I have an ancestor from Errol in Scotland who died in Taboga, Panama
My ancestor James Bruce born abt 1844 in Errol, Perthshire, Scotland died, according to a memorial and news article in Scotland, on 24 January 1868 on the island of Taboga off Panama. He died of a fever aged 24 employed as an engineer. I have tried to contact folk on the island to ascertain whether he has a gravestone or any other information but with no replies.
Can somebody help me.
Alan Whytock
Answers
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Presumably you are aware of the details at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Panama_Civil_Registration.
These Wiki articles are usually quite useful in offering alternative sources, but only lists an address in Panama (possibly the one you have already contacted) and links to FamilySearch indexes (neither of which appears to have a death / burial record for James Bruce.
As James Bruce is a relatively common name in Scotland, a search at https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/ for further articles produced "too many" results, but none at all with a search on "Taboga".
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@alanwhytock I am not connected with FamilySearch.
I don't know anything about Panama, but by analogy with India, I think it would be unlikely there is a surviving gravestone, even if there was one originally, which could be doubtful. Floods have destroyed many gravestones in India, and if the floods didn't wash them away, the locals have taken the stone for building works. Engineers tended to work in jungly areas away from civilisation, and in India you read accounts of travellers and workers in remote areas being buried where they died, sometimes at the roadside.
For record suggestions, you could look at the following Fibiwiki pages from the FIBIS (Families in British India Society) website. The emphasis is on India, but there is some general information which could be applicable where ever the man died. There is no guarantee you will find anything, but you never know.
Scotland https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Scotland In particular look at the online overseas records on ScotlandPeople.
General Register Office. https://wiki.fibis.org/w/General_Register_Office If it was not known he was from Scotland, perhaps he could appear in records at the National Archives Kew, or elsewhere, some of which are available online.
Public Works Department https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Public_Works_Department. Mentions the publication Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland. Also Engineering records on Ancestry.
Paul W has searched the British Newspaper Archive. However perhaps Panama was in the sphere of influence of America and there might be some reference in American newspapers. You could try searching the newspaper database NewspaperArchive.com, a pay website, but available for free at FamilySearch Centres. see https://wiki.fibis.org/w/FamilySearch_Centres
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Some excellent suggestions from Maureen, but in relation to
"If it was not known he was from Scotland, perhaps he could appear in records at the National Archives Kew, or elsewhere, some of which are available online."
I did take a quick look just now at National Archives indexed records - admittedly just narrowing down to a 1866-1870 search - but found nothing of relevance to "your" James Bruce.
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Hello all.
I am also trying to find information with regards to the death of my 2 x great grandfather in Taboga. He was 'killed' on 01/12/1867, but we have no records to satisfy how he died other than family rumour that he was killed rather than died of disease.
I have tried all the routes above but as yet, I haven't been successful.
Does anyone know of the name of the company who was employing the men on Taboga?
I'm trying to think of other routes I could go down to find information.
Thank you
Amelia
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