Matching family tree profiles for George Friederich Heyns
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About George Friederich Heyns
- Baptism: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6VDQ-6TTG
- Marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CC2Z-1Z3Z
- Death Notice: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-14684-1046-24?cc=1837900...
There is a very full account of this trip in “Many Treks Made Rhodesia” by S.P. Olivier.
Marthinus Jacobus Martin, (Member of Parliament of the FreeState), of Naudelust, Fouriesburg in the Orange Free State, South Africa lead one of the most important and one of the biggest agricultural treks into Rhodesia in 1894.
Marthinus J Martin, accompanied by Michael A Heyns, Casper Badenhorst and Cornelius J du Preez left Durban for Beira by boat on 4th August 1893 on an expedition to Gazaland to investigate the suitability of the area for settlement. They met up with Tom Moodie who was a brother-in-law of Badenhorst and a great friend of du Preez.
The party was shown the area by Dunbar Moodie as a representative of the British South African Company. After 10 days of inspecting the territory they were convinced that they had found what they were looking for. They decided to apply for permission to settle along the Chimanimani range of mountains. They travelled back to Beira via Chimoyo, and arrived back in the Free State after being away for about two months. having been told at Beira that the area was British Territory Heyns, Badenhorst and du Preez decided to wait and not take part in any trek movement. Martin however was still enthusiastic and was determined that nothing would stop him. He entered into correspondence with the Mozambique Company and the British South African Company to ascertain what the position was, and travelled to to Kimberly to meet Rhodes. Rhodes was eager for a party of Dutch families to settle in the area, and promised Martin that all the rights of the trekkers would be respected, including their language.
Martin received an official reply from the Secretary of the British South African Company saying that they could have the farms in Gazaland, inviting them to go in April 1894. Martin resigned as MP and started preparing for the Trek, working out every step in detail. It seemed that he wanted to go to Rhodesia not because his life was not going well, but because he saw it as an opportunity for his people.
The party grew to over 100 and were instructed to assemble in Fouriesburg on the 19th April 1894. They had the advantage of using new wagons which were well stocked with provisions. On that date 24 wagons and 104 members and 10 household servants left Fouriesburg with many livestock in tow.
Jan Gysbert du Preez died suddenly at Johannesburg where he and his family were going to join the Martin Trek. As all arrangements had been made his widow Petronella Susana and their eight children (the eldest was 18 years old). Another daughter, Hester, married one of Martin’s sons.
It took them about a month to travel from the Free State to Pretoria. The party was joined by various families including the English, Tilburg van Rooyen, Herrelman Scholtz and some other young men along the route and left Pretoria on 21st May.
There is a good account of the events that befell the party in “Many Treks Made Rhodesia”. They arrived at Buffelsdrift at the border of Gazaland on the 14th October nearly 7 months after setting out. They disbanded on 3rd November to take up their various farms and homes.
Members of the Martin Trek (1894)
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George Friederich Heyns's Timeline
| 1855 |
March 26, 1855
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Uniondale, Cape Province, South Africa
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March 28, 1855
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NG Gemeente, George, Cape Province, South Africa
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| 1880 |
August 19, 1880
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South Africa
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| 1881 |
November 30, 1881
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Cape Province, South Africa
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| 1883 |
May 30, 1883
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Uniondale, Cape, South Africa
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| 1885 |
July 27, 1885
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South Africa
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| 1887 |
July 28, 1887
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Uniondale, Cape Province, South Africa
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| 1889 |
April 29, 1889
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Uniondale, Cape, South Africa
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| 1894 |
1894
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Fourisburg, Orange Free State, South Africa
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