Cornelius van Rooyen facts for kids

Cornelius Johannes van Rooyen (1860-1915), also known as 'Nellis' van Rooyen, was an early settler in the country now known as Zimbabwe. Back then, it was called Rhodesia. He was a skilled hunter and a guide for big game safaris. Today, he is most famous for breeding the first dogs that led to the Rhodesian Ridgeback breed. These dogs were once even called 'van Rooyen's lion dog'.

He was born in 1860 in a place called Uitenhage in the Cape Colony. His parents were Gerhardus and Cornelia van Rooyen.

A Life of Hunting

Cornelius van Rooyen started hunting and herding animals when he was young. He worked in a large area that stretched between places like Pretoria, Victoria Falls, and Umtali. He was a very good hunter by the time he was 19 years old. Around that time, he married Maria Margareta Vermaak.

He became one of the first European settlers in the area that became Rhodesia. He lived near a place called Mangwe. He also took part in the First and Second Matabele Wars. These were conflicts between the local Ndebele people and the British settlers.

Van Rooyen was friends with many important people of his time. This included famous hunters like Frederick Selous. He also knew leaders like Lobengula, Paul Kruger, and Cecil Rhodes.

Breeding 'Lion Dogs'

Van Rooyen was very interested in breeding dogs for hunting. In 1879, a missionary named Charles Daniel Helm brought two special dogs to his mission. These dogs were from the Khoikhoi people. They were known for being brave when facing dangerous animals like lions.

Van Rooyen wanted to breed dogs that could track big game. He noticed the Khoikhoi dogs' courage but felt they needed better scenting skills and speed. So, he started cross-breeding them with different European dog breeds.

He spent about 35 years working on his dog breeding program. His main rule for choosing dogs was simple: "A good dog was one which survived. A bad one was one which did not." The dogs he bred became the ancestors of the strong and loyal Rhodesian Ridgeback breed we know today.

Later Life

In 1908, Cornelius van Rooyen joined a man named Ellis Josephs on an expedition. They went to capture wild animals to sell to zoos.

Cornelius van Rooyen passed away in Bulawayo on January 20, 1915. He was buried in Plumtree, Zimbabwe.