Marthinus Steyn
| Martinus Theunis Steyn | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 6th State President of the Orange Free State | |
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In office 4 March 1896 – 30 May 1902 |
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| Preceded by | Francis William Reitz |
| Succeeded by | Christiaan de Wet (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
2 October 1857 Winburg, Orange Free State |
| Died | 28 November 1916 (aged 58) Bloemfontein, Orange Free State Province, Union of South Africa |
| Political party |
South African Party National Party |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel Isabella (Tibbie) Fraser |
| Alma mater | Grey College, Leiden University |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Martinus (or Marthinus) Theunis Steyn (2 October 1857 – 28 November 1916) was a South African lawyer, politician, and statesman, sixth and last president of the independent Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902.
The Steyn family lived near Winburg on the farm Josephinesdal. Steyn was born on 2 October 1857 on the farm Rietfontein near Winburg in the Orange Free State. His father Marthinus (known as Marthinus 'blinkstewels') was away from home after the death of his own father, to assist his mother on a three month long round trip from Winburg to Swellendam in the Cape Colony. As Cecilia, Steyn's mother, was pregnant with Marthinus Theunis, they thought it safer for her to stay with her sister Gertruida, who was married to Theunis Wessels, a farmer at Rietfontein. Steyn was meant to be named only Marthinus after his father, but because of the good care that Theunis and Gertruida took during Cecilia's pregnancy, Steyn was named both after his father Marthinus and his uncle Theunis. In later years his family always called him Theunis.
During the Basotho War of 1858, the Steyns were driven from their farm and lost almost everything. After the death of Steyn's two grandfathers, his Wessels grandmother convinced his father to buy his own farm. They bought the farm Suurfontein/Zuurfontein, on the Modder River, about 13 miles from Bloemfontein. It is on this farm that Steyn spent most of his youth, and experienced the open and free spaces of the Free State.
Steyn started his school years in a small farm school, on the farm Rooiwal. The school was forty minutes away by horse and the teacher was Mr. Wiggins, who taught in English. Another Basoeto War started in 1864, disrupting the family, and causing Theunis and his brother Tewie to stay with their grandmother in Wessels, where they attended a small grammar school briefly; afterwards they were sent to Grey College.
At the age of 16, he left school with his brother Tewie to farm on Zuurfontein. Steyn's family lived right across from the then president of the Free State, J.H. Brand, in Bloemfontein. The family socialized with other groups of Dutch families. The Steyn home in Bloemfontein, Green Lodge, was the meeting place for the young people of Bloemfontein. The house was open for everybody; from the Fichardts of German origin, to the English speaking Robertses, to the Jewish Baumans, to English speaking Afrikaners, like President Brand, as well as the Dutch community.
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