STEYN – MARTHINUS THEUNIS (M.T.)

Note:

MARTHINUS STEYN WAS BORN ON THE FARM RIETFONTEIN, NEAR WINBURG , IN THE FREE STATE, WITH HIS FIRST LOVE IN HIS EARLY YEARS BEING THAT OF FARMING.  THE FREE STATE HAD BECOME A REPUBLIC ON THE 23RD FEBRUARY 1854, AND THEUNIS WAS INFLUENCED AND PERSUADED BY JUDGE JAMES BUCHANAN THAT HIS CALLING WAS IN THE LAW PROFESSION. AFTER SCHOOL HE ENROLLED AT DEVENTER GYMNASIUM IN HOLLAND IN 1877. HE REALISED THAT A NETHERLANDS QUALIFICATION WOULD NOT ENTITLE HIM TO PRACTICE LAW ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA, AND DECIDED THUS, TO STUDY IN ENGLAND. ON 17TH NOVEMBER 1882 HE WAS ADMITTED TO THE BAR IN ENGLAND, AND ON THE 19TH DECEMBER 1882 WAS ADMITTED TO THE CAPE BAR.
HE MARRIED RACHEL ISABELLA FRASER, WHOM HE CALLED TIBBIE, ON THE 10TH MARCH 1887. TIBBIE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF THE REVERAND COLIN FRASER, PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER IN PHILIPPOLIS. THEUNIS HAD MET THE REV. FRASER ON THE DUNROBIN CASTLE ON THE JOURNEY TO EUROPE TO BEGIN HIS STUDIES. TIBBIE, AS A CHILD, WAS ON THE SAME VOYAGE.
THEUNIS WAS APPOINTED AS A JUDGE IN THE FREE STATE ON THE 14TH AUGUST 1889, AND ON THE 4TH MARCH 1896, AT THE AGE OF 38, ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF THE FREE STATE.
PRESIDENT STEYN WAS THE ULTIMATE ‘BITTEREINDER‘ AND AFTER BLOEMFONTEIN FELL TO LORD ROBERTS’ FORCES, MOVED HIS GOVERNMENT ALL OVER THE FREE STATE, AND MOSTLY ACCOMPANIED GENERAL DE WET ON HIS HORSE SCOTT, EVEN THOUGH HIS HEALTH WAS FAILING. HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ENSURING THAT THE FORCES OF THE TRANSVAAL AND THE FREE STATE CONTINUED FIGHTING UNTIL IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE WAR COULD NOT BE WON.
AFTER THE WAR HE SPENT THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE ON HIS FARM ‘ONZE RUST‘ NEAR BLOEMFONTEIN.
PRESIDENT STEYN DIED WHILE ADDRESSING THE ‘ORANJE VROUEVEREENIGING‘   (WOMEN’S LEAGUE) IN THE SINODALE MEMORIAL HALL IN BLOEMFONTEIN. THE REV. J.D. KESTELL LED THE MEMORIAL SERVICE AT THE WOMEN’S MEMORIAL IN BLOEMFONTEIN ON THE 3RD DECEMBER 1916.