Fort Beaufort Advocate 1859 4 October - December

Saturday, October 1, 1859

BIRTH, at Fort Beaufort, on Thursday, the 29th September, the Wife of R. LAWRIE, Esq., of a Son

Saturday, October 29, 1859

We (Journal) regret to hear that the eldest son of our respected townsman, Mr. S.D. MANDY, met with a rather serious accident the other day in falling from his horse.

Saturday, November 5, 1859

DIED, at his residence, Fort Beaufort, on Monday, 31st Oct., 1859, after a brief illness, endured with patience and resignation to the will of Heaven, Mr. John NILAND, aged 79 years. Deceased was a native of Ireland, and came to this colony as a British Settler in 1820. He leaves a widow and a large family of sons and daughters, to deplore the loss of an affectionate husband and father; and a large circle of friends who knew and appreciated his sterling qualities.

We have this week to record the death of Mr. John NILAND, one of the oldest and most respected inhabitants of this district, who after a brief illness, expired on Monday morning last at the ripe age of 79. Deceased was one of the British Settlers of 1820, and possessed in an eminent degree the indomitable energy and perseverance which characterised that gallant band. Few of all who landed in Algoa Bay 40 years ago encountered the vicissitudes incident to a frontier life with greater determination, or more complete success than the deceased. Residing on the immediate border, he was always in the van of danger, and in common with many of his fellow colonists, has had the cup of sorrow more than once filled to overflowing, at sight of members of his family struck down in the prime of life by the hands of the enemy, while the hard-earned fruits of years of toil were swept off in an hour by the same ruthless bands. He was distinguished, however, for his unconquerable energy and manly independence of spirit, and after each successive disaster he redoubled his exertions, and with unwearied patience and perseverance, triumphed over obstacles before which less courageous men would have shrunk in despair. Until within a recent period he resided on his farm in this neighbourhood, and though far advanced in years, his excellent constitution enabled him to take an active part in its operations. Here he delighted to dispense a generous hospitality to all comers, which the honourable competence he had won enabled him to do on a liberal scale. On the rumours of an outbreak a few years ago, however, he removed into the town, where he resided until the close of his eventful life.

PORT ELIZABETH
Extract of a letter: -
“The ship CHAPMAN, with Emigrants sailed on the 4th August, and arrived here on the 24th inst., with 239 souls, equal to 200½ statute adults. 5 born on board. The Emigrants are in good health. They are a mixed lot of English, Irish and Scotch. The rain in the locality continues, and the fields begin to look beautiful. The farmers have had very heavy losses in stock, and many are reduced to a state of beggary.”

SUDDEN DEATH
A trumpeter of the Cape Corps was found lying in front of the residence of Mr. D. HAAROFF on Monday evening, and was removed to the barracks, where he died in about half an hour afterwards. It is said the unfortunate man was intoxicated at the time, and apoplexy was the cause of his death. – M.P. Banner

REPORTED DEATH OF THE GREAT CHIEF MOSESH
A report which prevailed in Bloemfontein yesterday (and which we repeat as being strictly a report) states that this famous chief has been gathered to his fathers. We fervently hope that the rumour is without foundation. For, notwithstanding that many of our fellow-citizens would rejoice in the event, if true, we doubt not, but that the majority of sensible people, would think differently. MOSHESH has, certainly, proved himself a very superior ruler. If it prove true, that he is no more, then we feel confident, that the absence of his judicious management of the Basuto nation, will soon be felt in South Africa - Friend

DEATH OF H.D. DYKE Esq.
It is our sad duty to record this week the death of the founder and proprietor of this paper Mr. Henry Dunlap DYKE, who expired in this town on Monday morning last, at the early age of 35. A residence of some 14 years in Port Elizabeth has made the name of the deceased so well known and so thoroughly respected that we may safely appeal to the memories of our fellow-townsmen to bear witness to the undeviating integrity, honesty, and singleness of purpose which characterized every act of him whose premature loss we have to lament. The late Mr. DYKE having served his apprenticeship in Cape Town, arrived in Port Elizabeth in the year 1845 to commence business as a Printer, and shortly after his arrival he started this paper the Port Elizabeth Telegraph, the proprietorship of which remained in his hands up to the day of his death. - Telegraph

Saturday, November 12, 1859

MARRIED at Keiskammahoek, British Kaffraria, on Friday the 4th inst., by the Rev. J.J. ROWE, B.A., William, second son of William SIMPSON, Esq., of Graham’s Town, to Caroline, 2nd daughter of Mr. J. NETTLETON, of Keiskammahoek.
Keiskammahoek, Nov. 11, 1859.

