Eldoret - She met wealthy Mr Ortlepp, a surveyor from SA, when she was quite old, although she did not look it. He built and financed the township, Ortleppville. When he died he was buried in Eldoret but Mrs Ortlepp wished him to be reburied in SA. She asked the DC whether in view of the high cost of transporting coffins, she could put the remains in a box marked "Bones"; the answer was "No" so Mr Ortlepp remained where he was.

A newspaper cutting dated March 8, 1933 - WIDOW WITH A TOWN TO SELL - Tired of running it alone - ON NEW GOLDFIELD - Nights of shooting lions and scaring raiders - from our Special Correspondent - A widow is in London to sell a whole town. Her identity is concealed in this announcement: - Kenya Colony (about 100 miles from Kakamega goldfields) The Ortlepp Township (500 acres Freehold) in its entirety is to be sold for £30,000 net, owner retiring. The Township stands 7000 feet above sea level, glorious climate of perpetual springtime. River divides Ortlepp from Eldoret Government Township.

Gold has been found on adjoining farm. Income from this small area approximately £200 yearly. Two churches. Town well laid out. Large cinema, fully equipped, standing in 3 acres of ground; two tennis courts, swimming bath; houses. - The owner of the town, I discovered today is Mrs Anna Alida Margaretha Ortlepp. She settled in Kenya as a bride 28 years ago. She is now 47, a widow. Here is her story as she told it to me in London today: "I was 19 when my husband and I decided to join the party of SA white settlers who journeyed to Kenya at the request of the British Government, just after the Boer War. There were 2000 of us on the steamer that sailed for Delagoa Bay. We were given the province of Naivasha and settled on a farm where we grew coffee, flax, maize and wattle. We also bred large herds of cattle.

My husband, an engineer, was often away from home for long periods. So it fell to my lot to scare away the natives and the wild animals who raided our cattle. Before I was 21 I was a crack shot and had bagged lions, elephants and tigers. I have since shot almost every kind of wild animal in Kenya. In those early days I never had much sleep; for on moonlit nights the lions would come for my cattle; when it was dark the natives would come cattle-stealing. Five years ago my husband died. Since then I have been solely responsible for the good behaviour of the town. It has been an exciting experience, but running a town is not work for a woman. I have tired of it. The discovery of gold at Eldoret, part of which is occupied by my town, may make Ortlepp and Eldoret the Johannesburg of the future as it is the most central town in the new gold district outside the native reserve at Kakamega.

When I left Ortlepp a fortnight ago to come to London the gold rush was at its height. It is now the turn of the young people to carry on, and I am leaving Ortlepp to live in SA.

Land - Mrs A.A. Ortlepp leased 9029 acres and purchased freehold 1000 acres at Londiani, later passed to Londiani Farms Ltd.

Land - 1907 - Mrs A.A. Ortlepp - Grazing, 5000 acres, On Lake Nakuru, 10-4-05, Registered 19-7-07

Macmillan 1930 - Pioneer Hotel - The Pioneer Hotel was the first hotel to be started at Eldoret. It was commenced on a very small scale but its development coincided with the growing expansion and importance of the town building after buidling being added in accordance with requirements. The nucleus of it was formed by Mrs Anna Ortlepp after whom Ortlepp township is named. Her husband was the Government surveyor who laid out Eldoret. Many changes occurred  from time to time in the ownership of the Pioneer Hotel and eventually it was taken over by the Plateau Hotels Co. Ltd.

Alf Smith White Roots in Africa We moved into a suburb known as Ortleppville, which had been developed by a Mrs. Ortlepp in an area across the Eldoret river and which separated it from the main commercial shopping centre, but within walking distance of each other.  The area had been surveyed by her husband (a land surveyor).