Back to home Back to Historical

Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg was born 16 May 1818, and he was baptised at Beaufort West 2 February 1819, his parents were Hendrik Janse van Rensburg and his second wife Martha Magdalena (nee SCHEEPERS) OOSTHUIZEN.

Willem Cornelis married Elizabeth Maria Jacoba DU PLESSIS in 1838 we have this photo of her (17k) from the Brandwag, (she was born 31 October 1819 and she died 6 August 1895). He went with the other trekkers originally to Natal and was in the party of van Rensburg's who survived at Rensburg koppie the onslaughts of the Zulu's.  Willem Cornelis always signed his surname as "van Renseburg"

Elected to President of ZAR but faces Afrikaner Schism
He eventually in 1848 settled at Rustenburg on the farm Kafferskraal. He was a member of the Volksraad from 1850 - June 1855.  He supported Commandant-General Stephanus SCHOEMAN in his fight against the constitution. Schoeman in turn appointed van Rensburg as provisional commandant.  There were major differences between Schoeman and MW Pretorius, and van Rensburg represented Schoeman in the negotiations.  Van Rensburg during Schoeman's illness in 1858 acted as Commandant-General.  Van Rensburg played a key part in uniting the former Lydenburg Republic with the ZAR.  He also supported PRETORIUS in the concept of uniting ZAR and the Orange River Republic.  In February 1860 the Volksraad offered him the positions of State President in the absence of Pretorius, but he refused the offer. There was a lot of political maneuvering.  Van Rensburg was elected the President of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek in April 1863, he refused to be sworn in, but on being elected again, van Rensburg receiving 1,106 votes whereas Pretorius received 1,065, van Rensburg took the oath of office on October 23, 1863. A civil war began and when it came to halt in January 1864 they held another presidential election and MW PRETORIUS was reelected, and was sworn in on 9 May 1864. Van Rensburg returned to his farm and died shortly afterwards on 13 August 1865. 

He had twelve children. I do not know that there exists a photo of him, but there is this photo taken in Sep 1936 of two of his sons from the Brandwag (47k) The one on the left is Petrus Stephanus he was born 6 September 1856, and the one on the right is Lucas Willem Cornelis born 11 July 1858. The son Lucas Willem Cornelis told dr. Gustav Preller that his farther was a big person, "'n besonder rysige gestalte (was) wat volgens die familielede wat hom geken het, en ander, veel ooreenkoms had met homself. Hy is 6 voet 6 duim; sy vader was 6 voet 3 duim lank".

Mari Mostert mari.mostert@freemail.absa.co.za sent me the following family tree of the President written up in "Die Hervormer" Aug 1974, by HM Rex.

b1d4e10? MARTHA MAGDALENA ~27.10.1805 x Jacobus Frederik VAN STADEN
e11? WILLEM CORNELIS *1818 (President van die Zuid-Africaansche Republiek Okt 1863 tot Mei 1864) + 1865 x 1838 Elisabetta Maria Jacoba DU PLESSIS *21.10.1819 + 6.8.1895
f1 Hendrik Nicolaas * 1840 x1862 Johanna Petronella VAN ROOYEN
---g1 Willem Cornelis * 1864 (Vermoedelik oorlede)
---g2 Hendrik Nicolaas *1869
---g3 Cornelis Johannes Christian * 1871
---g4 Willem Cornelis II * 1873
---g5 Johanna Petronella * 1876
---g6 Gysbert * 1877
---g7 Susarah Aletta * 1879
---g8 Johanna Petronella Andrietta * 1881
f2 Johannes Andries * 1842 x Nov 1862 Susara Aletta ELS
---g1 Willemina Hellemina of Elisabet * 1864
---g2 Elisabeth Maria Jacoba * 1865
---g3 Susara Aletta * 1867 (vermoedelik oorlede)
---g4 Willem Cornelis * 1869
---g5 Susara Aletta II * 1871
---g6 Johanna Petronella * 1873
---g7 Johannes Marthinus * 1875
---g8 Anna Margaritha Elisabetta * 1877
---g9 Martha Magdalena * 1879
---g10 Hendrik Nicolaas * 1881
---g11 Johannes Andries * 1883
---g12 Cornelia Johanna Christina * 1885
---g13 Petrus Stefanus * 1889
f3 Willem Cornelis * 1844 x Feb 1863 Anna Barbara ROBBERTSE/ROBBETSE
---g1 Petronella Margaritha * 1864
---g2 Willem Cornelis * 1866
---g3 Elisabetta Maria Jacoba * 1870
---g4 Anna Barbara * 1872
---g5 Martha Magdalena * 1875
---g6 Jan Hendrik * 1877
---g7 Johanna Petronella * 1879
---g8 Isabella Elisabetta * 1882
f4 Johanna Petronella * 1847 x Nov 1864 Thomas Engenaas/Ignatius Steenekamp ROBBERTSE/ ROBBETSE
---g1 Jan Hendrik Robbertse * 1869
---g2 Elizabetta Maria Jacoba Robbertse * 1872
---g3 Petronella Margaritha Robbertse * 1874
---g4 Johanna Petronella Robbertse * 1877
---g5 Willem Cornelis Robbertse * 1879
---g6 Thomas Engenaas Steenekamp Robbertse * 1881
---g7 Isabella Elisabet Robbertse * 1884
---g8 Willem Cornelis Robbertse II * 1886
f5 Petrus Stephanus * 6.9.1856 x April 1878 Anna Cornelia VAN DER WESTHUISEN
---g1 Willem Cornelis * 1879
---g2 Johannes Christian * 1881
---g3 Petrus Stephanus * 1883
---g4 Adam Jacobus * 1886
---g5 Hendrik Nicolaas * 1889
f6 Lucas Willem Cornelis * 1858 x Jun 1878 Petronella Josanna Maria DE JAGER
---g1 Louis Johannes Marthinus * 1881
---g2 Petronella Johanna Maria * 1883
---g3 Elisabetta Maria Jacoba * 1885
---g4 Willem Cornelis * 1888
---g5 Petronella Johanna Maria II * ??

Van Rensburg was buried on his farm Kafferskraal (Rustenburg), and in August 1974 he and his wife was reburied at the Helde-akker in Pretoria.

OTHER SOURCES
Depot: TAB
Source: Biblioteek
Type Tesisse
Ref 020 DUP
Description: Isak Dawid du Plessis: Die rol van Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg in die geskiedenis van die Suid Afrikaanse Republiek.
Remarks: MA (UP), 1964. Aanwinsnommer: 11031.

Depot TAB
Source SS
Type Leer
Vol No 48
System 01
Ref R323/63
Part 0
Description Kennisgeving dat de Heer WC Janse van Rensburg met 370 stemmen is verkozen als president.
Starting 18630423
Ending 18630423

Depot TAB
Source SS
Type Leer
Vol No 48
System 01
Ref R400/63
Part 0
Description Volksraad Pretoria. Verzoek aan den Heer WC Janse V Rensburg om den ambtseed als gekozen president te komen afleggen, Zullende morgen ochtend eene commissie hem daartoe komen afhalend.
Starting 18630526
Ending 18630526

Depot TAB
Source SS
Type Leer
Vol No 55
System 01
Ref R172/64
Part 0
Description Pretoria. Lijst van uitgebrachte stemmen op den Heer MW Pretorius en den Heer WCJ van Rensburg als president van den Uitvoerende Raad der ZAR.
Starting 18640329
Ending 18640329

andre@rensburg.com