Kmdt-Genl Sarel Johannes Eloff

Sterfkennis

Foto: Beeldinligting beskrywing - S.J. Eloff.

Bron: Argief van die Gereformeerde Kerk van Suid-Afrika

Sarel Johannes Eloff 1822-1889, Kommandant van Rustenburg en boesemvriend van President Paul Kruger. Onder die bekende Eloffs is Kmdt. Sarel Eloff en sy twee seuns, Frederik Christoffel Eloff, getroud met Elsje Francina Kruger, dogter van Pres. Paul Kruger, asook sy jonger broer, Jan Eloff, na wie Eloffstraat in Johannesburg vernoem is.

Bron: Van Dijk J.H. – Stamregister van die Familie Eloff. RGN Genealogiese publikasie No. 1 Pretoria 1972.

Kmdt. Sarel Johannes Eloff was gedurende die Eerste Vryheidsoorlog (1880-’81) een van die kommandante van die ZAR en vir ’n ruk waarnemende kommandant-generaal van Transvaal.

Bron: https://af.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Eloff

ELOFF, SAREL JOHANNES blc3d2 *22.8.1822 =Cradock 7.10.1822, die latere kommandant van Swartruggens, Waterkloof, Rustenburg 11.4.1889 X in laer van A.H. Potgieter 5.12.1840 Susanna Cornelia Jacobsz *7.1.1823.

Bron: Voortrekkerstamouers, 1835 - 1845, J.C. Visagie

During this first decade following the Sandriver Convention of 1852, a fourth generation Eloff attained celebrity status. He was Sarel Johannes Eloff, second child of the Voortrekker Frederick Christoffel Eloff and Martha Catharina Myburgh of Groenfontein on the banks of the Kosterrivier. He had already served in several border and delimitation commissions when he was elected as field cornet of the Swartruggens ward under commandant Paul Kruger of Rustenburg in 1853. Not only were the Eloffs and the Krugers neighbours, friends and kindred spirits since the old Colony days, but between Sarel Eloff and Paul Kruger there was a special affinity and frienship. They were of a similar age, virile, sometimes mischevous, intrepid and fearless and was known under their friends as the bravest of the brave. When Sarel Eloff was elected field cornet he was in his early thirties, in his prime, tough and strong, progressive and energetic.

When one morning he discovered that lions had killed a horse on his farmyard, he immediately loaded two rifles and with his devoted agterryer (mounted attendant) followed the tracks to where his farm, Waterkloof, led to the highveld in the west. The tracks led to a narrow crevasse in the reddish rock face that seemed to lead into a dark cave. Apparently the lions were inside. He instructed his agterryer to crawl into the cave and chase the lions to the outside. The agterryer, of course, refused. He then proceeded to do exactly that himself. An ominous growl from the dark cave warned him, and when his eyes adjusted to the darkness he found himself staring into the eyes of the lion. He killed the male with his first shot, but the lioness, in full flight to escape the cave, ran him over where he blocked the exit. He found his footing chasing after the lion and grabbed the second rifle from his agterryer, killing the lioness with a single shot.

It is said that field cornet Eloff was fond of boasting and showing off. He especially loved horses and was an excellent horseman. Once, when his youngest brother, Johannes Frederick, dropped in for a visit on his way from calling on a girlfriend at Bronkhortsspruit, Sarel admired and coveted his youger brother’s chestnut steed. Legend has it that this was the most beautiful horse in the ward. Sarel instructed a groom to take the horse to the stables and take care of it. When the younger brother prepared to depart, the groom brought him a black stallion, a majestic animal. Overruling his brothers protests, Sarel offered him the black stallion and six oxen in exchange for the chestnut and would not budge. Pleading did not help. The word of the field cornet was as good as law and even a younger brother had to accept that.

During the civil war in theTransvaal (1860-1864) field cornet Sarel Eloff sided with the people of his ward and commandant Paul Kruger against M. W. Pretorius and his followers and later (1862) against Stephanus Schoeman, and in the final stages against Jan Viljoen of Marico. In the first election after the civil war in 1864, M. W. Pretorius was elected president of the unified republic and Paul Kruger Commandant General. Sarel Eloff became commandant of Rustenburg.

During an expedition against insurgent bantu tribes on the western border, Sarel's left upper arm was shattered by an enemy bullet. There was no provision for proper medical care. The arm was put in makeshift splints by winding bark stripped from a soetdoring tree (sweet thorn/Karoo thorn/type of acacia) around the affected part, the best they could do with limited facilities and knowledge. At the commandos return more than a month later, the outer wound had healed, but the bones had failed to knit. Sarel Eloff was killed by a horse on his farm when he was 67 years old.

Sources:

WikiTree profile by Lynette Oosthuizen. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Lynette and others.

Author: Marcos Antonio Hardy Eloff, Eloff origins and later Web Site: MyHeritage.com family tree.