User:Moolman2022/sandbox

Moolmanshoek
The original owner of the Moolmanshoek valley gave the valley the name Moolmanshoek. Mr Petrus Lafras Moolman was his name. On their way from their temporary residence in the South Eastern Free State, the Moolmans had found the valley on hunting trips. The surname Moolman is derived from the surname Meuleman. Pieter Meuleman arrived in South Africa as a soldier with the Oost Indishce Compagne in 1743. He later became a "burger" of Stellenbosch, married Catharine Elisabeth Swart, a local girl, on November 17, 1748. The original Moolman farm, which was around 6800 hectares in size, spanned practically the entire valley. The farm was eventually divided among the four sons. KJ de Kok drew the first maps of the property in June 1869. At the time, the owners were


 * AJ Moolman (Andries Johannes)
 * JL Moolman
 * CL Moolman (Christaan Lodewikus) † Ficksburg Married – Maria Amerentia Cronje
 * PL Moolman (Petrus Lafras) Married to Isabella Elsie Georgina Moolman

When their father died in 1904, the sons who eventually acquired the top section of the valley, now known as Moolmanshoek, put it up for sale. On June 11, 1905, Mr. Thomas Mitchell, a well-known businessman and farmer in the area, purchased Moolmanshoek for his 17-year-old son Ernst. Dora Musgrave was Ernst's future wife. The main sandstone house, which cost £8,000 to build, was built by the two of them between 1928 and 1933.

In 1956, Ernst Mitchell passed away. Moolmanshoek was leased to a Mr Muller for the following five years before being auctioned off by a bank in Ficksburg. The highest bidder was Mr Hendrik Erasmus (married to Hester du Plessis) of Hofmeyer. Because the price was too low, Mr Erasmus agreed to rent the farm (for a maximum of 10 years) with the opportunity to purchase the land. He bought Moolmanshoek in 1968 after renting it for seven years.

Hendrik and Hester only had one child, Miemie, a daughter. In March 1972, she married Smithfield native Willie Nel. In January 1973, the couple relocated to Moolmanshoek. Willie purchased Moolmanshoek from his father-in-law in 1980, making him the fourth owner of the property. Moolmanshoek was converted into the slice of paradise it is today because to Willie and Miemie's leadership. Langesnek (where the Leadership Centre is located) and Waterkloof, two neighbouring farms, were eventually purchased and incorporated to Moolmanshoek. Hester, Isabel, and Wiesman are Willie and Miemie's three children. Moolmanshoek is still run as a family company today.