Dastardly Kirkpatricks

Most of the Kirkpatricks I have researched so far were respected, hard-working, family-oriented people who had a sense of humor and a sense of adventure. They were explorers and trail blazers. They were pillars of their communities.

I haven’t heard of too many “bad” Kirkpatricks, but there is the occasional one.

Recently I was searching through old west coast newspapers searching for information on my great-great grandfather, Thomas Gillham Kirkpatrick. He had spent time in California and Oregon during the gold rush, before he moved on to British Columbia, where he stayed.

I didn’t find anything on ol’ TGK, but I did find a fascinating series of 1858 articles about a Kirkpatrick who, along with his wife, poisoned his brother by putting arsenic in a Christmas pie of all things!

I want to transcribe these articles and post them here and in our family newsletter. Watch for them!