State President Hans Grobler

Johannes Hermanus Grobler (Hans) (*12.12.1795) (≈14.02.1796 Tulbagh) (†28.05.1876 Rustenburg) He went on the Great Trek with his brother-in-law Voortrekker leader Andries Hendrik Potgieter where together they established the Republic of Potchefstroom. Hans became the first Landdros of Potchefstroom in 1841and served as Chairman of the Transvaal Volksraad.

Signatory to the 'Sandrivier Konvensie' in 1852.

Terms served as chairman of the Transvaal Volksraad - ZAR

7 Jun 1854 - 15 Jun 1854

5 Nov 1855 - 20 Nov 1855

4 Mar 1856 - 11 Mar 1856

27 May 1856 - 30 May 1856

Hans Grobler was appointed acting State President of the Transvaal Republic - ZAR in 1860.

Commandant-General Stephanus Schoeman refused Hans' appointment as acting State President and unconstitutionally assumed the position himself from 06.12.1860 to 17.04.1862. Paul Kruger managed to regain control in 1862 during which period Grobler’s in-law, Theunis Snyman, was appointed Commandant-General on October 1862.

Note: Grobler and Snyman's children were married to one another.

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Hans Grobler Senior (*1795) was the step-father of Johannes Hermanus Grobler, b6c1d6e1 (*1813) having married Hans Duikervoet's mother as his 3rd wife. In 1865, a letter was sent to the Volksraad to ask that Hans Grobler be excused from any further official State business due to his advanced age (70yrs).

Op bladsy 15 van Notule van die Volksraad van die Suid Afrikaanse Republiek Deel 1 (1844-1850) word hy as heer Johannes Hermanus Grobbelaar snr. gedokumenteer. Die titel snr (senior) vertel vir ons dat hy teen 1845 volwasse seuns kon gehad het.

On 07.03.1849 Landdros Johannes Hermanus Grobler attended the last meeting in Ohrigstad afterwhich he left his farm Roodekrans to Cornelis Potgieter {b1c6d4e3f2}. Cornelis Potgieter was a member of the Lydenburg Volksraad (1850-1858) and a signatory to the 1852 Sandriver Convention.

S. J. Janse van Rensburg heeft de plaats genaamd Rode Krans gelegen aan deze zyde van de dorps rivier west- waarts, de vervalle plaats van Jons. Grobler, Sr. Aangeteekend den 2 Augustus 1845. Copy Comform. C. Potgieter Landdrost. Aangetekend den 2 Augustus 1845. C. Potgieter Landdrost

(H. S. Pretorius, Daniel Wilhelmus Krüger, Coenraad Beyers, Voortrekker-argiefstukke, 1829-1849: afgeskryf, toegelig, persklaar gemaak en van bladwysers voorsien. Staatsdrukker, 1937).

The farm belonged to Hans Grobler Senior (*1795) as is evident by the following: J. H. Grobler heef de plaas genaamt de Rode krans gelegen aan dese syde van de Dorps revier Weswaarts, voor hem laten aan teykenne op den 2 Agustus 1845

(South African archival records: Transvaal, Issue 1. Publikasie-Afdeling van die Kantoor van die Direkteur van Argiewe, 1844).

Heer C. Potgieter verscheen voor de Edele Raad verzoekende aangaande eene plaats die door zyn Edele gekogt is van de Heer J. H. Grobler in destreck Lydenburg en 1849 de 7de February, die door bestaande Landswetten in des tyds vervalle verklaart word, maar niemand zal het regt hebben om gemelde plaats te late aantyken voor de eerskomende zitting. Endien de Heer Grobler vermeen reg te hebben tegen deze artiekel, zoo wort hem opening gegeven aanzoek te doen by de eerskomende zitting van de Edl. Volksraad te Lydenburg.

(bl.105 SA Argiefstukke no.2 – A.44 De WEde).

On the 4th of October 1851, a letter was addressed to the British authorities by the Boer community of Potchefstroom. In the correspondence Commandant-General A.W.J. Pretorius (*1798) states that he was appointed together with two elders of the community, J.H. Grobbelaar and F.G. Wolmarans, by the War Council and public of Potchefstroom, to repair and negotiate peace terms.

These two elders, namely Frederik Gerhardus Wolmarans and Johannes Hermanus Grobler, were born in 1788 and 1795 respectively.

As mede-ondertekenaar van die Sandrivier Konvensie het J.H. Grobler ‘n leier van die Transvaalse Republiek geword en lid van die uitvoerende Raad. Toe M.W. Pretorius as President van die Oranje Vrystaat gekies is, is Grobler as oudste lid van die Uitvoerende Raad gekies om die Transvaal as waarnemende President te verteenwoordig (Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town, Volume 5. 1972).

