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| Records of the Bay or Quinte Why I am interested in these records. The records below are reports from "Coroner Investigations and Inquests" from the 1830's. They are not microfilmed and are an example of the many kinds of records that researchers overlook. Only the name of the deceased person is indexed and searchable on the Archives of Ontario website. However these reports contain information that is historically interesting and also list the names of jurors and witnesses that can be useful. Source: Newcastle District Coroner investigations and inquests, 1836-40, RG 22-3788, Box 2, barcode B270621 © Randy Saylor, Oct 2012 |
| OVERVIEW Coroners Inquests were established in Upper Canada to investigate sudden or suspicious deaths. The coroner selected the jury, witnesses were called and a decision was made determining if the death was a possible crime, accident or of natural causes. Janice Nickerson in her excellent book, Crime and Punishment in Upper Canada, OGS/Dundurn, 2010, describes how the coroners work was part of the overall legal system. She includes a lengthy list of legal records held at the Archives of Ontario and other Ontario repositories. I highly recommend this reference book. The coroner's reports all follow a similar format. They state the name of the deceased, the township where the death occurred, list the names of the jurors who are all residents in the township, state a synopsis of the facts and the conclusion of the jury and end with the signatures of the jurors. In some cases affidavits of the witnesses are included. Below is one full transcription of a report which is very similar in style to all the others. A partial transcription of 7 other inquests are given for a few cases from Murray, Cramahe and Percy Townships that caught my interest. These records are for Newcastle District which encompassed the area west and north of the Trent River to Port Hope. In my case, I had noted William Kelly's inquest in a search of the Archive's web site. As so often happens, I spent considerable time enjoying the other records that were in the folders. Trent University Archives has some Newcastle reports that are indexed on their web site. These include an index to inquests starting in 1830 and the names of coroners (starting in 1824) and Justices of the Peace and other office holders. |
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The first report is fully transcribed showing the typical wording of a report. Those following are abbreviated. 21 Nov 1836, The Inquest on the body of John McMullen, Murray Murray Township, Newcastle District “An Inquisition indented taken for our Sovereign lord the King at the Township of Murray in the County of Northumberland in the Newcastle District the 21st day of November in the year one Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Six before Thomas A Corbett Gentn one of the coroners of our said Lord the King for the said District on view of the body of John McMullen then and there lying dead upon the oath of Joseph Lockwood, foreman Abijah Smith Gibbs Squiers Drummond Smith Christopher E Bullock John Smith Thomas D Sanford Wm H Sanford Hiram Bettes [his death results in an inquest that is in this box; Oct 1838] Barnabas Bettes Peter Crouter Geo Armour Isaac Proctor Geo Colter Good and lawful men of the said township duly chosen, and charged to enquire for our said Lord the King when where how and after what manner the said John McMullen came to his death, do upon their oath say that the said John McMullen departed this life by excessive drinking of Ardent spirits and not from any hurts injury of violence done or committed by any person whatever to the knowledge of the said jurors …….. Thomas Corbett [all signed] 3 Nov 1836, The Inquest on the body of Andrew Young, Murray Murray Township, Newcastle District “Andrew Young was found dead in his bed at the house of his father Peter Young” and had been “for some time before had been very ailing and infirm”. John V Murphy Foreman Matthius Young William Slack Peter Swart Julio Juleo [signed] Julieus Julien George Dalton Gibb Squires Frank Gothard [signed] Francis Gothard D Lahe [signed] D Leahy Peter Livingston Dennis Macauly Wm Davies [signed] Wm Davis Daniel David 28 August [ probably 1838], The Inquest on the body of William Kelly Murray Township, Newcastle District “An Inquisition indented taken for our Sovereign Lady the Queen at the Township of Murray in the County of Northumberland in the Newcastle District the 28? Day of August in the second year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady the Queen before Thomas A Corbett Esqr one of the coroners of the said District on view of the body of William Kelly “the said William Kelly came to his death by the visitation of Almighty God” John Lloyd, foreman Thomas Pratt James Taylor George Abott Ezira Trumble James Rosborough H M Harris Stephen Young Geo R Harris William McAlnery James Ferguson Samuel Powers Thomas Smith William Moon Note: Queen Victoria was crowned in June 1837 so Aug 1838 would be in the second year of her reign. 30 Nov 1838, the Inquest on the body of John Nowlan Brighton, Cramahe Township, Newcastle District “John Nowlan came to his death by excessive drinking of ardent spirits” B M Mahon? J.P. acting coroner E W Roberts Griffiths Howell Richard Spring Isaac Cary Augustus Spencer Joshua M Cadman James Pattenden? William C Barker William Meridith Abel Church Edmond F Marsh Richard Reid Alonzo Simpson 18 Aug 1837, Inquest of Charles Bates Murray Township, Newcastle District “Charles Bates .. in a certain mill in the township … was in the wheels? of the said mill then and there suffocated and drowned ..” Thomas A Corbett Esq, coroner Picton Gross, foreman Charles Biggar Colin Mackenzie John MacKenzie Sheldon H. MacKenzie Thomas Johnson William Corrigan Benjamin Weller Joseph N? Cryderman William Lovell John Lawson John Blaker [signed] Bleecker Robert Bonter Charles Sheared? Asa Weller 23 June 1840, Inquest of James Priestley Percy Township, Newcastle District “came to his death by committing suicide on the twenty third day of June …. by cutting his own throat and then and there instantly died” Henry Meade, Gentleman, coroner Isaac Platt Maitland Platt Alfred Mabey [signed] Maybee Nelson Gage James Douglas George McCormick Peter P Smith Cornelius Puffer Emery Perry Jr Israel Baldwin Cornelius Hull Peter Hague [signed] Haig Silas Parkes [signed] Parks John Palmateer Charles Praty [signature hard to read but may be Charles Priestle] 1 Aug 1840, Inquest of Akin Burgess at the dwelling house of William Henessy in Murray. Murray Township, Newcastle District “Akin Burgess on the 30th day of July … came to his death by being accidentally drowned in the waters of the Trent River.” There are affidavits by William Strohn and Frederick Keeler both of Sidney. Jacob Ford Esq, coroner James Potter, foreman Paul Vader Philip Carmon John McCaulay Charles Stewart Jones John Forrest Isaac Gothard William Henesy Henry Buttler [signature hard to read – maybe Butls] William Carter Samuel R Bush Guy C Baker 7 Sept 1840, Inquest of Thomas Higgins Barracks at Presque Isle, Cramahe Township. “on the 5th day of September instant aforesaid in Presque Isle bay … accidentally fell out of a skiff into the waters of said Bay and was then and there suffocated and drowned.” Affidavits by Patrick Cook, Jas Morton, Thomas Dixon, James Smith. Higgins had crossed the bay from the Barracks to Stoney Point with William Carrigan who wished to go to Carrying Place. They accompanied Carrigan nearly a mile, left him, on the way back bought some milk and returned to a raft on which Thomas Higgins brother was to a raft nearby where they remained drinking on the raft nearly an hour. They left and about a mile on their way back Higgins fell overboard. Henry Meade, Gentleman, coroner William Butler Mark Develin Peter Shuler Augustus Spencer Isaac Carey George W Nix Andrew Davis Caleb Pringle Henry Nix James Campbell Isaiah Thayer Peter Lawson Richard J? Clute |
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