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During the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) Marks's dealings with Boers and British were neutral. He managed to keep the trust of both parties in very difficult circumstances. He tried to the best of his abilities to bring about peace to his adopted country. The eventual peace negotiations were held on the company's estate at Vereeniging.
For his loyalty to this country he was appointed as senator in 1910. |
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General Koos de la Rey
Lord Roberts, Commander- in-Chief of the British forces in South Africa and Marks had several encounters and met at The Willows just before the Battle of Diamond Hill, which took place near Zwartkoppies. On 1 October 1900 Roberts and his family visited Zwartkoppies before going to Diamond Hill to visit the grave of the Earl of Airlee, one of the casualties of the battle there. |
Already before the Anglo-Boer War Gen. De la Rey, reknowned Boer Bittereinder, was a personal acquaintance and close personal friend of Marks, acting as his farm superintendent and rent-collector in the Lichtenburg district. After Lord Roberts’s visit to Zwartkoppies, Marks sent a plea (not the first one) to De la Rey imploring him to consider peace. De la Rey, however, was a fiery patriot, who even in April 1902 when he met with Marks, still insisted on independence for the Boer Republics. Shortly afterwards Marks had another meeting with him and Gen. Smuts during which they discussed the situation with delegates from the commandoes, stressing the need for an end to the war. De la Rey played an eminent role and was a signatory of the Peace Treaty of Vereeniging. He later remarked about Marks: “He is the best friend I ever had, and he saved us all.” |
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Lord Roberts and his family with Sammy Marks |
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