How I Began my Genealogical Research

My grandmother, Dell May Todhunter died in May of 1973 in Vancouver.  At the time I was living in Ottawa and made the trek home to be with my family.  During the process of obtaining the necessary paperwork to report a death, my father was shocked to discover his mother was born in Osler, Saskatchewan.  I was equally shocked to discover that my father did not know this simple fact about his mother.

And thus my journey began...

Living in Ottawa should have been a great way to jump start my research, but unfortunately I was not aware of the existence of the national archives, although I had so little information on my family that a search of the archives would probably have been more frustrating than fruitful.

Later that summer I moved back to Vancouver.  My mother, aware of my interest in genealogy gifted me with her grandfathers research.  Victor Norman Pattullo was bitten by the genealogy bug in the early 1900's.  Both he and his mother, Jessie Pattullo  (nee McGregor) wrote letters to relatives asking for birth and death dates of the various Pattullos and Campbells in Ontario.  My mother told me that Victor was very dedicated to his research   She was very proud of the fact that in later life Victor bought a typewriter, taught himself to type and painstakingly transferred his genealogical data to typed form.

Although my mother, Doreen Gwyneth Todhunter (nee Powell) was not interested in genealogical research she was always very interested in the results.  To even have the slim packet of Victors research was a miracle.  My great grandparents trunks were in our basement, there were at least ten of them.  Victor & his wife Luella were long gone but not there stuff as my father was wont to grumble.  In the 60's we had a flood in our basement and my father gleefully pitched the trunks.  How my mother was able to rescue the genealogy I do not know and I often wonder how many treasures were thrown out.

From this packet, I had my start and a better start than many who begin their genealogical journey.  Contained within the packet was Pattullo and Campbell records as well as a brief history of the journey of the McGregors from Fortingall, Scotland to Caledon, Ontario.  There was also a letter to my great grandmother, Luella Jane Pattullo (nee Griffin) outlining her Griffin history back to the 1630's.  Although a great beginning - where to go next?

I joined the BC Genealogical society and the president, Don Langstaff took me under his wing.  Genealogy is often a persuit of the retired and I think having someone in their twenties interested in genealogy helped.....My meger reserch consisted of an article I had found in the "The Canadian Biographical Dictionary" (p548-550) regarding Dr. Alexander Pattullo, MD.  Whether Dr Pattullo  mixed up the family names or the editor did I will never know, but I was not on the correct track when I sent in my request for UEL status.  Again help emerged in the form of Elizabeth Hancocks, genealogist for the United Empire Loyalist Association.  She willingly took the time to research my Campbell side and help out a very new genealogist work through her family history.  From her I had my clarification and my UEL ancestor and my certificate - my UEL ancestor was Robert Campbell.

Dr. Pattullo's biography says "Dr. Pattullo's mother was Mary Campbell, daughter of James Campbell, an officer in one of the Niagara Volunteer Regiments...he was the son of Alexander Campbell, a United Empire Loyalist..."  In fact his grandfathers were Alexander Pattullo and Robert Campbell.