BIRTH, at Middle Drift, British Kaffraria, on Tuesday, 8th of Nov., 1859, the wife of Mr. W. WILSON, of a daughter.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. – On Sunday last at Adelaide, an Englishman named THOMPSON made a determined attempt to put an end to his existence, by firing a pistol loaded with slugs through his head. The slugs entered behind his ear, but death did not ensue, and medical assistance being promptly obtained, the shots were extracted and the wounds dressed. Very slight hopes, however, are entertained of his recovery, and even should the unfortunate man not meet with death immediately, it is thought the skull is so much injured as to prevent him from ever becoming of sound mind. The man was said to be in pecuniary difficulties.

Another of the settlers of 1820 has gone to his final home. Mr. CYRUS Snr., DIED on Sunday last at the advanced age of 78. – G.T. Journal

Saturday, November 19, 1859

AWFULLY SUDDEN DEATH. – On Saturday last, Mr. P. PIENAAR of Camdeboo, left his farm in a state of perfect health, and, accompanied by his wife, was driving into Graaff Reinet in a covered cart. While between the second and first drifts, he was observed suddenly to give a convulsive movement, and expired in an instant. It is more easy to imagine than to describe the feelings of his disconsolate wife, as she drove the body of her departed husband into town, still seated in an upright position, his hands grasping the reins, while the vital spark had fled. He was interred on Sunday evening. –Midland P. Banner

Saturday, December 3, 1859

OBITUARY
The death of Mr. John CARLISLE of Graham’s Town, after a short illness, is announced. Also the demise of Mr. Wm. SMITH.

A serious mail cart accident is reported in the E.P. Herald, by which one man and two horses were drowned. This accident occurred at the Coega on Wednesday the 23rd Nov., and was occasioned by the flooding of the river by rains. The Herald thus relates the facts: -
The driver of the mail from Graham’s Town, which arrived on Wednesday morning, having reported that he had not, as usual, met the driver of the post which left Port Elizabeth at 12:50 a.m. that morning, the suspicion of Mr. WILMOT and the contractor’s agent here (Mr. WILLIAMS) were aroused, especially as it was known that the rivers were considerably swollen in consequence of the late rains. The former gentleman rode out to the Coega River, 14 miles from this and ten from Sunday’s River, accompanied by a cart and 2 horses with Capt. LEDSON and a post-boy; and with the assistance of two men employed by Mr. Wilmot, the corpse of the driver, the bodies of the horses, and the cart, were discovered three-quarter of a mile below the drift. Fortunately the most important part of the mail containing the Port Elizabeth’s mail for Graham’s Town, King William’s Town, etc., was picked up by a black man on a little island in the stream and handed to Mr. WILMOT, who forwarded it on to Graham’s Town – sending it on the horse he rode to Sunday’s River, with a letter to Mr. CAPPER. A note to the postmaster of Graham’s Town was sent in the bag.
Mr. WILMOT offered a reward for each bag, and authorised the Superintendent of the road party to send men to prosecute the search. Yesterday a coffin was sent out and Mr. CAPPER probably held an inquest on the body of the poor man who was drowned. The deceased was a Swede, named PETERS, and fortunately does not leave any family to deplore his loss.
Thanks are due to Mr. WILMOT for the energy he displayed in immediately instituting an active search for the mails; to Capt. LEDSON, for the valuable assistance rendered by him, as well as to Mr. WILLIAMS for sending out his cart and horses so promptly.
Since the foregoing was written, all the bags except two have been recovered.

