The historic cemetery in Skagway, Alaska has these residents, both from the Maritimes. Likely they went to Skagway, and died, as part of the Klondike Gold Rush. Perhaps they have relatives still living on PEI and Cape Breton.
One tombstone reads, “Duncan McFadden: Died June 6, 1898 aged 44 years. Native of Cape Breton”.
He was a long way from home and one assumes a long way from the pot of gold he went to find in the stampede Pierre Berton chronicled in Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896-1899.
Another tombstone reads, “James Kenny: Born Prince Edward Island, Canada, February 8, 1876, Died February 8, 1900”.
Like many who went to the Klondike, he had bad luck. In his case he died on his 24th birthday.
“The Klondike Gold Rush was a migration by an estimated 100,000 prospectors to the Klondike region of the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1896 and 1899. Gold was discovered there by local miners on August 16, 1896 and, when news reached Seattle and San Francisco the following year, it triggered a stampede of would-be prospectors. Some became wealthy, but the majority went in vain. The Klondike Gold Rush ended in 1899 after gold was discovered in Nome, Alaska prompting an exodus from the Klondike. … To reach the gold fields most took the route through the ports of Dyea and Skagway in Southeast Alaska.” You can read more on Wkipedia.
The post Grave Matters for Maritimers at Skagway first appeared on NouZie.
