by Sarah » July 8, 2022, 8:58 am
Jared wrote: ↑April 7, 2021, 8:35 pm
I don't think that W. Gibson was married. Most fireman were young and single (it was a terrible job). I've scrolled through some personnel records on the BGSU website and the Toronto Scanner. Gibson is only mentioned in the newspaper article following the wreck, and again in 1918 when Calgary Tribune did an article with survivors 40 years later.
I will ask Ken Merriman if he has access to some stuff that isn't published online. He is the authority on all Isle Royale wrecks.
Hi, it's been a while!
I recently found confirmation that W Gibson was indeed my ggg-grandfather through his son's obituary, relevant text copied below. I still don't know much besides this - no death certificate or anything! (Would anyone happen to know where I would even look for that? He was Canadian and died in American waters) Thank you for all of the information and context you've given, it's been neat diving into the history of all this! My dad's been fascinated by it.
LION'S HEAD. April 28 1939 - A former Bruce Peninsula resident died at Thessalon recently when Robert Gibson succumbed to a stroke. He was born nearly 73 years ago in Southampton and for 35 years sailed on the lakes. His father before him was a sailor and one of the members of the crew who went down with the steamer 'Algoma.'
[...] During his residence at Lion's Head, the deceased weathered the storm on November 9th, 1913. He was sailing on the Isabella Sands and after 52 hours of drifting he and some others were rescued by Indians near Cape Smith. The 'Isabella Sands' was rebuilt and Mr. Gibson sailed on her again for a season.
[quote=Jared post_id=236051 time=1617845749 user_id=11348]
I don't think that W. Gibson was married. Most fireman were young and single (it was a terrible job). I've scrolled through some personnel records on the BGSU website and the Toronto Scanner. Gibson is only mentioned in the newspaper article following the wreck, and again in 1918 when Calgary Tribune did an article with survivors 40 years later.
I will ask Ken Merriman if he has access to some stuff that isn't published online. He is the authority on all Isle Royale wrecks.
[/quote]Hi, it's been a while!
I recently found confirmation that W Gibson was indeed my ggg-grandfather through his son's obituary, relevant text copied below. I still don't know much besides this - no death certificate or anything! (Would anyone happen to know where I would even look for that? He was Canadian and died in American waters) Thank you for all of the information and context you've given, it's been neat diving into the history of all this! My dad's been fascinated by it.
LION'S HEAD. April 28 1939 - A former Bruce Peninsula resident died at Thessalon recently when Robert Gibson succumbed to a stroke. He was born nearly 73 years ago in Southampton and for 35 years sailed on the lakes. His father before him was a sailor and one of the members of the crew who went down with the steamer 'Algoma.'
[...] During his residence at Lion's Head, the deceased weathered the storm on November 9th, 1913. He was sailing on the Isabella Sands and after 52 hours of drifting he and some others were rescued by Indians near Cape Smith. The 'Isabella Sands' was rebuilt and Mr. Gibson sailed on her again for a season.