John Matthew Nicholas Alexander Hershensohnn

As with his father, he was very involved in local politics of the Colony of Natal, prior to Union of the for provinces. As his father was involved in reaching out to the Dutch farmers, so was John instrumental in reaching out to the Dutch children, to get education in their mother tongue and not through the medium of English, that the British government was trying to force onto the Dutch children. (This subject is dealt with in Prof Nienaber’s book, “Honderd Jaar Hollands in Natal) John was also involved with his father in the establishment of a newspaper, “De Natal Afrikaner,” based in Pietermaritzburg, and in later life he was the Provincial Secretary for the Province of Natal, in the Union of South Africa. He also acted as Acting Administrator of Natal at one stage. After his wife died he remarried, but there were no children from his second marriage. After he retired, he moved from Pietermaritzburg to his farm, “The Sheiling” about 9 miles from Greytown, on the Kranskop road, and just a short distance from where his wife Louisa had been born to her parents Louis Jacobus Nel, and his wife Susara Johanna Adriana Nel (Neé Maré),at their farm “Welgegund” near Ahrens. A few years before his death, he sold The Sheiling, and bought a farm Craigie Lea, near Cato Ridge, where his recently widowed eldest daughter cared for him in his old age.