Genealogical Gems

A mounted policeman named Grayburn was murdered, reported the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer On This Day in 1880. Grayburn was murdered by Indians. He was stationed at Fort Walsh , which is near Fort Benton . The article states that the authorities at Fort Benton refused to arrest the Indians unless a reward of $2,000 was provided. Fort Benton was located in Montana . Fort Walsh was located in Canada .   A personal note: I thought it interesting that the paper listed this article under “British America” when the incident clearly occurred in Canada .   Source: Lancaster daily intelligencer. ( Lancaster , Pa. ), 15 June 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

A Belgian steamer and French freighter exploded today in Canada's Halifax Harbor in 1917. Both ships were carrying with ammunition. The explosion left part of the town leveled and killed nearly 1,600 people and injured approximately 8,000 others. The Mont Blanc - the French freighter - had picked up a load of TNT in New York City and was meeting up with the Imo - the Belgian steamer. The freighter, due to poor visibility, slammed into the steamer. Both ships caught on fire and the crews of both ships abandoned them. The Pictou , a British ship, was also in the harbor at the time and was also filled with ammunition. Her crew, seeing the fires on the other two ships, immediately fled. The High Flyer , which was to be the lead ship in this ill fated convoy across the Atlantic, attempted to stop the disaster, Twenty-three men from the High Flyer were sent to sink the vessels but were too late. The explosion occurred as th...