Andrew McAfee (died 1909, aged 44)

DECEASED BRETHREN

VANCOUVER & QUADRA LODGE No. 2

Andrew P. McAfee (died November 1909, aged 44) was a member of Vancouver & Quadra Lodge No. 2. He worked as a warehouseman, shipping agent and sales representative for the Hudson’s Bay Company. His grave marker in Ross Bay Cemetery says he was a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

City Directories of the period show his home at 272 Superior Street in 1908 and 322 Oswego Street in 1909. His newspaper obituary in 1909 says he and his wife were living in a house at the corner of Government Street and Toronto Street. All three of these addresses are in Victoria’s James Bay neighbourhood.

Tragically he took his own life in November 1909, apparently in a state of despondency resulting from an extended period of poor health.

Here are the local newspaper reports of his death:

“SHOT FROM GUN ENDS HIS LIFE

Andrew McAfee Takes Own Life at His Home in Despondent Fit

Believed to have been despondent through ill-health Andrew McAfee. a well known resident of the city, and for the past twenty years an em­ployee of the Hudson’s Bay Company, took his own life yesterday morning at his home, corner of Government street and Toronto street shortly after 9 o’clock. The discovery of the body was made by Mrs. McAfee, who had returned from a visit to a neighbor, Mrs. Worthington. She was surpris­ed to find that her husband, whom she had expected to meet, was not apparently in the house. A hurried search of her home resulted in her discovering the body lying in a room in which had been stored a quantity of odds and ends, including a shotgun and a rifle. The first intimation she had that anything was wrong, was when she saw a foot protruding from the room, the door of which was slightly ajar. Without proceeding further she ran to a window and called to Mr. Worthington, who was passing in the street below. He enter­ed the house and discovered Mr. Mc­Afee lying dead on the floor, his head reclining against a box, and his feet in the doorway, the discharged shot­gun lying beside the body on the floor. From the position of the body it would appear that Mr. McAfee had dis­charged the gun by pressing the trig­ger with his toe, the shot entering the right breast. Death must have been instantaneous. Dr. Hart, the coroner, was summoned, and ordered the body taken to the undertaking rooms of the B. C. Furnishing Company. An inquest will be held this afternoon at 3 o’clock.

Despondency following a period of illness is supposed to have been the cause of Mr. McAfee’s rash act. For several weeks he had been a patient at the St. Joseph’s hospital, but for some time past he had been at home. When found the body was partially dressed, which would indicate that during his wife’s absence he had risen from his bed, and going to the room in which he was found, taken his own life.

The lute Mr. McAfee was widely known In this city. For the past year or two he had been employed as city traveller for the Hudson’s Bay Com­pany, and for many years prior to that he was with the company as warehouseman In the liquor depart­ment. He was a prominent Mason and as a sportsman was popular. His death will be mourned by a large circle of friends. He was also a mem­ber of the Commercial Travellers’ As­sociation. Pending the holding of the inquest the funeral arrangements have not been made.”

[Source: Daily Colonist, 3 November 1909, page 2]

Andrew McAfee is buried in Ross Bay Cemetery. His grave marker displays the Masonic Square and Compasses

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