Raymond Smith Died On His Boat

Raymond Smith, a Keyport clammer, was asphyxiated by coal gas in his boat off Perth Amboy last Friday a week ago. He and William Clayton had started from Keyport for a load of clams the day before. At Perth Amboy they put up for the night. They fixed the stove in the cabin to keep fire all night and went to sleep. During the night the shifting of the wind created a back draft to the stove and gas escaped. Late Friday morning boatmen at Perth Amboy noticed that there were no signs of life on the Keyport boat and they went on board to investigate. They found Smith dead in his bunk. Clayton was unconscious but he revived after he was got out into the air.

Smith was 26 years old and was a son of Josiah Smith of Keyport. A wife and two children survive him. The youngest child was only a few days old at the time of Smith's death. The widow is left without means of support and the residents of Keyport have made up $125 for her benefit.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, Dec 18, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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