This series of posts focuses on an A-Z theme for April in 2025. I have chosen events that occurred On This Day in April of years in the past. These events are recorded in my genealogy database.
By writing about those who have passed on I hope to provide a voice for them in the digital world. Sr. Alphonsus, the second person mentioned here, trained hundreds of voices throughout her career as a music teacher.
On this day - 25th April
1859 - Death: David CROSBIE, At Sea
4 x gt. Grandfather of my children
I have previously written about David in A Gentleman's Guarantee. In this post details of his death are revealed.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AKEXAM18590514.2.13 |
Melancholy Occurrence. — lt is our painful duty to record another melancholy and fatal accident by which four more of our fellow citizens have perished in an untimely manner. From the evidence given before a Coroner’s Jury assembled at the Royal Hotel yesterday morning, to inquire into the cause of the death of Dugald Fisher, we learn that the deceased left Auckland on Good Friday along with Mr. Finlay McMillan, with the intention of proceeding overland to Mr. McMillan’s farm at Wangaprahu, to search for coal. Having crossed in the Pilot’s cutter to the North Shore, they landed there, and in company with Mr. Thorburn proceeded together about three miles on their way. Mr, McMillan, at this time, perceived his boat coining from Wangaprahu to Auckland, and expecting her to have letters for him, he returned to town, leaving Thorburn and the deceased to continue on their way.
On the 24th of April, Mr. McMillan left Auckland and walked home, and on his arrival found Fisher and others at his house ; the others were Captain McLean, (well known as a pilot of the Kaipara),Mr. David Crosbie, and a Mr. Barclay, or Bartley, a seafaring man. These took their departure from Wangaprahu for Auckland on the evening of the 25th April, in the Otea, a cutter of about 8 or 10 tons burthen, belonging to Mr. McMillan. The weather at the time was moderate, they were all sober, and Mr, McMillan expected they would reach Auckland that night, but he saw no more of them.
Corporal Scott, of the Armed Police, deposed that he wont to Waiheki on Thursday last in consequence of information received from the Natives of a dead body having been washed up on the island. He found the body buried about a foot and a half under sand, and disinterred and brought it to town. —Hugh Fitzgerald, the son-in-law, and Agnes Fitzgerald, his wife, identified the body then lying in the dead house as that of their relation, the deceased Dugald Fisher. They last saw him alive shortly before he went to Wangaprahu to search for coal on Mr. McMillan’s land.—The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, the features of the face being altogether destroyed. Verdict, “Found Drowned.’’—We regret to say that two of the unfortunate deceased have left large families to lament their sudden and melancholy end. Another body has been recovered and landed at Maraltai, but had not been identified.
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18590514.2.13
New Zealander, Volume XV, Issue 1364, 14 May 1859, Page 3
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18590517.2.15 |
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| Crosbie tombstone in Symonds St Cemetery, Auckland |
The date of death recorded on the tombstone is 25 April 1860 but as the articles above show, he died in 1859. There is no record of his death in the official records, no death certificate, so it appears that the newspaper reports are the only sources to be found.
His wife, Barbara Clarke mentioned in I for Identification is also buried here.
His wife, Barbara Clarke mentioned in I for Identification is also buried here.
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2012 - Death: Phoebe HORGAN, Adelaide, South Australia
2nd cousin, once removed
Phoebe Horgan, known to me as Sister Alphonsus, was a music teacher while I was at Cabra College in Adelaide. She was born to Daniel Horgan and Lillie McCarthy in 1912. I have written about Phoebe in the family archive here. A Music Teacher for Life
An extensive obituary was published in the Southern Cross newspaper. It is reproduced here.
This post first appeared on earlieryears.blogspot.com by CRGalvin
