F W Reitz Senior

When Alexander Reid died in 1867, F W Reitz Snr (born 1810) bought Klippe Rivier in 1869, having sold his historic Rhenosterfontein farm. He had 12 children and when he died in 1881, the farm passed onto his son, also F W Reitz, who was then president of the Orange Free State Republic. F W Reitz Senior was a highly respected man who spoke English and Dutch/Afrikaans fluently - As a" modern man" he instructed his children to speak only English and his son F W Reits Junior attended University in Scotland. President Reitz never lived permanently at the farm, but the homestead was managed by his brother. He sold the farm in 1899 at the outbreak of the Boer War. The Presidential family certainly visited Klippe Rivier, as there are many old photographs of them, and a flagpole was erected (obviously to fly the Free State flag). The President's young son, Deneys Reitz (born 1882) has carved his name on the attic beams in the homestead, as well as on the waenhuis window frame (on the small side window downstairs in the Reitz room). Deneys Reitz gained fame in later life for "Commando" his journal on the Boer War. President Reitz's sister, Frances (Fanny), married William Schreiner, brother of more famous Olive Schreiner, and William later became Prime Minister of the Cape. Olive corresponded regularly with President Reitz, Frances and William. Olive Schreiner was a visitor to Klippe Rivier, and scratched her name into a pane of glass in the voorkamer, but this sadly has disappeared. Klippe Rivier must have been quite a landmark on the old wagon road from the Cape, and in 1870, Advocate Whaley Cole writes in his journal, Off on Circuit: "Daylight wakes us for coffee at Twentymans (William Twentyman kept an inn at Stormsvlei). Piet Human's is soon reached in the nipping cold, and his invariable reviving 'nip' warmly, thankfully taken. Our next stage Klip River, the homely, hospitable abode of Mr F W Reitz and family."