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The Radikofi Janse van Rensburgs of Soekmekaar and Bandelierkop

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This project aims to highlight an interesting family who did not participate in the Great Trek, arrived from the Cape Colony in the 1880's and lived in a relatively remote area of the Northern Transvaal, South Africa, before, during and after the Anglo-Boer War.

Some of the descendants of this family still farm in the area - now approaching 125 years.

Johannes Frederick Lodewicus Janse van Rensburg (1862-1924) {b1c2d14e3f5g3} a.k.a. Radikofi and Martha Johanna Margaretha Momberg (1850-1912) {b2c6d7e1} are the progenitors of this family in the Groot Spelonken (Zoekmekaar) and Bandelierkop area of South Africa. They lived on the farm Rustfontein south of Zoekmekaar from about 1890 up to 1912. JFL's brother Josephus Nicolaas and his wife Sesara Elizabeth Susanna Bezuidenhout also moved to the northern Transvaal and lived on the farms Rietvlei and Joppa in the Zoekmekaar area. JN and SES lost three of their young children in the Pietersburg Concentration Camp, whilst Radikofi and Martha lost their eldest son and second daughter.

Radikofi was the nickname that the local black population gave to JFL janse van Rensburg - it translates to 'he likes coffee'. A train stop on the railway line between Munnik and Soekmekaar was also named 'Radikoffie' after him - the stop is immediately across the dirt road from the farm Rustfontein, where JFL and MJM janse van Rensburg lived at the time of the Anglo Boer War.

Radikofi's own immediate family ('gesin') consists of three parts (half-families) due to Martha Momberg having had children prior to her marriage to Radikofi, and him remarrying after her death in 1912.

This project aims to collect information about JFL Janse van Rensburg and MJM Momberg's immediate ancestors, their partners and all their descendants and related family in South Africa. It also aims to "keep the family together" by providing visibility of the different branches of the family, and by providing interesting information related to Radikofi (JFL) Janse van Rensburg and Martha (MJM) Momberg and their children. They lived in pioneering times in the then Northern Transvaal, experienced the Anglo Boer War and concentration camps and associated deaths. Through marriages of their children, they linked strongly to other well-known families in the area (e.g. Van der Lith, Eloff and Venter).

Credit is hereby given:

  • for the great research document "A Venter Family History" by Darrell Hall, 1992. Although it focuses on the family of Gerhardus Venter (..g2), it contained many clues and information that assisted in compiling the history of the Welgevonden Venters.
  • to the late Manie Eloff for information on farm ownership related to the Eloff, Venter and Janse van Rensburg families in the area.

Note:

  • All the blue sections / words represent click-able links to more information about the individual, location or topic.
  • If you can and want to contribute to this project, please add yourself as a collaborator and feel free to start adding and improving, as appropriate. Alternatively email information to johann.ahlers@gmail.com

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Descendants

Family I: 1871-1882 {Momberg, and, at least partly, Terblans}:

Martha Momberg had four children through (a) relationship(s) prior to her marriage to Radikofi Janse van Rensburg.

Family II: 1884-1912 {Janse van Rensburg}:

Radikofi Janse van Rensburg and Martha Momberg of Rustfontein had 5 children, of whom two died in the Pietersburg Concentration Camp. When the couple were married in December 1884, they were both listed as 'unmarried'.

Family III: 1913-1924 {Janse van Rensburg}:

Widower Radikofi Janse van Rensburg married Martha Jacoba Momberg (1898-1980) - the daughter of his first wife's half-brother - and they had one son. This family lived on Groenepunt near Bandelierkop. In later years, the widow MJ janse van Rensburg married Barend Lourens Petrus Giani.

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Johannes Frederick Lodewicus (Radikofi) Janse van Rensburg (1862-1924) and his parents

- to be completed -

Radikofi's father, :

- to be completed -

Radikofi's mother, :

- to be completed -

Movements of Radikofi's parents (in the Cape Colony)

- to be completed -

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Martha Johanna Margaretha Momberg (1850-1912) and her parents

- to be completed -

Martha's father, his second marriage and insolvency:

- to be completed -

Martha's mother, and her early death:

- to be completed -

Movements of Martha's parents in the Cape Colony

- to be completed -

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The Aberdeen connection

- to be completed -

the connection between the Mombergs and Steyns (and Terblans!);
the movements of the children to the north; 1st daughter apparently stayed near Aberdeen multiple deaths in the early 1850s

Martha's social circumstances and her children before her marriage to Radikofi JvRensburg

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Zoekmekaar before the Anglo-Boer war

Munnik farm, Rustfontein (same name as the JM Botha - married to PJL Venter - farm near Greylingstad)
Radikofi's brother and his family Neighbouring farmers

-- to be completed --

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The Anglo-Boer War: Pietersburg Concentration Camp

Links to the Welgevonden Venters - all captured at Rustfontein...
The Pietersburg Concentration Camp - deaths of own children and of brother's children Link to the Eloffs?

-- to be completed --

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Zoekmekaar and Bandelierkop after the Anglo-Boer war

Senator Munnik and the Railway
Radikofi train stop Rustfontein until 1912 Death of MJM and her possible burial on Rustfontein Bandelierkop farms, including Groenepunt, Bellevue (and others)

Radikofi buried on Groenepunt

-- to be completed --

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Zoekmekaar and Bandelierkop in the 21st Century

Recent / existing family links to the area;
Wakkerstroom and Welgevonden in the hands of Westfalia; The Bandelierkop farms (Bellevue, Klipput, Groenepunt and Doornveld consolidated into Soetveld)