlers-after-the-Tre...

If enough information comes to light we can start a project for the other two territories.

Hi June, like I mentioned earlier, it's not a problem, I was merely seeking clarification. I think my confusion also arises from the various name changes over time, SR being originally called Rhodesia, then becoming Southern Rhodesia in around 1924 (I think) and changing back to Rhodesia in the 1960's. I was born and grew up in NR and my knowledge of the other territories is minimal, hence the request for clarification. Until NR came under direct British rule (with a governor), the NR and Nyasaland territories were regarded more as a source of migrant labour for SR rather than as areas for settlement. In 1924, there were less than 4200 european inhabitants in NR, only after the development of mines in NR did settlers become more numerous. My late dad was in SA around 1928, then in SR around 1930 and arrived in NR (Copperbelt) around 1931. Conditions there at the time were still somewhat primitive from the stories I've read, but he cannot be regarded as a pioneer. My 3p worth.

See http://www.geni.com/projects/Rhodesia-and-Nyasaland-Zambia-Zimbabwe...
which is where we probably need to split the time line into 3 lists. If you want to work on that let me know!! I will add you as a collaborator

Thanks for pointing it out! Right now I'm afraid I will not have time available, but am following the project and will get back to you.

I've added a copy of the membership list of the Rhodesia Pioneers and Early Settlers Society to the project documents (sourced from the archive.org website)
the list includes some of the children of full members and some other descendants