Person:Lourens Jansen Van Vuren (3)

In 1836 Lourens and his family participated in the Groot Trek out of the Cape Colony. They trekked through the current Free State to the banks of the Vaal River. From there General AH Potgieter accompanied by Sarel Cilliers went on a reconnaissance mission to Mashonaland in the north. They met up with the trek of Louis Trichardt close the Soutpansberg. On 17 August 1836 they turned around and arrived back at the Vaal River on 2 September 1836. Lourens' one son Lourens Petrus participated in the mission.

On arriving back General Potgieter learnt that a number of Voortrekkers were murdered and robbed of their cattle by the Matabeles. He warned all the trek parties to get together and to move southwards. Sarel Cilliers on a subsequent patrol came accross a big army of Matabeles. He sends warning to all the trekkers to 'trek laer' whilst he tried to delay the Matabeles army through negotiations.

At Vegkop all the trekkers got together. The circle of wagons were made impenetrable with the branches of thorn bushes. Four wagons were pulled together in the centre of the circle for the safety of the women and children. After completing their defences Sarel Cilliers conducted a short church service and asked Lourens' wife, Martha Aletta to lead in the singing of Psalm 130 verse 1. The 37 men including the young at the time but later State President of the Zuid-Afrikaanse Republic, Paul Kruger and an 83 year old man, prepared for battle. On the morning of 16 October 1836 and after a fierce battle they managed to force the Matabele army of Mzilikazi to retreat.

Lourens and his family later joined Sarel Cilliers in moving to Natal were they met up with the trek of Gerrit Maritz. Following the murder of Piet Retief on 6 February 1838 by the Zulu monarch Dingaan their lager was attacked on 17 February 1838 but the Zulu attackers repulsed and pursued on horseback. The attacks of the Zulus left many trekkers stranded and notice was received that the van Rensburgs were completely surrounded by a Zulu attack force. Nine trekkers, including three of Lourens' sons; Lourens Petrus, Johannes Gerhardus and Lucas Rudolph rushed to the scene and came to their rescue.

1. ↑ JPJ van Vuren. Die Familie van Vuren: Stamboom van Gerrit van Vuren. (Published by Craft Pers, Babelegi)
   Page 44.
2.   JPJ van Vuren. Die Familie van Vuren: Stamboom van Gerrit van Vuren. (Published by Craft Pers, Babelegi)
   Pages 132-133.
3. ↑ Great Trek: The Great Trek took place between 1835 to 1838. Due to their unhappiness with British rule a great number of frontier pioneers left the Cape colony during this period and migrated with ox wagons to the north in search of an independent state.
4. ↑ He and his family also participated in the battle of Vegkop on 15 and 16 October 1836.