William Augustus Pulteney Dana (1826-1866) was my 4th great uncle, the eighth of the ten children of my 4th great grandparents William Pulteney Dana (1776-1861) and Charlotte Elizabeth Dana née Bailey (1795-1846). He was one of the brothers of my great great great grandmother Charlotte Frances Champion de Crespigny née Dana (1820-1904).

Superintendent William Dana

William, then superintendent of police at Geelong, died suddenly on 5 October 1866.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1866. (1866, October 6). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), , p. 5. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5775248
CURRENT TOPICS. (1866, October 6). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 – 1926), , p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148784229
Items of News. (1866, October 10). Hamilton Spectator and Grange District Advertiser (South Melbourne, Vic. : 1860 – 1870), , p. 2. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article194471140
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. (1866, October 11). Kilmore Free Press and Counties of Bourke and Dalhousie Advertiser (Kilmore, Vic. : 1865 – 1868), , p. 2 (MORNINGS.). Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70060810

His funeral was reported in the Geelong Advertiser of 8 October 1866. Thousands of people, it was reported, viewed the long cortege. Philip de Crespigny, William Dana’s brother-in-law and my great great great grandfather was one of the principal mourners. Also among these principal mourners were his nephews, George and Augustus Dana.

CAPTAIN DANA’S FUNERAL. (1866, October 8). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 – 1926), , p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article148784238

Images of Captain Dana’s grave in the Geelong cemetery at Find-A-Grave: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=163742121 These were kindly taken by Find A Grave contributor Ron M following my request to the site.