10/20/2026
The Murder of Minnie Chirgwin Part 3
On Tuesday, June 20, 1882, Sarah Minnie Chirgwin was murdered by James Treglown along the Morris Canal in Port Oram. Stories differ, even in the newspapers of the times regarding the relationship between Minnie, 17 and James, about 23.
Treglown came to America and after coming to Port Oram, he found work at the Mt. Pleasant Mine and immediately began to board with Samuel and Mary Chirgwin who lived “near the principal corner” of the village of Port Oram. In March of 1882, the oldest daughter of the Chirgwins, Jerusha Laura Hoskin died leaving Minnie and her twin sister, Edith Eveline the only remaining daughters. By all accounts, James Treglown became quite attached to young Minnie. Some reports say that they were engaged while other reports say his every advance was rebuffed. Based on everything I have read, I believe they were something of an item but had had a falling out.
Tuesday evening, June 20, Minnie decided to take a walk along the canal with another boarder of her parents, Henry James. Henry was apparently a dashing fellow, quite unlike the 5 foot 4, dark and surly Treglown. Henry James was supposedly a veteran of the Coldstream Guards back in England. As Minnie and Henry were turning to return home, Treglown jumped out from a place of concealment and leveled his 7 shot revolver at the head of Harry James. The gun however did not fire which allowed the “brave” Henry James to run away leaving Minnie alone with her infatuated admirer. She rushed towards him when he fired again as she reached him, this time with the weapon discharging. The bullet struck Minnie in the mouth and apparently she embraced Treglown and the two of them fell into the canal. Treglown freed himself from Minnie and scrambled out of the canal and leaving her flailing in the water, he ran away. Minnie would die (it was later revealed) not from the gunshot, but from drowning.
By this time, Henry James reached the Chirgwin home and raised the alarm. He first found Minnie’s widowed brother in law William Hoskin who ran back alone. After not finding Minnie, he continued up the canal looking for Treglown but not finding him, he turned back. By the time he reached the location of the shooting, there were 30-40 men who eventually used boat hooks and found Minnie’s body. This group then went in search of the murderer with the clear intent of seeing justice done immediately.
In two short months, the Chirgwins had lost two of their 3 daughters. Newspapers throughout the country, in Cornwall, and even Antrim in Ireland carried the story. The New York Times among others shared the story.
On Sunday morning, June 25, Minnie Chirgwin was laid to rest at the Orchard Street Cemetery next to the grave of her older sister who died a few months earlier. At 9 am, the road to Port Oram from Dover was full of people on foot and in wagons heading to the Chirgwin home. At 930, the doors were opened and from that time until 11, a steady procession filed through the front parlor to pay their respects. From there, the body was taken to the church where a service was held. After the service, a large funeral cortège headed to Dover and the Orchard Street Cemetery where there was already a large crowd. They would have gone in the main entrance and turned left down the roadway heading to the front corner. Minnie was laid to rest but not for the last time.
Part 4 coming soon. The investigation and manhunt for James Treglown.
