Isabella Ann RICKARDS & John TAIT (1828-1871)

[gnstill]

John TAIT was born in 1828 in Scotland. In 1857 he married Isabella Ann RICKARDS (born 1838 in England). By 1867 they had five children together and in 1870 they were living in St James (Winnipeg).

The “mysterious circumstances” of John TAIT’s death came from Heather Hallett’s book, Children of the Rivers, Volume II, pg 184. To make a long story short: Apparently in the late 1860’s the marriage of Isabella & John TAIT soured, and it was believed that Isabella’s child (Andrew) was actually fathered by Fred HALLETT.

One day in the fall of 1870 John TAIT went out hunting. His body was not found until the following spring. “Those investigating John’s death concluded that he was probably murdered during the course of a robbery.” The case was never solved. Isabella and Fred HALLETT were married “almost immediately after John’s body was found”.

Chris, can you give me some clues regarding your TAIT family lineage?

[chris tait]

Thanks for that information. That is interesting.

Norman Tait was my grandfather. Andrew Tait was my great grandfather.

It appears as though some form of genetic testing was done in the Shetlands (davidfaux.org) that determined that Andrew was a descendant of John, and not of Fred Hallett.

Thanks again.

[Simpson]

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of Heather Hallett's Book? I did a quere on the net and can not find it in the library either.

Thanks!

[gnstill]

Here's the address you're looking for:

Heather HALLETT
1490 Thorpe Avenue
Courtenay, B.C. V9N 7K7

[Simpson]

Thanks Gary! Heather seems to have alot of info. I need her book.

Carol Ann Simpson

[chris tait]

On the site "manitobia" you can search old news papers by a person's name.

In the Manitoban and Northwest Herald May 27, 1871 it is noted:

"Dr. Bird held a coroner's inquest on the 18th in the school house, St. James, on the body of a man named John Tait, found drowned at Long Lake. He left here three weeks ago last Wednesday and the body was found in the lake on the 13th. Dr. O'Donnell, who examined the body, gave it as his opinion that the deceased came to his death by drowning. Mr. Edwin Bourke, MPP, foreman of the jury, brought in the verdict, found drowned."

Since there was coroners inquest, it seems we know the cause of death of John Tait. There is no mention of anything suspicious or unusual. It seems, unfortunately, that the murder theory much promoted in recent decades was thought up in the 1990s.

[gnstill]

Thanks Chris

Looks like another "Cold Case File" has been solved!