Lede van die Uitvoerende Raad 1860:

• Johannes Hermanus Grobler (*1795)
• Stephanus Schoeman (*1810)
• Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg (*1818)

Commandant-General Stephanus Schoeman refused the appointment of Grobler and unconstitutionally assumed the position of State President of the South African Republic (ZAR - Transvaal) from 06-12-1860 to 17-04-1862. President Paul Kruger managed to regain control in 1862 during which period Grobler’s in-law, Theunis Snyman, was appointed Commandant-General in October 1862 (†28-05-1876 Rustenburg).

Cmdt. Genl. Theunis Snyman's eldest child, Susara Carolina Snyman {b7c1d6e6f1} (*17.08.1824 Uitenhage) (+07.01.1891 Rustenburg), married Willem Jacobus Grobler (*15.06.1827) (≈08.10.1827 Cradock) (†22.05.1891 Rustenburg), the first child of Hans Grobler Senior (*1795) and the sister of Chief-Cmdt. Andries Hendrik Potgieter, Gertruida Maria Margaretha Potgieter.

This is significant but perhaps more so is the fact that this was Willem Jacobus Grobler's 2nd marriage. His 1st wife was Aletta Levina Catharina Pelser, the daughter of Abraham Johannes Pelser.

In 1851, member of the Volksraad-ZAR, Johannes Hermanus Grobler (*1795) left his farm Heuningneskrans to the orphaned children of Abraham Johannes Pelser (*24.04.1797) (+15.12.1845) and (15.12.1839) Maria Gertruida Potgieter (*16.02.1819), the daughter of Chief-Cmdt. Andries Hendrik Potgieter.

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Johannes Hermanus Grobler, b6c1d6e1 continues to be confused with the 1st Landdros of Potchefstroom, Hans Grobler (*1795). Early reference books on the subject have mistakenly got Hans Duikervoet (*1813) as the acting State-President of the Transvaal Republic due to the fact that Hans Grobler Senior (*1795) married for a 3rd time, to the mother of Johannes Hermanus Grobler, b6c1d6e1 (*1813).

I found an early mistake in the Grobler register whereby Nicolaas Johannes Grobler [b6c2] was mistakenly noted as [b6c1]. I can only speculate that at that time, genealogists found the only descendant following from [b6c1] with the name Johannes Hermanus Grobler, to have been Johannes Hermanus Grobler, b6c1d6e1 (*1813). However, genealogical research has subsequently filled the gaps and now shows that Johannes Hermanus Grobler, b6c1d6e1 (*1813) was the grandchild of Johannes Hermanus Grobler [the correct b6c1] (=20/02/1754 Drakenstein), who had remained in the Cape.

In addition, the Heese et al. (SAG), Grobler & vd Merwe registries state that Johannes Hermanus Grobler's (*1795) 3rd wife was the widow of Hendrik Preller (incorrect). The estate papers of Helena Catharina van der Merwe (*06.07.1795) (≈01.12.1795) state that she was the widow of Hendrik Frederik Grobler, b6c1d6 (correct), the father of Johannes Hermanus Grobler, b6c1d6e1 (*1813). Following the death of her 1st husband, Hendrik Frederik Grobler, b6c1d6, she then married for a 2nd time to J.H. Grobler senior (*1795), her maternal 1st cousin, the senator-politician State President Hans Grobler.

The Potgieter Trek participant, Voortrekker and acting State-President Johannes Hermanus Grobler (*1795) was the son of Nicolaas Johannes Grobler [the correct b6c2] (=20/06/1756 Drakenstein).

Johannes Hermanus Grobler’s (*1795) mother, Cecilia Johanna Steyn, was the aunt of Elsie Francina Steyn {b2c4d8e5f6}, the mother of President Paul Kruger.

Johannes Hermanus Grobler's (*1795) 2nd wife was Geertruy Maria Margaretha Potgieter, half-sister of Chief-Commandant Andries Hendrik Potgieter.

Johannes Hermanus Grobler's (*1795) 1st wife, Maria Margaretha de Bruyn {b5c1d3}, was the sister of Anna Maria de Bruyn {b5c1d2}, who married Andries Jacobus Krugel (=18-03-1791) the uncle of Chief-Commandant Andries Hendrik Potgieter. Therefore, Maria Margaretha de Bruyn was the sister-in-law of Andries Hendrik Potgieter’s mother.

Johannes Hermanus Grobler's (*1795) half-brother, Petrus Johannes Botha (*1812), married Petronella Margaretha Potgieter (*1815) {b7c8d7e2f2}, daughter of Andries Hendrik Potgieter.

Please direct all queries to Private User

• Updated from MyHeritage Family Trees via daughter Cecilia Johanna Steyn (born Grobler) by SmartCopy: Jun 25 2015, 6:04:35 UTC

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