Gustav Schoeman Preller

Marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSVZ-Z98V-9?view=i...

Death/probate: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS9L-B9CQ-R?view=i...

Interesting bits:

http://www.preller.za.cx/index.htm:

http://www.bronberger.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&...

http://www.eggsa.org/library/main.php?g2_itemId=1062644

http://versindaba.co.za/tag/gustav-s-preller/

http://www.oulitnet.co.za/seminarroom/marais_swart.asp

Die Prellers se stamvader in Suid-Afrika, Johann Friedrich Preller, het in 1786 as soldaat in die Kaap aangekom vanaf Halle an der Saale, Duitsland. Hy trou in 1794 met Zacharia Christina de Beer en sewe kinders word uit die huwelik gebore.

marriage record:- https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C91L-CQYH-G?i=253&cat=...

Gustav Schoeman Preller was die seun van kommandant Robert Clunie Logie Preller ('n kleinkind van Johann Friedrich) en Stephanie Maria Aletta Schoeman, en is op 4 Oktober 1875 op die plaas Klein Schoemansdal, Klipdrif, Pretoria gebore. Die plaas was destyds die eiendom van sy grootvader aan moederskant, generaal Stefanus Schoeman, en vorm tans deel van die stad Pretoria, ten noorde van Boomstraat tot aan die Apiesrivier.

Gustav het slegs nagenoeg drie jaar skoolopleiding geniet en aanvanklik as winkelassistent op Standerton gewerk. Sy gesin het later Pretoria toe getrek waar Gustav agtereenvolgens as winkelassistent, prokureursklerk en klerk in die Departement van Mynwese werksaam was. Sy vrye tyd het hy meestal aan studie gewy. Wat hy tot stand gebring het was die vrug van selfvorming en -ontwikkeling.

Gustav trou met Johanna Pretorius, 'n afstammeling van beide generaal Andries Pretorius, held van Bloedrivier, en die Voortrekkerleier, Piet Retief. Die egpaar het drie seuns gehad, naamlik Carl, Robert en Gustav.

Op aanbeveling van dr J.A. Wiid ken die Universiteit van Stellenbosch op 3 Desember 1930 'n ere-doktorsgraad in Lettere en Wysbegeerte aan Preller toe.

Gustav Preller is op 7 Oktober 1943 (enkele dae na sy 68ste verjaarsdag) oorlede. Sy stoflike oorskot is op tradisionele wyse per waentjie na die familie-begraafplaas te Pelindaba vervoer en weggelê saam met dié van Marthinus Wessel Pretorius en die Voortrekkervrou, Deborah Retief.

Note - 6 October date from Ben Van Niekerk... Date confirmed 7 October from grave reference!

http://www.ancestry24.co.za/Content/WebSite/Profiles/GarethCliff.aspx

Gustav Schoeman Preller (1875-1943)(no. 12) was considered the father of Afrikaans language and literature, a journalist, historian, writer and literarary critic. He fought for the recognition of Afrikaans. Preller helped the Afrikaner to awaken to the importance of the history of South Africa. He made great contributions to the writing of South African history, through his research and the literature. He also contributed greatly to making South Africans aware of the legacy of the Voortrekkers and also had a share in the idea to build the Voortrekker Monument. He was the leader of the Afrikaans movement in the Transvaal. He founded De Volksstem newspaper, whose editor, F.V. Engelenburg, initially neutral towards Afrikaans, became gradually a keen proponent, though he himself wrote in Dutch. On 6 March 1906 Onze Jan Hofmeyr addressed students at Stellenbosch, posing the question whether Afrikaners were serious about preserving their language. His title was: "Is't ons Ernst?" (Is it of concern to us?). In his speech, Hofmeyr threw his weight behind Dutch as the Afrikaners' cultural language. Preller felt compelled to react. He consulted immediately with various friends and associates, including S.J. du Toit, who gave Preller permission to quote from one of his works. Between 19 April and 14 June 1905 Preller presented a series of articles under the heading "Laat't ons toch ernst wezen!" (Of course we should be concerned!) Through turning Afrikaans into a written language the Afrikaner would be forging his nationhood; and to form a national literature, Preller believed, was the task of all Afrikaners. Gustav Preller resided at Sterrewag, Welgegund, Pelindaba, South Africa. Five generations of the Pretorius and Preller family are buried there.

Analysis of graveyard:

Subject: Pretorius / Retief / Preller Cemetery

Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2004 14:07:40 +0200

On a hill overlooking the Haartebeesport dam, near Pretoria, is the Preller

Cemetery.

Clearly a family farm graveyard, it is has some historical interest, as well

as providing a "family tree in a graveyard". 5 generations of Preterious /

Retief / Preller family members are buried there. The earliest grave is that

of Marthinus Wessel PRETORIUS (1822-1846) and his wife Debora Jacoba RETIEF

(1815 - 1900).

