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History
of the Area
The
Eastern Free State was first occupied by indigenous San and Koi
people who lived in harmony with the multitude of game which populated
the vast grass plains. Blacks first arrived in the early 1800's as
refugees from the great warlords Chaka, Dingaan and Mtsilikatse,
according to the explorer Dr. Andrew Smith who traveled through this
region prior to the Great Trek. They mainly lived in the Witteberge
mountains south of Bethlehem.
The
Voortrekkers
Hunters and adventurers, probably arrived in the
1820's but only came in large quantities during the great trek, about
July 1837. The region was occupied by Trekkers under Andries Hendrik
Potgieter. After the arrival of Piet Retief in 1837 it was decided at a
contentious public meeting to make Natal the destination of the Trek and
to establish a Boer Republic there. Thereafter the Bethlehem region was,
for a number of years, mainly a through station.
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Paul
Roux
Paul Roux was situated on the old
stagecoach route between Harrismith and Winburg. Paul Roux served as a
halfway post for changing the horses of the stagecoach. Whenever the
stage-couch were nearing the town, a horn sounded, and the new set of
horses were prepared so to exchange the horses of the stagecoach that no
delay is experienced.
Mosten Cleaver, an Englishman, was born
on the farm " Zuuringkrans ". His parents had a small shop as
well as the post office, where the horses were exchanged for the
stage-couch. This shop and post office was the only place where people
could sell their wool and grain. Bethlehem was the closest other town.
Cleaver went to England to study as advocate. He later came back to
South Africa and helped the boers fighting in the Anglo Boer War. When
he was taken prisoner by the British, he refused to swear loyalty
towards the Queen. He was then deported to an island where he died of
fever.
The Cleaver family built a small church
in Senekal, west of where the parsonage of the Dutch Reform Church of
Senekal is standing today. Unfortunately this building was never
declared a heritage site. The Moslem community of Senekal today uses the
building.
How did the town get its name?
In 1911, the newly formed community was
divided about the name of the new town. One group wanted to name the
town, Du Plessisville - after a respected citizen, while the other group
wanted to name the town after their minister - Paul Roux. Paul Roux was
the minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in Senekal. Because the town
had no church, the people went to the church in Senekal to worship.
The people decided to get a big piece of
dolomite (ironstone). On the one side they wrote the initials PR and on
the other side the initials DPV. One of the men, Mr Koos Smit, was asked
to throw the stone as far as possible - the side on which the stone
lands will indicate what the name of the town would be. The town was
called Paul Roux after the stone had fallen with the Initials PR on top.
This Historical event took place on the ground west to where the AP
Church is standing today.
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