Donald Bethune Stuart (1845 - 1883)

Born 1845 in Ross-shire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Husband of Maryann Emma (Dapp) Robson — married 3 Feb 1874 in Switzers, Southland, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 28 Aug 1883 at about age 38 in Tuapeka West, Otago, Otago, New Zealand

Biography

Name

Name: Donald Bethune /Stuart/^[1]

Birth

Birth:

Date: 1845

Place: Ross-Shire, Scotland^[2]

Death

Death: drowned at a watering hole at Tuapeka West - have copy of inquest

Date: Tues 28 Aug 1883

Place: Tuapeka West, Central Otago

Residence

Residence:

Date: 1861

Place: Urquhart and Logie Wester, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland^[3]

Burial

Burial:

Date: Wed 29 Aug 1883

Place: Lawrence Cemetery

Note

Note: he appeared to be a little ___________ when lighting his pipe

Donald had red hair & red beard, a large brass framed portrait was once owned by son Arthur

They lived near the Chinese camp at Lawrence, and the Chinese helped Marion when she was left destitute when Donald drowned.

(Medical):unmarked grave

Inquest into Donald's death supplied by National Archives (J1883/1727), 20 Sept 1976:

As transcribed (the copy and writing is difficult to read):

...... indicates word(s) unclear

3.9.83

Coroner, Lawrence

Colony of New Zealand to wit

Inquest proceedings in D B Stewart

Informations of witnesses severally taken and acknowledged on behalf of our Sovereign Lady the Queen, touching the death of Donald Bethume Stewart, at the dwellinghouse of John Buefin, known by the name of Tuapeka West Accommodation House in the Provincial District of Otago on the colony above-mentioned on Wednesday the 29th day of August one thousand eight hundred and eighty three before James Harroh Esquire J.P.

for the said colony, on an Inquisition then and there taken on view of the body of Donald Bethume Stewart, then and there lying dead, as follows, to wit:

George Stevenson being sworn, saith that I am a storekeeper residing at Tuapeka West. I knew the deceased Donald Bethume Stewart, seeing him occasionly for food. I saw arrive about 4pm Monday the 27th last. I spoke to him on business matters and left a short time after but returned to my place at about 8.30pm. We had a chat about him bringing out some bread for me from Lawrence.

He left my place at about 9pm, and that was the last I saw of him. I said goodnight, he appeared to be in good spirits and not affected with drink - he appeared to be a little .....when lighting his pipe, his replies to my questions were that of a man in his natural senses.

James Fahey, being sworn saith as follows, that I am a farmer residing at Tuapeka West. I remember Tuesday last the 28th of August I left my own residence with some horses for the purpose of watering them in a hole. About 5 chains from my house and on track leading to the main road, and on arriving there I saw some light clothing in the hole, being satisfied it was the body of a man, I left to procure assistance to get it out.

Myself and John Cluffey went to the water hole and pulled the deceased out and found it to be the body of Donald Bethume Stewart which was quite dead and stiff. The body was lying on its face and nearly covered with water. The water hole wld be about seven feet square and the deepest portion would not exceed twelve inches. I got my horse as soon as possible and went to Lawrence and reported the matter to Segt. Major Moore.

I have known the deceased for about two years. He was in the habit of coming to the bush the water hole for fire wood. There is a hut about 15 chains away in which resided when staying in the Tuapeka West. I heard that he had a wife and family residing near Lawrence and I believe they are in very poor circumstances.

Samuel Moore being sworn saith as follows. That I am a Sergeanr Major in the Armed Constabulary and reside at Lawrence. At about 12 noon yesterday the 28th of August last, the last witness James Fahey, reported to me that he had found Donald Stewart in a water hole near Buefin's Accommodation house, Tuapeka West.

I have today examined the body and identify it as that of Donald Bethune Stewart but found no marks of violence thereon. I have known the deceased for some years and during the first few months. I am aware that he has been intemperate.

