Presidents of the Orange Free State
Encyclopedia
List of State Presidents of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
| President | Portrait | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josias Philip Hoffman |  |
24 February 1854 – 10 February 1855 | President of the Provisional Government (24 February 1854 – 29 March 1854) President of the Volksraad (29 March 1854 – 15 April 1854) Acting President of the Orange Free State (15 April 1854 – 13 September 1854) 1st State President of the Orange Free State (13 September 1854 – 10 February 1855) |
| Jacobus Johannes Venter |  |
10 February 1855 – 27 August 1855 | Provisional President of the Orange Free State (10 February 1855 – 15 February 1855) Chairman of the Executive Committee (15 February 1855 – 27 August 1855) |
| Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff |  |
27 August 1855 – 6 September 1859 | 2nd State President of the Orange Free State |
| Esaias Reynier Snijman | |
6 September 1859 – 8 February 1860 | Acting State President of the Orange Free State |
| Marthinus Wessel Pretorius Marthinus Wessel Pretorius The son of the famous Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius was the first president of the South African Republic, and also compiled the constitution of the Republic.... |
|
8 February 1860 – 17 June 1863 | 3rd State President of the Orange Free State |
| Joseph Allison Joseph Allison Joseph Allison was a South African politician, born in the Cape Colony. In 1851 he was clerk to the British Resident and the Legislative Council of the Orange River Sovereignty... |
|
18 March 1863 – 17 June 1863 | Acting State President of the Orange Free State (acting for absent Pretorius) |
| office vacant | |
17 June 1863 – 20 June 1863 | The office of State President was vacant between 17 June 1863 when the Volksraad accepted the resignation of Pretorius and 20 June 1863 when Venter was sworn in. |
| Jacobus Johannes Venter | |
20 June 1863 – 2 February 1864 | Acting State President of the Orange Free State |
| Sir Johannes Henricus Brand, GCMG Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III.... |
 |
2 February 1864 – 14 July 1888 | 4th State President of the Orange Free State |
| Pieter Jeremias Blignaut Pieter Jeremias Blignaut -External links:... |
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14 July 1888 – 10 January 1889 | Chairman of the Executive Council(14 July 1888 – 21 August 1888) Acting State President of the Orange Free State (21 August 1888 – 10 January 1889) |
| Francis William Reitz Francis William Reitz Francis William Reitz, Jr. was a South African lawyer, politician, statesman, publicist and poet, member of parliament of the Cape Colony, Chief Justice and fifth State President of the Orange Free State, State Secretary of the South African Republic at the time of the Second Boer War, and the... |
|
10 January 1889 – 11 December 1895 | 5th State President of the Orange Free State |
| Pieter Jeremias Blignaut Pieter Jeremias Blignaut -External links:... |
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11 December 1895 – 4 March 1896 | Acting State President of the Orange Free State |
| Martinus Theunis Steyn Martinus Theunis Steyn Martinus Theunis Steyn was a South African lawyer, politician, and statesman, sixth and last president of the independent Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902.... |
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4 March 1896 – 31 May 1902 | 6th State President of the Orange Free State |
| Christiaan Rudolf de Wet Christiaan De Wet Christiaan Rudolf de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader and politician.He was born on the Leeuwkop farm, in the district of Smithfield in the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State... |
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29 May 1902 – 31 May 1902 | Acting State President of the Orange Free State |