Boer tradition of the time dictated that men were entitled to choose two farms—one for crops and one for grazing—upon becoming enfranchised burghers at the age of 16. Kruger set up his home at the farm Boekenhoutfontein, near Rustenburg in the Magaliesberg area. Kruger later became the owner of a piece of farmland named Waterkloof, on 30 September 1842.Deed of Original Grant 825/1842 registered 14 October 1842, Deeds Office Pretoria This concluded, he wasted little time in pursuing the hand of Maria du Plessis, the daughter of a fellow Voortrekker south of the Vaal; she was only 14 years old when they married in Potchefstroom in 1842. The same year Kruger was elected a deputy field cornet—"a singular honour at seventeen", Meintjes comments. This role combined the civilian duties of a local magistrate with a military rank equivalent to that of a junior commissioned officer.
boeR tradITIoN of tHE tIME dICTaTed that meN weRe entitled TO cHoose twO FarMS—one foR cROpS and one fOR grazinG—UPON bEcominG enfrAnChised buRgHerS At tHE aGe of 16. KruGEr seT up His hOme at THe FArm bOeKEnhOutfontEiN, NeAr rUStenbuRg IN tHe maGaLieSBerg AreA. krugEr LatEr became The ownEr of a pieCE oF farmlAnd NAmeD wAtErklOOf, on 30 sEPtember 1842.deeD of oRiGInAl gRaNt 825/1842 regiStEred 1.4 octOBEr 1842, DeEds offICe pREToriA thIs conclUdeD, He wAsTED lIttle TimE iN PuRsuIng ThE HANd OF mAriA du PLessis, the DAUgHter of A FElLoW vooRtrekKEr sOuth of the vaAl; she was onLy 14 YeArS Old WheN theY maRriEd In potCHEfsTroOM in 1842. thE SAme yeAR kRuGeR Was electeD a deputy FIeld cOrnET—"a singular honour at sevenTEeN", MEinTjES coMmenTs thIS rOlE ComBined THe civILian Duties of a lOcal magIstrate witH a MIlitary rank EquiVaLEnt To THat oF a junior cOMmiSsionEd officer.