He leaves a wife and four children: their ages re ten, eight, four years, and the youngest 11 months. They reside not far from the Chinese camp near Lawrence. I am not aware of his having any property, and so far as I can learn, the family is left in a destitute state.

Mrs Stewart informed that his age was 38 years, and anative of Ross-shire in Scotland.

Robert Withers, being sworn, saith as follows. I am a duly qualified medical practitioner and registered in New Zealand and reside in Lawrence. I have this day made a postmortem on the body of Donald Bethune Stewart, whose age I estimate to be about 40 years. I found no marks of violence, the face was covered with mud and the beard was matted over the face, there was also mud within his mouth. The body was well nourished and on opening it I found the right side of th eheart very much distended with blood. The lungs were also full of blood and contained a quantity of watery fluid. The stomach was empty and it thou was no smell of spirits. The left kidney was very much disuded and in it were eight stones of various sizes. The liver was much enlarged and fatty. The other organs were healthy. The condition of the heart and lungs would show that the deceased died from asphyxia.

[The last page is signed by the jurors at the Inquest. Jurors had been called because no coroners were available. Inquest took place at John Buefin's Tuapeka West Accommodation House on 29 August 1883. The jurors were: THomas Edward Williams (foreman), Patrick (Patt) Fahey, Alexander Braithwaite, John Smith, Charles Mullens, John Buefins, John Sheehan, James Taylor, John Cluffey, Archibald McCorkindale, William Wilson, Nathan Stafford - in front of Jonas Harrop J.P.]

[They certified that "the said Donald Bethume Stewart to the Jurors afore-said on the day of 28 Aug in the year aforesaid was found drowned and suffocated in a certain water-hole on abye track about a quarter of a kile from the main road and half a mile from Buefin's Accommodation House Tuapeka West, and that the said man has no marks of violence appearing on his body but how or by what means the said Donald Bethume Stewart became drowned and suffocated no evidence did appear to the said Jurors"]

Marriage

Husband: Donald Bethune Stuart

Wife: Maryann Emma Dapp

Child: Edgar John Stuart

Child: William Stuart

Child: Charles Edward Stuart

Child: Annie Stuart

Marriage:

Date: Tues 3 Feb 1874

Place: Switzers

Source:

Note: Donald was 29, Marion was just 17. He was a shepherd.

Sources

• WikiTree profile Stuart-1162 created through the import of McCrystall Peters Tuffery Irel.ged on Oct 23, 2012 by Russell Tuffery. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Russell and others.

• Source: S-1635487390 Repository: #R-1870904293 Title: 1861 Scotland Census Author: Ancestry.com Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. Reels 1-150. General Register Office for Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland.Original data: Scotland. 1861 Scotland Census. Reels 1-150. Genera Note: APID: 1,1080::0
• Repository: R-1870904293 Name: Ancestry.com.au Address: http://www.Ancestry.com.au Note:
• Source: S-1870893313 Repository: #R-1870904293 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Page: Ancestry Family Trees Note: Data: Text: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tree/29627737/family
• Source: S-1875265799 Title: Elta MacKay Publication: Has a scrapbook of births, deaths, etc Note: lives in Ohai
• Source: S-1875265800 Title: Eileen MacKay

1. ↑ Source: #S-1635487390 Note: http://search.Ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1861scotland&h=45378&ti=5544&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1845 Birth place: Urquhart, Ross-shire Residence date: 1861 Residence place: Urquhart and Logie Wester, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland APID: 1,1080::45378
2. ↑ Source: #S-1635487390 Note: http://search.Ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1861scotland&h=45378&ti=5544&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1845 Birth place: Urquhart, Ross-shire Residence date: 1861 Residence place: Urquhart and Logie Wester, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland APID: 1,1080::45378
3. ↑ Source: #S-1635487390 Note: http://search.Ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1861scotland&h=45378&ti=5544&indiv=try&gss=pt Note: Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1845 Birth place: Urquhart, Ross-shire Residence date: 1861 Residence place: Urquhart and Logie Wester, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland APID: 1,1080::45378