Calgary Cemetery and Reginald Guy Wright Coulter

On May 17, 2016, my Wife and I started a five week road trek across Canada to meet some new friends and research family roots. Plans were to stop in Calgary, Winnipeg, Sault Ste Marie, and several other places in southern Ontario.

Our first stop was Calgary.

We had known the basics about my Wife's grandfather, Reginald Guy Wright Coulter (1889-1932). Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario,  he settled near Calgary, Alberta with his parents and siblings about 1905, and married Mary Ethel Lunn (1886-1954) in 1911. He enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force February 1917, served in WWI, was injured and died in 1932 partially from his injuries. It wasn't until we located his grave in Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary that we realized his service record would reveal crucial details. His grave marker was engraved "Sapper, Canadian Engineers C.E.F.", thus highlighting a dangerous role in combat.

Archives Canada has recently been digitizing all WWI service records in alphabetical order, including medical details for all those enlisted. We found  Reginald's record easily and downloaded 78 PDF pages. After basic training in 1917, he was assigned to Divisional Engineers and shipped to England in February 1918 and subsequently France on June 1st. Presumably his listed occupation as mechanic from his Attestation Papers may have resulted in this assignment. On September 7, 1918 he was critically wounded near Cambrai from an explosive shell shattering his tibia and opening his buttock. (For more information on the role of Cambrai offensive in 1918) see: Arras and Cambrai Offensive 1918

Reginald was transferred to an England hospital 6 days later where he received initial treatment, but in December was transferred to Colchester Military Hospital for additional surgeries. Even though his major woulds were largely healed the medical chart hinted at his permanent disability. For the next 4 years Reginald was in and out of Calgary Hospitals. During his time in service and treatment Ethel and Reginald lost two of their sons: Philip to influenza in 1918 and Russell to a road accident a year later. Reginald received periodic care until he died in 1932 while working as a mechanic in several Alberta towns when he was able. Ethel was able to bring money into the home from some teaching while raising their two remaining children: Helen (1914-1995) and David (1924-1991).

Phillip was also buried in Burnsland  but no marker was found. Russell's grave location is still unknown.

2016 Cross Canada Family History Trek

Organizing the History Trek of 2016

Ottawa

At some point in 2014, after several years of recording facts and building ancestor profiles for both our trees, we decided that some original research would enrich our family stories. While we have obtained countless Census downloads, vital certificates and digitized newspaper clippings, it was apparent that more information sat in archives, libraries and the closets and bookshelves of distant relatives.

So, after extensive planning we set off in May of 2016 for five weeks across Canada in our Jeep Patriot.

The preparation came from the holes in our tree and leads developed from finding distant cousins. Some were found through sleuthing phone records, obituaries, and old letters. Others were found from matches made on our genealogy web service since some cousins were also building trees. During this finding stage, we have developed great relationships with some fine people.

My wife's Canadian roots are in Ontario, primarily Sault Ste. Marie, and in the current Municipality of Halton. These families emigrated from England, Scotland and Ireland during the first half of the 19th Century. Subsequent moves to southern Manitoba and British Columbia in the 20th Century deserved more exploration. There is another line for an historical search in Nova Scotia, but this will be another trek.

My own maternal Canadian roots originate with United Empire Loyalists from Vermont and New York, who settled in Lennox and Addington County, Ontario. Subsequent generations moved through Whitby, Oshawa, Cannington and Owen Sound, before arriving in British Columbia about 1900.

My paternal side originated in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania but my line did settle in Winnipeg after 3 decades in Minneapolis. However, the sister of my grandfather settled in Kingston, Ontario thus her descendants are in that province today and visits were scheduled on our trek.

Oshawa, Ont. Museum

In addition to finding relatives to visit, we contacted local archives in Bruce Mines, Whitby, Georgetown, Napanee and Oshawa. , Facebook also provided several contacts as many local Historical Societies and Museums have enthusiastic volunteers ready and willing to share their knowledge. Since their communities were also our own family roots, we were able to contribute some history to their Facebook pages as well.

Winnipeg, Elmswood Cemetery

Every genealogy trip involves cemetery listings, locating and recording grave markers. This was new to us, but after searches in cemeteries from Calgary, Alberta to Kingston, Ontario, we felt like experts. Some of our most 'exciting' finds were additions to the family tree from these searches and corroborating information from earlier internet searches. There will some cemetery stories later on this blog.

We genuinely thank all the archivists, curators and local guides that made our trip rich and productive.