Chief Constable of Ayr - Help needed!

[gillhak]

Unfortunately I can't bask in the glory of the find. The glory really goes to my second cousin once removed Rachel Palmer, the great granddaughter of Emma Sophia Catmur (born Gunn), the sister of your and my Ann Dodson Matthews (born Gunn). She found the newspaper cutting of Mary's marriage. And then I found the actual death record. Yes, you're  right that Angus isn't marked as deceased on George Gunn's marriage cert to Emma Sophia Gunn (born Greenhalgh). He presumably went out to America as part of his dealings in indigo. He was a commission agent on the 1841 census; agent for indigo? That part of the story still needs to be researched. Rachel by the way is your third cousin once removed.

[gillhak]

A kind person at the Society of Genealogists got a copy of the original death record of Angus Gunn, attached (I hope). As you'll see, the cause of death is bilious remittent fever. He's buried at Trinity Cemetery. I contacted them but they tell me that though they have a record of his burial, they have no record of the location, which means there is no headstone. Sad.

[JLo]

Thank you. Bilious remittent fever sounds a bit grim! It is a shame there is no headstone. Feels very remote from his family and his birth place out there 

[gillhak]

Yes, I agree but probably not so unusual in New York back in those days. Malaria, too, was common. The sad thing is that, as you say, Angus was so far from home.  It's a pity New York state didn't have death certs showing who the informant was. Perhaps it was a family member, or perhaps a local contact.
I'm sending my account of what is known so far about Angus to your home email address.