GRAHAM’S TOWN
We notice, with extreme regret, the DEATH of Mr. John CARLISLE, one of the oldest and most respected frontier residents, at the age of 62. He had been visited by an illness for several months, during which time he suffered much, until Thursday evening, when he breathed his last. By his family and numerous relatives, his loss will be severely felt. His remains were conveyed yesterday to their final resting place, followed by a sorrowing train of mourners. –Frontier Times

We have just heard of the rather sudden and mournful death of another old resident and frontier friend, Mr. W. SMITH, surveyor who died yesterday. It seems that the lamented deceased left Uitenhage, where he had resided for several years, to fetch Mrs. SMITH who was staying in this city, that he was ten days on the road, owing to the inclement weather and that he caught a severe cold, the result of which has unhappily proved fatal, his constitution being weakened by age and debility. - Ibid

Letters from Port Elizabeth bring the very melancholy intelligence of the death by drowning Col. ROSE R.E., who was a passenger in the Waldensian, and on his way to relieve General BOLTON. This vessel, it seems, having arrived at that port on Sunday - the surf being high, a signal was made from the shore, that it was unsafe to land – but two boats having safely landed with passengers, Col. ROSE, Mr. HART, sen., of Somerset, with others, made an attempt to land in a third boat, which was unfortunately upset In the surf, and all the party precipitated into the water. A number of people at once rushed to the aid of the drowning men, and they were all soon rescued from the water, with the exception of Col. ROSE, who when brought to shore, was found to be dead. – Frontier Times

THE LATE MR. ARMSTRONG
In our obituary today, it is with much regret that we have to record the name of Mr. William ARMSTRONG of Cuyler Manor, who died at his own residence on Saturday last, the 26th instant, after a comparatively brief illness. The deceased had been a resident in this colony for the last five and twenty years, previous to which time he spent in India, where he suffered severely from gastric fever, from which he has never since been entirely free. We have at hand material for any detailed memoir of Mr. ARMSTRONG, but he was well-known as one of the leading men of the Eastern Province, and once represented this Division in the Colonial Parliament as a Member of the House of Assembly. He was a man of peculiar political views, which he did not hesitate to maintain in spite of all opposition. Fearless in the discharge of what he conceived to be his duty, he was ever active in promoting as far as he could, measures he deemed calculated to advance the public weal. [sic] – E.P. Herald

CAUTION TO PARENTS
An accident, which had well nigh proved fatal, occurred this week to a lad about 10 years of age, a son of Mr. J. MCGILVRAY, carpenter of this town. The boy, with some of his companions, it appears, went down to the river to have a bathe, and after going into the water, was carried by the current over his depth. Being unable to swim, he was soon under the water and would in all probability have been drowned, had not the attention of a workman in the employ of Mr. HIGGS, named LLOYD, been attracted who gallantly sprung in clothes and all, and rescued the lad from a watery grave. When brought out the boy was quite insensible, but a persevering application of the usual means in cases axphyxia, fortunately restored him.

The E.P. Herald of the 29th ult., contains a full account of the circumstances attending the melancholy DEATH of Col. ROSE, R.E. The surf at the time of the landing was unusually rough, and the port captain had sent word to the commander of the Waldensian that it would be dangerous to attempt the landing of passengers. This caution however, appears to have had little weight with the captain, who instead of profiting by it, seems to have been in unseemly haste to get rid of his passengers at all risks. It used formerly to be the custom to hoist a signal on shore, when the beach was unsafe. But latterly this precaution has been neglected. Col. ROSE, entered the army on the 7th Sept. 1851, as Lieutenant at the age of 21, and on the 2nd Sept. 1851, was promoted regimental colonel of Engineers. Deceased served in the colony many years as Lieutenant, and was the author of a work called Four Tears in South Africa.
[Transcriber’s Note: There seems to be an error with dates in this article]

Saturday, December 10, 1859

DIED on the 3rd instant, of hooping cough, Charles Patrick, second son of James and Isabella COGHLAN. – Aged 1 year, 5 months, and 18 days.

