▁birth ▁to ▁Johannes ▁Pet rus ▁( Jan ) ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 4 2 , ▁five ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁Prince ▁Albert ▁Re formed ▁Church . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁two - year - old ▁Jan ▁moved ▁with ▁his ▁parents ▁to ▁Trans va al , ▁where ▁his ▁father ▁had ▁purchased ▁three ▁far ms : ▁E land sf onte in ▁( where ▁they ▁lived ), ▁K lip riv iers berg , ▁and ▁Al w yn sp o ort . ▁The ▁family ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁the ▁Kar oo , ▁and ▁upon ▁their ▁return , ▁Or g ▁built ▁a ▁house ▁for ▁a ▁S mit ▁who ▁had ▁settled ▁in ▁K lip riv iers berg , ▁pleased ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁neighbor ▁in ▁the ▁sp ars ely ▁populated ▁area . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁S mit ▁died , ▁after ▁which ▁Or g ▁sold ▁K lip riv iers berg . ▁Jan , ▁eigh teen ▁by ▁then , ▁wanted ▁to ▁buy ▁it ▁but ▁competed ▁with ▁mer ch ants ▁who ▁wanted ▁a ▁shop ▁there ▁since ▁it ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁road ▁from ▁Vere enig ing ▁to ▁P ret oria . ▁The ▁young ▁man ▁won ▁with ▁a ▁bid ▁of ▁£ 5 0 0 , ▁contrib uting ▁£ 2 0 0 ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁money ▁but ▁borrow ing ▁the ▁rest ▁from ▁an ▁Er as mus ▁who ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁farm ▁in ▁I rene . ▁Jan ▁started ▁a ▁store ▁there ▁and ▁began ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁car ter . ▁ ▁In ▁