

Extracted from Publication -
A history of the families of european descent who settled in the area of Enkeldoorn (renamed Chivu) Rhodesia. now Zimbabwe.
Author -- Sarel Van der Walt
Completed in approximately the year 2001
... and some GUTU RELATIVES 1880 TO 1980 All family details, dates, residences and occupations as far as could be ascertained. List not complete)
The O'Neill family home at Majuba, site of decisive war of 1881 when Boers defeated the British army, was the venue where peace was discussed and signed, the Homestead was declared a South African National Monument. They settled as crop sharing Lessees on Geluksverwacht, then moved to Manzi farm, where Hendrik worked for the owner Bekker until 1946, producing wheat and cattle. Their period at Manzi was a struggle to make ends meet and both had frequent attacks of malaria. Manzi was on the road leading to Enkeldoorn with a low water drift on the Unniati river, which was close to the homestead. During the rainy season the river was often unfordable and the stranded travellers would seek shelter with the O'Neills where all were welcome, with the O'Neils, themselves short, scraping the bottom of the bucket to feed the stranded people. It was often a case of the mealie and the odd bokkie for the pot keeping them going. Transport was a donkey cart and with no refrigeration on the farm, it meant an early start to get the little produce, butter and cream for sale, to town. In 1946 they moved back to Geluksverwacht. They had six children , all except Stoffel left the area after leaving school;
Percy arrived in 1895 he farmed on Sandfontein farm. He had agency to supply mining group with mining timber obtained from neighbouring farms in particular from Inhoek farm. (Jan Kirstein known as Matimba)
David Johannes farmed on Palmiet Fontein for 1943 / 1946 till his father died and the farm was sold. He left the area.
In 1888, the brothers Felix (Willie) and Herman (Harry) Posselt, sons of German parents, previously from Pinetown, Natal but then living at Middelburg Transvaal, were hunting in the vicinity of the Zimbabwe ruins where they were involved in the removal of some of the famous stone birds. Together with brother Theodor (Ted), a transport rider, they responded to Rhodes' call for settlers and left for Charterland with 5 wagons. They were joined by others and the group numbered 22 wagons when they crossed the Limpopo.
Felix (Willie) and Herman (Harry) stopped at the area they had selected and called their farms Felixburg and Grasslands respectively. Theodor (Ted) continued with his transport to Fort Salisbury but later returned and farmed approx 3 miles from Range to East of Girliesfontein B His son Theodorus was a fighter pilot in W.W.2
GROUP 1
Willem widower with two sons Willem and David and a daughter Annie came from Middelburg Transvaal, travelling by Oxwagon with the Posselt brothers. They arrived 1891. They settled on Wildebeestlaagte, Leeufontein and Hartebeestlaagte. Later Annie, as the first settler woman in Mashonaland, was also granted a farm.
GROUP 2