Cornelius Johannes Vels

During the Boer War he was a messanger of the court in Ficksburg. He had married into the Mitchell family, who were not supporters of the boers. It fell upon Johannes to serve his brothers-law with draft papers, they promptly skipped over the boarder into Basutoeland.

During the British occupation of Ficksburg a british major (RCS) was billetted in his home. In appreciation of the hospitality offered by the family. Johannes was presented with a double barrell shot gun. I, Christopher Sutton his grandson, was given the gun by his eldest son Mitchell (Mick) and still have it safe keeping.

Johannes was a good sportsman in athletics, cricket, tennis and bowls. I believe I am correct in that he played cricket for SA against the British, and definitley played for OFS. He managed tennis into his seventies and evan play a game of cricket. He was still playing bowls at 96. He was on the bowling green when he collapsed. He died died about three months later.

Johannes was deaf for the last twenty odd years of his life.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"South Africa, Free State Dutch Reformed Church Records, 1848-1956," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QG-599Q-P?cc=1910846... : 4 November 2016), Free State > Philippolis > Christenings 1863-1907 > image 15 of 229; Dutch Reformed Church Synod Centre, Bloemfontein.