Immigrant Ships
Transcribers Guild

HALIFAX SEAFARING DEATHS
1880

Old Newspaper
Generously contributed by William Hill


Halifax MORNING HERALD,of Jan.27, 1882

DIED – Capt. John Walker of the St. John barque ‘ENIGMA’, which is now at Newport loading for Bristol, was drowned in that harbour on Monday last (23rd inst). The deceased was a resident of Maitland where he leaves a young wife and three children, also an aged mother and a great many friends. Deceased was captain of that vessel for a number of years and highly esteemed by all who knew him.


Halifax MORNING HERALD,of Aug. 7, 1882

A NOVA SCOTIAN MURDERED, NEW YORK, Aug.4 – The Coroner’s Office was notified this afternoon that Daniel Spicer, aged 25 years, a native of Nova Scotia and the mate of the ship ‘E. J. SPICER’, of Parrsboro, had been murdered by Patrick [Roc] , a seaman, who is in confinment on the vessel. The police boat was sent down to the vessel for the murderer and the dead man’s body. The vessel is lying off [Bedloe’s] Island. [print blurred]


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of May 24, 1883

DIED – At Callao, South America, of yellow fever, May 12th, Capt. Harris Coffill, of Hantsport.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of May 30, 1883

DIED – At sea – the barque ‘ZULMA’,Capt. Chisholm, at Port-au- Prince, reports that on May 12th, Thomas Frazer, seaman, a native of Arichat, C.B., died of fever.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of June 23, 1883

DIED - At sea, on voyage between Savannah and Bahia Blanca, on the 4th April, Martha A., d/o Isaac Douglas, of Maitland, beloved wife of Capt. W. D. MacDougall, of barque ‘NORMAN’, aged 31 years.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Feb. 24, 1884

DIED – At Advocate Harbour, 4th Feb., Captain William Knowlton, aged 67 years.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of May 8, 1884

DIED - Drowned, on the 18th April, at Providence, R.I., from the schooner ‘DEXTER CLARK’, Burpee S., aged 20 years, eldest s/o Elliott and Emma Bentley, of Parrsboro.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Sept.18, 1884

DIED - At Hantsport, Sept.14, Captain Walter Davidson, aged (88) [print blurred]


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Oct. 23, 1884

A NOVA SCOTIAN DROWNED – Gloucester, Mass., Oct.20 – The schooner ‘ADMIRAL’ from the Banks, reports the loss of two men, John J. Johnson and John Morans by the capsizing of an overloaded dory, Sept.6. Johnson was 37 years of age, unmarried, and belonged in Gottenburg, Sweden. Moran was 18 years of age, unmarried, and belonged to Arichat, Cape Breton.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Mar.15, 1886


DIED - At Watertown, Dakota, Feb.5th, Captain Richard Fletcher, a native of Yarmouth, aged 52 years.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Apr.19, 1886

DIED - At Windsor, April 16, Captain John Davidson, aged 77 years.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Sept.13, 1886

DIED – Capt. Frederick Davidson belonging to Hantsport, caught yellow fever, jumped overboard and was drowned.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Dec.10, 1886

DIED - At Maitland, on Wednesday evening, Dec.8th, William D. Lawrence, shipbuilder, in the 70th year of his age. Funeral (tomorrow) Saturday, at 2 p.m. [there is a writeup]


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Jan.27, 1887

DIED – At Lawrencetown, on the 25th inst., Captain J. W. C. Parker, in the 72nd year of his age.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of June 16, 1888

DIED – At Portland, Maine, June 1st., Genete Marshall, youngest s/o Capt. Genete Douglas, of the barque ‘SHERWOOD’, aged 8 years and 7 months.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Sept. 3, 1888

DIED – John Perry, aged 28 years, was drowned at West Dover on Wednesday. He left West Dover at 8:30 p.m., in a boat to cross to East Dover. Next morning the boat was picked up adrift. One of the oars was in it. Later the other oar was found on the beach. It is not known how the accident occurred. Perry was working with Squire Morash, and was to have been married in a week or two. His father was drowned nine years ago.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Sept. 3, 1888

DIED – Pictou, September 2 – Captain Graham, who runs a ferry boat between Pictou and Pictou Landing, was drowned last night about 10 o’clock, by falling off the wharf while attempting to get into his boat. He leaves a wife and four children.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Nov. 12, 1888

DIED FROM EXPOSURE – A Very Sad Accident Off the Parrsboro Shore. A shocking event took place off Parrsboro on Tuesday night, which resulted in the death of a promising young lad, Frank H. Fletcher, son of Capt. D., of Masstown, near Truro. Capt. Fletcher and his son were coming across the bay on Tuesday evening in a boat laden with forty barrels of apples, and when off Partridge Island, owing to the rough water, the boat swamped and filled. It was then more than half ebb and just growing dark. They drifted down with the swift tide past West Bay and their cries attracted the attention of those on board the barque ‘CARL LINCK’. A boat was sent from the barque in pursuit of the voices, although nothing could be seen. Jacon Williger, of Black Rock, was down on the beach at the time and heard the cries. He had no boat, but ran at once to West Bay, where Richard Desmond, Robert Anderson, Frank Hewet, and himself launched Desmond’s boat and started down the bay. Those in the barque’s boat, seeing this new rescue party turned back. Fletcher and his son drifted outside of Black Rock and unfortunately ceased to call for help after they had passed below it, thinking that no one would hear them. In consequence of this Desmond, Williger, Hewett and Anderson were unable to find Fletcher’s boat, in the darkness, and, after rowing down as far as Diligent River, shouting and swing a lantern to attract the notice of anyone who might be on the water, abandoned the pursuit and returned. The swamped boat drifted down the bay with the ebb, and up again with the flood, and down with the ebb, and on Wednesday morning was sighted off Brookville by the barque ‘FREIA’, Capt. Hauff, which had left West Bay that morning. The boy had died, in the mean time, and Capt. Fletcher was too far gone to make a signal, so that it was only by accident that those on the barque saw their condition. The barque’s boat took father and son to the shore at Brookville where the son’s body was left on the beach and the father taken to the nearest house, where he soon revived. The same evening Capt. Fletcher brought his son’s body to this town and yesterday he accompanied it sadly to his home, taking his departure by the morning train. The deceased was fourteen years of age and was a promising youth. Captain Fletcher has the sympathy of every one in his sore affliction - [Leader.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Jan.25, 1889

DIED – At Westport, 19th inst., of scarlet fever, Frederick, only s/o the late Captain Hamilton Parker, in the 30th year of his age.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of Mar.15, 1889

DIED – At Musquodoboit Harbor, on the 13th inst, Captain John W. Hill, of Sullivan, Maine, in the 69th year of his age.


Halifax MORNING HERALD, of July 11, 1889

DIED – Word was received at Annapolis several days ago of the death of Elkanah Ritchie, of that town. He was a seaman on board the American schooner ‘E.C.ALLEN TRUE’, and was drowned on the 28th of May while bathing in the river at Mobile, Ala. His body was recovered on the 30th and buried in the Magnolia cemetery, the Rev. Dr. Tucker, of the Episcopal church officiating. Mr. Ritchie left home several years ago for the States and then went to sea. He was a brother of Mr. John Ritchie, of the W. and A., railway, well known in this city.

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