The deceased left what was known as 'the Patch' (situated approximately 4.8 kms west of the old Duketon townsite and probably the largest dryblowing patch in the area) on the Saturday to proceed to the Mulga Queen, about 16 miles distant, for the purpose of removing a portion of a camp to the locality in which he was living. Under ordinary circumstances, he should have returned on the Sunday but the anxiety of his friends did not become aroused until the Tuesday, when it was decided to try and discover what had happened to him. A female native got on the tracks of the horse and cart he had left in, which had not followed the beaten road but had followed a haphazard course for some miles and was eventually found stationed between two mulga trees with the dead body of the old prospector lying in the cart with the reins still in his hand. Apparently the horse had wandered off the road and jammed one of the wheels of the cart in a there and remained there until discovered on 1 May. He had probably died of heart disease as he had been complaining of heart trouble. John William was born in Clunes, Victoria, the second child of a family of seven. His siblings were: James Wilson (Birth Registration 3183/1859, Clunes, Death Registration 11628/1860); Dinah Ann (Birth Registration 18484/1862, Amherst); Joseph (Birth Registration 101/1865 Amherst); Catherine (Birth Registration 18966/1866, Amherst); Emma (Birth Registration 15100/1868, Clunes); Charles Dixon (Birth Registration 1447/1871, Clunes). Charles also lived at Duketon. He and John William found the mine they called "Golden Spinifex". The whole of the population of the district (seventeen people) paid their last respects to the deceased at the funeral in Duketon, which was named after his brother Charles on 4 January 1900.

Alias Rhoady/Roady/Rhody Schwan/Schwann/Schwoon. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a storm, which had been brewing for the previous two days, culminated in thunder and lightning. Preparations were being made for tea and Schwan was sitting on his bunk in camp while his mate, Jeremiah Barnett, went out to a Woodheap to get some wood for the fire. During Barnett's absence, a vivid flash of lightning struck Schwan, killing him instantly. Charles Cocks, a young man whose camp almost adjoins that of Schwan, received a slight shock which threw him off the bunk where he was lying at the time. Schwan had been on the fields for many years. He was one of the early prospectors on the leads in Kanowna, as well as one of the first at Burtviile. He was a prominent figure at football matches, as he generally occupied the position of umpire. He did a large amount of pioneering in the back blocks, his last trip being to Warburton Ranges with Carr Boyd and party. Schwan was of a happy, jovial disposition and splendid company, being capable of relating exceptionally humorous back-block yarns. Rhody was one of four children born to a couple who married on 19 May 1858 at Clare (Marriage Registration 34/192). His siblings were John SCHWOON, born 17 July 1859, William SCHWANN, born 5 April 1863, Alfred SCHWOON, born 15 June 1865, all in South Australia. The deceased's death was certified in writing by his brother, William, who was working at Boulder Block at the time.

Jeremiah Barnett was apparently a very lucky man because seven years earlier, in 1897, the same Jeremiah Barnett was playing draughts with James Heffernan, at Mount Margaret, while a storm was brewing. They were both struck by lightning and while Jeremiah Barnett was able to be revived, his draughts opponent, James Heffernan, died.