FATAL ACCIDENT. – A distressing accident occurred yesterday afternoon to a young man named WARD, a carrier. While descending Howison’s Poort on a wagon laden with wool, he unfortunately fell from the bales; the wheels passing over the upper part of this body, which must have caused almost instantaneous death. The body of the deceased was brought to town last evening. – Journal

FATAL ACCIDENT. – A Report is current that a Lance-Corporal of the 2nd Queen’s has been drowned at Line Drift. From what we have been enabled to gather, the unfortunate individual was amusing himself by bathing and swimming in the river, the current being very strong from the effects of the late heavy rains, he was swept away by the force of the stream, and his head becoming jammed in between some rocks, it became impossible to extricate himself, and before assistance could be procured he was a corpse. – Kaf Banner

Saturday, December 17, 1859

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE. – On Saturday last, a drunken man of the name of CHERRY, a carpenter by trade, attempted to cut his throat in presence of his family. Assistance, however, was immediately procured, and the man was prevented from effecting his purpose. He was immediately removed to the hospital, where the medical men in attendance, Drs. DUNSTERVILLE and HOUSELEY immediately dressed the wound. There is every prospect, we hear, of his ultimate recovery. The immediate facts preceding the act were as follows: The unhappy man had been rather pressed that afternoon by his landlord for the amount of rent then due, and which he was unable to meet. This was followed by an angry dispute between himself and his wife about some charges she had made against him, and which he denied being guilty of. After this, he went out and visited the canteen, where he took a glass, and returned again to the house with a lot of provisions for the family, when he sat down on a chair, and taking hold of a razor, deliberately cut his throat. – P.E. Telegraph

THE LATE CASE OF DROWNING AT THE KOWIE. – The body of the unfortunate man HAWKINS, who drowned by the upsetting of the ferry boat on Saturday night the 3rd instant, was found up the river on Wednesday last, between the new embankments. The head and face bore marks of violence but whether before or after death we have not ascertained. These violent deaths point to the necessity of a Coroner’s inquest; also to the imposing of some stringent regulations as to the Canteen Keepers selling liquor to men in a state of intoxication. The party in question were so drunk that they do not remember the number of names of the party who embarked in the boat, and either by “muddle” or design, throw oblivion over everything appertaining to HAWKIN’s death. In this colony valuable men are shot, crushed, or drowned with impunity. The deceased was one of the principal miners on the works, and valued for his general steadiness and good conduct. – Frontier Times

DEATH FROM INTOXICATION
One of those disgraceful scenes which so frequently occur on the banks of the river, has resulted in the death of a man belonging to the Royal Engineers, named DEACON. Deceased was in a state of intoxication, in company with some black women, with whom he had been quarrelling; and when found was quite dead, in a pool of water not 12 inches in depth. Surely the authorities will now be induced to prevent the recurrence of those filthy scenes, which occur every Sunday near the Buffalo, scenes which are a disgrace to any civilised community. – Kaf Banner

Saturday, December 24, 1859

DEATH OF SIR JOHN WYLDE. – The late Chief Justice died at his residence in Cape Town on the 13th inst., at the advanced age of 78 years. Sir John WYLDE was the son of Mr. Thomas WYLDE, an attorney of London, and elder brother of Lord TRURO, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord John RUSSELL. He commenced his legal career as a practitioner in the Court of Queen’s Bench. In 1815 he received the appointment of Judge-Advocate in New South Wales, and when this office was abolished in 1824 he returned to England, and took the degree of L.L.D. When the Supreme Court was established at the Cape, he was appointed Chief Justice and knighted, and assumed his duties here in 1827. From that period until about three years ago, when he was struck by paralysis while delivering a judgement he continued in active fulfilment of his duties. He was interred on the afternoon of the 15th. A pension of L2000 per annum conferred on the deceased by the Cape Parliament, lapses to the colony.

One of the Mounted Police stationed in Aliwal North, was lately DROWNED while bathing in the Orange River. The name of the deceased was DOOLAN.