Obituaries

Obituary of Samuel A. Swann from an unknown Jacksonville, Florida, newspaper, August 1909.

from The Florida Mirror, November 15, 1879 Colonel Mark Wm. Downie died at the Mansion House, in this city, on Wednesday evening at 8 o’clock, aged 43 years and 8 months, a brave humble Christian. He was born in St. Johns, New Brunswick, and in early youth became a citizen of Minnesota; was a whole-souled American of rare energy and character, quick wit and comprehension, he did nothing by halves. “Sweet as summer” to his numerous friends North and South. No man will be more widely and deeply mourned than Mark Downie. The November 29th edition of The Florida Times indicates that Col. Downie was born on 15 March 1836 at Chatham in New Brunswick province. He served during the Civil War with the Stillwater Guards, a regiment of the First Minnesota. He attended the sick in Cedar Key during the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1871 as well as supplying monies on behalf of the citizens of that city....

from The Florida Mirror, November 15, 1879 This community is deprived of a worthy and highly respected citizen by the sudden death of Capt. Gamaliel Fisher, who was lost at sea, October 29th, on a voyage from New Bedford, Mass., to the Cape Verde Islands. The vessel which he commanded, having had favorable weather, was four days out from New Bedford, when suddenly the most violent cyclone of the season struck the ship, disabled the mate who was steering at the time, and swept into the sea fifteen persons of the crew and passengers who are believed to have been instantly drowned. The survivors, five in number, after clinging to the rigging for several days, were rescued, half alive, by an Austrian ship and brought into New York. From his early youth, and for nearly thirty years, Captain Fisher had been a seaman, having made many long and perilous voyages in safety. For the last twelve years he was an esteemed resident of this city; the probity of his character and the cordiality of his manners gained him the respect and confidence of all who knew him. Captain Fisher was for many years known as a decided and strenuous advocate of temperance; he was the enemy of all profanity and vulgarity; and as a citizen and friend, he was one who could be counted upon to uphold every good and righteous cause. As we write these few words of tribute to the memory of an esteemed friend and neighbor, the...