RootsChat.Com

Hi Sue,
Well it really is a detective story!!!!
I also found a microfiche listing for a 1901 placer mining permit.
May I suggest something? 
Put your letters in chronological order and sit down this weekend with a notebook. With each letter, write down the date and where it was posted from. Then, read each one and jot down the clues of employment, place of residence and plans that the boys were hatching. Add then, your dates of definite ID, (if any), like reports,dockets and such like.
That way, you have a time picture. Add to it any other info with a "possible" date and highlight it or use a different coloured pen.
I do this with my research and, believe me, it gives you a whole different perspective on it.
 It takes an hour or two, but wellworth every minute.
If James died later then that opens up another window of opportunity for census.
Anyway, I'll have a browse of the Australian manifestos and see what comes up.
Cheers Sandra.

Hi Sue,
It's my pleasure...you can tell your dad that I love a good detective story !
A little update for now...I've discovered there's a North West Mounted Police archive, (precursor to todays Mounties), my RCMP friend will call me with the "www" tomorrow.
 I discovered that the NWMP were stationed at checkpoints and documented entry into the territory. Your John might be in there if he came through a checkpoint. I can do it on Saturday afternoon while my son is at piano lessons. Not promising anything...but it's a start.

Have you tried looking at ships manifests to see if you can find his North American landing  point? I surmise he would have come across land by the railroads in either country and perhaps left Seattle or Vancouver by boat. There is also a pioneer trail which the highway follows now, north of Vancouver up through the Fraser Canyon towards Northern BC and into the Yukon.   Who knows?
Anyway, that's the plan and when I drop my son off at school tomorrow, I shall pop into the Library and see if they can point me in the direction of cemetery archives. The communities are all linked to the large Whitehorse library and museums, so if the cave-in was documented, we might find it in the newspaper archives. I also thought about procurator fiscal reports...but I don't know how far back they go and how important they would be to someone after the statutory record-keeping time expired !
My Gosh...we could write a book here !
I'll shut up now and go walk the dog !!!!!
Cheers Sandra.

Hi Kozmos,
just browsing as I'm new to Rootschat.
I was wondering if you had found any more info on your Yukon death.
I am a Scot living in Dawson City Yukon, ( 6hrs drive north of Whitehorse), and will be dotting around Whitehorse in the middle of May. I have an interest in exploring old graveyards and the "pioneer" graves.
South of Whitehorse is a place called Carcross which on the Yukon end of the Chilkoot Pass, the goldrushers stopped there, went on to Whitehorse and then headed up my way to get rich...or..not on the Klondike.
If you would like me to have a look for you...I'm going that way anyway...let me know if you have  any other info that would be useful.  A rudimentaty grave may have town/country/age, but they are usually not full of information. At least I could e-mail you pictures of sites. The goldrushers didn't wander too far from the beaten path, especially in winter.
Cheers Sandra.

Oh and I forgot...Elizabeths mothers given name is Margaret not Catherine. Elizabeth named her first daughter Margaret.
Hawickborn