Jansenville

History

In the late 1700s, outposts of the Cape Colony, in the form of the trek boer and hunters had reached and crossed the Sundays River. The greater portion of what now constitutes the Jansenville district fell under Uitenhage. The first European to settle here was Christiaan Ernst Schutte, who obtained title to land surveyed by James Swan in June 1818 described as "Late Loan Place Vergenoegd" of 3000 morgen, and granted to C.E. Schutte in 1820. Schutte was required to pay to "The Receiver General of Land Revenue" an annual quitrent of 50 Rix dollars. Schutte later sold to Prinsloo and moved northwards, to be followed by the latter when fierce, impetuous Petrus Fourie, arrived from Swellendam in 1838, to become the new owner of Vergenoegd. His veins flowing with Huguenot industry, Fourie found the land good. The muddy waters of the Sundays spread fertile, alluvial soil along its banks. Fourie and his sons began to cultivate, and before long one hundred morgen were under crops. The Great North tract passed over Vergenoegd. It was used by hundreds of ox wagons en route to Port Elizabeth, and returning with merchandise. The transport riders found good pasture and ample provisions in wheat, mealies and meat; the district was becoming populous. In 1853 Petrus Fourie arranged for layout and survey of about 80 erven for the establishment of a township named Alexandria in honor of Ds. Alexander Smith, NGK Minister at Uitenhage, who visited the congregation once a quarter. However, by the time the application reached the authorities at the Cape, another community near the coast had beaten Fourie to the name. Jansenville was then decided on in honor of General Janssens, last of the Dutch Governors at the Cape, and Commander of the Dutch forces at the fateful Battle of…

Most-observed species

• Elephant Bush

  Portulacaria afra Jacq. · Magnoliopsida
  66
• Cape Aloe

  Aloe ferox Mill. · Liliopsida
  57
• Blue Noors

  Euphorbia radyeri Bruyns · Magnoliopsida
  28
• coral aloe

  Aloe striata Haw. · Liliopsida
  20
• Indaba tree

  Pappea capensis Eckl. & Zeyh. · Magnoliopsida
  19
• Karroothorn

  Vachellia karroo (Hayne) Banfi & Galasso · Magnoliopsida
  18
• Karoo Gold

  Rhigozum obovatum Burch. · Magnoliopsida
  16
• Bastard Shepherd Tree

  Boscia oleoides (Burch. ex DC.) Toelken · Magnoliopsida
  13