This is not an undiscovered cemetery, but has clearly received some

attention from historical societies. I'm interested to know:

what is the "BURGER OORLOG" at "SILIKAATSNEK" of 1846, referred to on the

main headstone?

Who are the S.B.K. who erected Pretorius/Retief headstone, a) below?

Who are "DIE AFRIKAANSE SKRYWERSKRING" featured on the grave of Gustav

Preller, i) below

There are four areas to the cemetery. Area 1 is the South West section of

the cemetery contains 4 graves. The headstones are of a more modern style

and the condition of the graves indicate recent restoration. According to a

local, the graves were relocated from the valley to prevent them being

flooded by the Haartebeesport Dam.

a)

Headstone:

HIER RUS

DEBORA JACOBA

PRETORIUS-RETIEF

GEB. TE MOOIMEISJEFONTEIN

18 APRIL 1815. OORL. TE-

PRETORIA, 10 JUNIE 1900

EN

MARTHINUS WESSEL

PRETORIUS

GEB. TE PRETORIUSKLOOF, GRAAF-

REINET 5 JAN. 1822. GESNEUWEL

IN DIE BURGER OORLOG 1864

TE SILIKAATSNEK

OPERIG DEUR DIE S.B.K.

Engraved slate placed on the grave (seemingly the original stone).

Unfortunately broken in places and some pieces missing. Parts in [] brackets

indicate missing text or guessed at text.

STILL RUST

LE

PLAATS

VAN

GODS DOODEN

M's W'l PRETORIUS

GEBOREN

[missing][I]HET JAAR 182[2]

27 J[U][missing]

[missing]

[missing][E]N HET

JAAR 1864

5 JANUARI

b)

PRETORIUS

HIER RUS ONS GELIEFDE EN NOOIT TE VERGETE

MOEDER, OUMAA EN GROOTJIE

CORNELIA MAGDALENA PRETORIUS (BOUWER)

GEB. 3 APRIL 1847 - OORLEDE 18 MEI 1950

WEDUWEE VAN LUIT.-KOL. .N. PRETORIUS

STAATS-ARTILLERIE Z.A. REPUBLIEK

Ps 65:1

DE LOFZANG KLIMT UIT ZION ZALEN

TOT U, MET SITL ONTZAG.

c)

KROGH

D'ARCY LANGELDT KROGH.

GEBORE 10 DES 1877,

OORLEDE 8 NOV. 1948

WANT EK IS VERSEKERD DAT GEEN DOOD

OF LEWE - ONS SAL KAN SKE[I] VAN DIE

LIEFDE VAN GOD NIE

Rom. 8 Verse 08 en 09

No 4 is unmarked

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

Area 2 in the South East corner contains 5 unmarked graves

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

Area 3 in the North East corner contains 10 graves

d)

MERLE

PRELLER

(NEE McKAY)

• 3 DEC. 1960

+ 16 AUG. 1994

e)

ANNA MARTHA

PRELLER

GEB. LE ROUX

20 OKT 1918

14 MEI 1988

f)

GUSTAV SCHOEMAN

PRELLER

• 5 OKT. 1916

+ 20 APRIL 1979

g)

CARL FRIEDRICH

PRELLER

GEBORE 21 SEPT. 1906

OORLEDE 21 APRIL 1952

h)

Graves h) and i) are the central graves in this area, with the largest grave

surrounds

JOHANNA CHRISTINA

PRELLER

(GEBORE PRETORIUS)

3.11.1878 - 7.7.1975

i)

HIER RUS

MY GELIEFDE EGGENOOT

EN

ONS NOOIT TE-VERGETE

VADER VRIEND

GUSTAV SCHOEMAN PRELLER

GEB 4 OKT 1875

OORL 6 OKT 1943

DIS AL.

There is also a marble tablet placed on the grave. It depicts a coat of

arms, a pen quill and an open book. It bears the text "DIE AFRIKAANSE

SKRYWERSKRING"

j)

GORDON CLUNEY

PRELLER

BORN 8 JANUARY 1950

DIED 18 SEPTEMBER 1951

k)

LINDSAY MARY

PRELLER

(LANGDON)

BORN 3.1.1923

JAMAICA

DIED 18.10.1987

PRETORIA

l)

PRELLER

ROBERT HENNING

21.7.1910

24.4.1979

m)

R.H. PRELLER (BOET)

12.12.1946 - 13.11.1981

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

Area 4 lies in the NW corner of the cemetery. It contains a stone cairn

fitted with a stone tablet reading:

DEBORA RETIEF

(1815-1900)

MARTHINUS WESSEL PRETORIUS

(1822-1864)

DEUR 'N DANKBARE NAGESLAG OPGERIG

1922

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

There is also a 5th area lying between areas 3 and 4, containing 3-4

unmarked graves.

Richard Carlaw