The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-08-13
A STRANGE HISTORY.
The Romantic Career of an Old British
Columbian Settler.

Columbian Settler.
"The newspapers have printed the
news of the death of old John Sander
son, the pioneer farm settler of the
! British Columbian coast, but somehow
none of them have referred to his
strange life romance said William
| MacLaughlin, longtime resident OF
! Vancouver's island. Il knew Sander
son well. and have heard him tell the
story more than once, although there
was an incident in it of which he was
ashamed, and he always referred to it
with regret.
''Sanderson was a native of the
Scotch Hebrides. When he was be-
tween thirty-fve and forty he fell in
love with young girl not yet sixteen.
The girls name was Margaret Find
lay. She accepted Sanderson's atten-
tions, and they became engaged, but
a dashing young fellow, a sailor,
named George Rothrocb, came into the
locality where they lived, and won the
girls heart away from the plodding
farmer, Sanderson. 1t happened that
the latter knew that Rothrock had at
one time in his life been engaged in
smuggling. Smarting under the loss
of his intended bride, Sanderson laid
information of Rothroclk's crime be-
fore the authorities of the island. In
some way the young sailor received
warning that he had been betrayed,
and he escaped from the island just in
time.
He was extremely popular, and
when it came out that John Sander
son was the person who had informed
on him the people generally made it
SO unpleasant for Sanderson that he
resolved to emigrate to the Pacific
coast, news of the discovery of gold in
California having reached that out-of-
the-way corner of the earth. Before
going. however, he married, out of
pique, a woman who had always been
the especial aversion of the Findlay
girl. but, as this latter was almost
heartbroken over the loss of her young
sailor lover, this marriage of her old
lover was far from having the effect on
her that Sanderson had intended.
This was early in 1851. Sanderson
and his bride reached San Francisco
after voyage of eight months. The
outlook there did not suit Sanderson,
and, hearing that there were rich agri-
cultural lands on British territory fur
ther northward along the coast, he and
his wife continued their journey
thither. They settled in the fertile
valley few miles south of Fort Langiy,
and by the time the gold excitement
had broken out in British Columbia in
1856 Sanderson had splendid farm
He stuck to his farm through all the
gold fever and by supplying mining
camps and immigrant trains with pro-
duce had made large fortune when
his wife died in 1851 leaving him sew
eral children. lie remained a widower
for ten years, adding to his wealth, and
then he made up his mind To have an
other wife, and that he would like her
10 come from his old island home of
the barren coast of Scotland.
He had q sister there. and he wrote
to her. asking her to look about and
try and get him suita bic person for a
wife. Margaret FiHdlay still lived at
Sanderson's 5 old home. very poor and
Of her lover RothrocI1 since be fed the
islands twenty years before. Sander
sons sister went to her. told her the
wcrd she had received from her brother.
and gave her the first chance for his
offer. Margaret, weary Of a life of toll.
consented TO become her old lovers
second wife IL he so wished. Sander
sons sister sent that word TO her
brother on the other side OF the world
and it pleased him. lie replied 70 that
effect and sent money tn pay Margaret
Findlev's passage 10 his home on the
far Pacific Goa ST.
Margaret arrived in San Francisco .
in The fall Of 1872. While waiting there 4
FOR the steamer on which she WAS 20 4
proceed mp the coast. she heard her 4
name called Looking up IN surprise. I
she saw ard recognized, IN spite o. the 4
changes Of twenty wears, her fugitive 1
lover, George Rcshrock- The old lore
for hiYn- never dead, burned anes on .
the instant. and the g5eetiug nas
n mutually happy. Roihroek had been
leading the lie of miner IN California +
and had accumulated considerable +
Inpncy. and was even -hea making ar
rsnEemen;s to return 20 Scotland lie
wanted Margaret 4, become his wife at
once, but ste replied that her duty
sTonid not permit her TO 30 -. >ho
had g5ren ker fsrssra sse 20 John Sander
son- He was expecting iser- She
would 90 70 hi.l- 4. after aAA