On
Thursday last, another of the old and well-known residents of Campbellford
in the person of John Wenman, left his work on earth to rest in a better
land.
The deceased had not enjoyed good health during the past
summer, but his illness was not a serious nature. On Wednesday he
walked out in his usual spirits, but the following morning he was taken
ill, and at two o'clock he was no more.
Mr. Wenman was a native of
England, and has been a resident of Campbellford for 32 years. During 23 years of that period he was sexton of the English church, the
duties of which he discharged faithfully to the close of his career. He leaves a wife and seven children.
Mr.
Wenman in his younger days won some notoriety in connection with his
voyages at sea. He was one of the crew of Her Majesty's ship
"Enterprise" which was sent out in company with the
"Investigator," in search of Sir John Franklin's party.
He
made two voyages to the cold regions of the north, the first in 1849,
having sailed from Plymouth on the 20th of January. His second
voyage was made in 1854. Mr. Wenman kept a book in which he recorded
notes of the voyages.
He was awarded a silver medal for his
services, which with the book he has had in his possession ever since. On one side of the medal are the words, "For Arctic
Discoveries," 1848-1855, with a representation of a ship in a field
of ice, and on the other the Queen's head.
The book gives the names
of all the men comprising the crews, dates of setting out, when and where
they encountered ice fields, how long they were imprisoned in the ice, and
details of their experiences.
The deceased closed his earthly
pilgrimage after entering upon his 71st year. -- Campbellford Herald.
