Someone needs to go to the archive and get a physical copy of the inquest- we know it exists, but it’s not on the online list. This doesn’t mean it’s not available, the archive people told us the list doesn’t include 100% of inquests because not all were recorded, but an inquest definitely happened, so it exists somewhere in the local records.

This would be a great project for someone who lives in England and could travel to the Lincolnshire Archives.

Here's a good background piece to get you started: Report: The Children of Charlotte Furniss.

Robert was the one child of Robert and Charlotte Furniss. He was born in the spring of 1868. Here's a report to get you started: Report: The Children of Charlotte Furniss.

Research indicates that Brian Hewson, brother of Geoff and Barbara Hewson, suffered from mental illness, and schizophrenia is specifically mentioned in some documents, which seems consistent with him hearing voices and experiencing paranoia. But there are no medical records that indicate actual diagnoses, either from the hospital in Saskatchewan, or Chester Hospital in England, and no report on how he died.

It's possible that medical records may be accessible in some way from either or both. We have some information to get you started.  And maybe someone somewhere in the family has letters or other correspondence indicating what happened when he died. Though it's never said, there has long been the suspicion that he committed suicide.

Brian is such a compelling figure in the family, and was so important to Geoff , who was never the same after his brother died. In addition references to Brian being interspersed throughout Section 2 of By Sea, By Land, there is an entire chapter devoted to him (Chapter 23, Pages 634-641). It's a good place to start.

Contacting the contemporary Chester Hospital might be a good first place to begin digging...

As far as we know, this is the only Supreme Court case a family member was involved in and is therefore an interesting and significant historical event to learn more about.

In 1892, Mary’s father-in-law Dr. John Bernard Gilpin passes away leaving his entire substantial estate to his elderly sister, excluding his deceased son William Sawry Gilpin's widow. Mary contests the will, and the case goes to the Supreme Court, but we don’t know what was the outcome.

This story is part of a sad life Mary lived, detailed on P. 307-9 of By Sea, By Land.

The case might have been either a state or federal Supreme Court, however, it seems more likely that a will issue would be disputed at the state Supreme Court level, so that might be a good place to start.

Here is a copy of the will probate record from the Digby Museum.

This would make the owner of the ship that was wrecked and killed Laleah’s nephew, Thomas Jr., more than just a ship owner who lost crew and cargo, but also an indirect family member.

On P. 7 of  the Waters Family Scrapbook from Philip Prashner there is an article that describes the wreck in the Liverpool Mercury. William Wallace Turnbull is listed as the owner of the ship. We think this must be him.

Amaret Dakin’s younger sister Laleah died young but was married to Captain Charles George Turnbull of St. Johns.

The biography below of William Wallace makes his status in the community clear, and identifies his parents, but says “siblings unknown,” so we came to a dead end. Further research might uncover his siblings, or establish a relationship at least between him and Charles George, who was also a mariner.

Starting Sources:

--Biography of William Wallace Turnbull

--Waters Family Scrapbook, P. 7. – Article on wreck that mentions Turnbull as the owner of Wealth of Nations.

--Letter referencing “Mr. Turnbull” from Amy Waters to her sister-in-law Jane Waters, August 11, 1871.