Presidents of the Orange Free State

With the signing of the Bloemfontein Convention on 23 February 1854 the Orange River Sovereignty officially became an independent state under nominal British suzerainty as the Orange Free State. On 11 March 1854 the British left the territory of the new state. The representatives of the burghers of the Orange Free State elected Josias Philip Hoffman from their midst as chairman of the Provisional Government. After the structure of the state took its final form in April 1854, Hoffman eventually became the first State President of the Orange Free State.

The Orange Free State had only six regularly elected state presidents during the forty-eight years of its existence. However, in between governments and during illness and leave of absence of the incumbents, acting state presidents were appointed by the Volksraad. Usually the government secretary, the chairman of the Volksraad, or a prominent member of that body was appointed to the post, although on several occasions the presidency was taken over by a commission. [ [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/South_Africa.html#Orange Orange Free State on Worldstatesmen.org] ]

List of state presidents of the Orange Free State

* Jacobus Groenendaal, [??] April 1854 – 18 April 1854 (acting)
* Josias Philip Hoffman, 18 April 1854 – 10 February 1855 (acting to 15 June 1854) [Muller, Hendrik P.N., "Oude tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat. Naar Mr. H.A.L. Hamelberg's nagelaten papieren beschreven". Leiden: E.J. Brill 1907. 53-54.] :* Joint Commission for the Administering of the Government, consisting of Jacobus Johannes Venter, chairman, Esaias Reynier Snijman, and "N.N.", 10 February 1855 – 27 August 1855
* Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff, 27 August 1855 – June 1859 [possibly officially 6 September 1859]
Boshoff vacated his post January 1859 to go on leave to Natal and did not return. [Muller, "Oude tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat". 127, 132.] :* Esaias Reynier Snijman, January 1859 – 15 December 1859 (acting) [Muller, "Oude tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat". 132.] :* Jacobus Johannes Venter, 15 December 1859 – 8 February 1860 (acting)
* Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, 8 February 1860 – 17 June1863:* J.W. Spruyt, September 1860, (acting during absence, possibly also on other occasions until 1862). [Muller, "Oude tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat". 141, 143-144.] :* Joseph Allison, 18 March 1863 – 20 June 1863 (acting, during leave until 17 June) [Muller, "Oude tyden in den Oranje-Vrystaat". 146-147.] :* Jacobus Johannes Venter, 20 June 1863 – 2 February 1864 (acting)
* Sir Johannes Henricus Brand, 2 February 1864 – 14 July 1888 :* Friedrich Kaufmann Höhne, 31 August 1872 – 4 October 1872 (acting, during leave):* Jacobus Johannes Venter, 1869 – 1870 (acting, during leave):* Executive Committee, consisting of William Collins, Friedrich Pieter Schnehage, Gerhardus Johannes du Toit (acting, during leave):* Pieter Jeremias Blignaut, 14 July 1888 – 10 January 1889 (acting)
* Francis William Reitz, 10 January 1889 – 11 December 1895:* Pieter Jeremias Blignaut, 11 December 1895 – 4 March 1896 (acting)
* Martinus Theunis Steyn, 4 March 1896 – 31 May 1902:* Christiaan Rudolf de Wet, 29 May 1902 – 31 May 1902 (acting)

Notes