John "Gassy Jack" Deighton's Family

The following information has been compiled from information found in "Gastown's Gassy Jack" and from interviews. If you have further information regarding the Deighton Family please contact deightonfamtree@aol.com . There are still family members living in England today.
 

Richard Deighton (dob 25 Sept 1785)

Gassy Jack's father was Richard Deighton born 25 September 1785 in Escrick, a little village east of York in the County of Yorkshire, England. He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Deighton. He possibly had a brother John two years younger than him. About 1820, Richard married Jane, who came from Sand Hutton, a village north of Escrick also in Yorkshire. He had two shops, a Dyer's and a Silk, Cotton & Wool Draper's both in Hull, the latter being the family residence. They had 6 children:

1. Ann Deighton (dob c.1816) married William Allan, a Farmer, whom she married on 8 June 1854. He apparently died before Ann. The 1891 Census shows her as a widow living with Maria in Hull.

2. Jane Deighton (dob c.1823) married John Allan, a Farmer, on 25 January 1858. She was a widow when she married Capt. William Betts Maltby, a Mariner, on 30 April 1866. They had a least one child named William, who married Ann (photo available if required).

3. Thomas Deighton (dob 6 Jan 1827 ) a seafaring man who gained his Master's Ticket in November 1859. He married a widow Emma Lewens on 6 November 1852 in Hull. Jack brought them to Gastown (now Vancouver) to run his new Deighton Hotel. After Jack's death, he stayed in BC for some time apparently before returning to England. Tom died on 30 January 1887 of chronic bronchitis in the home of his sister Maria at 28 Silver Street, Hull.

4. Richard Mason Deighton (dob 7 Nov 1828 ) was educated at Trinity House Navigation School, Hull. He went to sea at age 15 serving as an apprentice 1844 - 1848, then obtained his 1st mate's certificate in 1853. He received a Master's Certificate in 1855 and sailed for eight months as a commissioned officer on two ships registered at New York. In January 1864 Captain R.M. Deighton as captain of the ship Shalimar was presented with a silver trophy cup by a few friends. Ill with tuberculosis and poor, Richard was taken in by his brother-in-law William Johnston. He died of tuberculosis on 19 February 1868. His funeral expenses were paid by William.

5. John Deighton (Gassy Jack) (dob 7 November 1830, died 29 May 1875) Gassy Jack Deighton was the real founding father of the settlement which in time grew into Vancouver. Gastown where he settled is named after him. He married two native women "in the style of the country." His second wife was Madeline (Qua-Hail-Ya ) with whom he had a son Richard Mason Deighton (dob 1871) who died a few months after his father. Madeline born in 1859 died in 1949. Please read Who was Gassy Jack for more information.