WC Heritage

Die Storie van Oupa Fanie en Ouma Nelie

Ouma Nellie 1Oupa Fanie Venter was 'n wewenaar met vier kinders, toe hy getroud is met my ouma Nelie. Sy was 'n nooi Du Toit  Oupa se eerste vrou, Johanna Alletta Cilliers, was een van die kleindogters van Sarel Cilliers. Sy was die dogter van Daniel Abraham Cilliers en Jacoba Johanna gebore Pretorius. Alletta het in September 1888 gesterf, waarna Oupa Fanie is getroud met ouma Nelie. As 'n gevolg van die huwelik met Alletta het 'n waardevolle stuk Africana in besit van die Venter familie gekom. Dit is 'n opvoubare tafel wat behoort het aan Sarel Cilliers en wat hy saam met hom op sy reise geneem het. Legende wil dit hê dat die Gelofte van 16 Desember 1838 voor die Slag van Bloedrivier by hierdie tafel geskryf. Die tafel is nog steeds in die familie se besit.
Ouma Nelie se broer, Andrew Francois du Toit, was blykbaar 'n veelsydige man. Op die uitnodiging van sy vriend, president M.W. Pretorius, verhuis hy na die Transvaal inOupa fanie 1 1856. Hy het 'n gedeelte van die plaas Elandsfontein geruil vir 'n Basoetoe-ponie en die noem die plaas Arcadia, wat later 'n voorstad van Pretoria sou word. Kort na sy vestiging in Pretoria word hy ingesweer as landdros. Tydens sy ampstermyn het hy die sanitasie van die dorp verbeter deur die grawe van afvoer en water kanale te beveel. Hy onderneem die taak van die opmeting van die reeds gedefinieerde Kerkplein deur die beplanning van strate en toegangspunte na die plein. Al die metings is gedoen met 'n ketting en die skip se verkyker, die enigste instrumente wat beskikbaar was. Du Toit Street, in Pretoria is na hom vernoem.
Bloed Street het ‘n verbintenis met sy seun Jacob Stephanus du Toit. Die storie gaan dat Jakob een aand te perd in die straat af is. Daar was verdeeldheid onder die boere in daardie tyd en wagte was geplaas in die nag om die afvalliges uitmekaar te hou. Gedurende daardie spesifieke dag was die vrede gesluit word, maar die wagte was nie meegedeel nie. Toe Jakob, het nie die wagwoord kon gee nie, is sy perd onder hom doodgeskiet. Die bloed het 'n groot kol gelaat en die straat is daarna Bloed Street genoem.

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The Story of Oupa Fanie and Ouma Nelie


Ouma_Nellie_1Grandfather Fanie Venter was a widower with four children when he married my grandmother Nelie. She was a Du Toit girl. Grandfather's first wife, Johanna Alletta Cilliers, was one of the granddaughters of Sarel Cilliers. She was the daughter of Daniel Abraham Cilliers and Jacoba Johanna born Pretorius. Alletta died in September 1888 after which Oupa Fanie married grandmother Nelie. As a result of the marriage with Alletta a valuable piece of Africana ended up with the Venter family. This is a collapsible table that belonged to Sarel Cilliers that he took with him on his travels. Legend has it that the Covenant of 16 December 1838 before the Battle of Blood River on behalf of the South African people, was written at this table. The table is still in the family's possession.


Grandmother Nelie 's brother, Andrew Francois du Toit, apparently was a versatile man.At the invitation of his friend, President MW Pretorius, he moved to the Transvaal in 1856. He exchanged a portion of the farm Oupa_fanie_1Elandsfontein for a Basotho pony and named the farm Arcadia, that later became a suburb of Pretoria. Shortly after his settlement in Pretoria he was sworn in as magistrate. During his tenure he improved the sanitation of the town by ordering the digging of drains and water channels. He undertook the task of meassuring up  the already defined church square planning streets and access points to the square and measured it with a chain and ship's binoculars, the only instruments available. Du Toit Street, in Pretoria was named after him.


Blood Street connects with his son Jacob Stephanus du Toit. The story goes that Jacob went on a horseback trip down the street one night. There was dissent amongst farmers at that time and guards were posted at night time to keep the dissenters apart. During that particular day peace was concluded, but the guards were not told. When Jacob could not give the password, his horse was shot under him and killed. The blood made a big spot, and the street was subsequently called Blood Street.

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