In 1874 Janet McColl, Duncan's sister, and her husband, James Todd while on their way home met a tragic death.

The St. Thomas Weekly Dispatch, 31 Dec 1874 records:

'LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT- An accident, resulting in the death of two citizens- husband and wife- took place at the eastern extremity of the town, between eight and nine o'clock on Monday evening. James Todd and his wife were invited to be present at the marriage ceremony of a niece, in the township of South Dorchester, on Tuesday last. On Monday afternoon they went with the mail train of the Canada Southern to Kingsmill Station, ten miles east of the town, where they expected to be met by friends who would bring them forward the rest of their journey. No one came, and they were disappointed. Having sat and waited some time in vain, and smarting under what appeared to them an unkind neglect on the part of those who should be attentive to them under such circumstances, instead of going forward the shorter distance to the residence of John Stewart, the bride's father, they resolved to return to town on foot. They did so, following the railway track all the way. Just east of the town they left the track to allow a heavy freight train to pass. This train was followed by the pony engine to assist it over the ascending grade of 'Yarmouth Heights.' This circumstance was probably unnoticed by the now weary and disheartened travellers, and they resumed their journey on the track, not expecting any danger from passing trains from either direction. At the eastern limit of the town is a road passing through the embankment , and under the railway track, which is carried over the opening at the height of about 18 feet, upon a slight trestle-work, crossed by ties at the usual distance, and open between. The night was dark, and they were making their way cautiously over this bridge, step by step and from tie to tie, when the pony engine, returning from her task, came rushing down the grade, flaring her head-light upon the perilous situation in which they were placed, unable to stop short of it, nor they to extricate themselves from the fatal danger. In the haste to get out of the way, Mr. Todd appears to have lost his footing and to have fallen upon his knees partially across the track. The engine swept over him, smashing his arms, legs and other parts of his body, causing instant death. The wife had got so far forward that she might have escaped by jumping down the embankment, but for the vain attempt to return to Mr. Todd's help, having from a glance back seen the perilous difficulty of his position. While at this effort the engine came on, struck her on the side and shoulder, threw her down upon the roadside, terribly fracturing her ribs from the spine and doing her internal injuries from which she died in four hours thereafter. For two hours after the accident she was conscious and intelligent, and gave a succinct account of the accident and how it happened, laying blame on no one. About the time that Mr. Todd entered into eternity, the letter which he wrote advising Miss Stewart of his intention to be present at her nuptials, reached its destination. It was clearly and distinctly dated upon the 23^rd Dec., was post-marked, 'St. Thomas,. Dec. 24,' and in fact reached there, 12 miles from St. Thomas, on the 4^th day after it was mailed here, with a daily mail between the two places, via London. The messenger who was in attendance, as indeed he was on the previous days, hurried home with it to find that the appointment which it contained could never more be kept. This is an occasional illustration of the management of mail service in this neighborhood. Grievous business inconvenience and wrong have been suffered, but this is the first time we hear of death resulting from it. '