Biography:

Dr. Samuel Edward McCully was born in Howard Township (Chatham-Kent), Ontario on the 13th of April, 1841.  Dr. McCully was the youngest of 4 children born to Samuel McCully and the former Sarah Bennett.  His parents were from Nova Scotia and in 1833 Samuel and Sarah McCully moved from Nova Scotia and lived briefly in Rushton’s Corners (Chatham-Kent) before settling on a homestead in Howard Township (Chatham-Kent).  In 1835, Mr. McCully walked 75 miles in one day to Sandwich, Ontario to record his deed of 100 acres in Howard Township to avoid a land dispute.  Dr. McCully’s siblings were; Jonathan McCully, Hannah Ella McCully and Margaret J. McCully.

Dr. McCully graduated from Victoria College in Coburg, Ontario in 1862.  He set up his medical practice in Blenheim.  He was listed in the Kent, Lambton and Essex County Directory and Gazetteer of 1864-1865 as having an office in Blenheim and being a Coroner for the County of Kent.  According to the 1872 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. McCully joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 15th of September, 1868.

Dr. McCully was married to Hester Matilda Baur and they had a son named Samuel ‘Rolph’ McCully who was born in Montreal, Quebec on the 14th of October, 1866.  Another son, William McCully was born in 1870.  According to the 1871 census, the family was living in Richmond, Quebec.  Dr. McCully’s wife Hester died on the 29th of December, 1873 at the age of 38 years and 11 months.  She was buried in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Dr. McCully married Helen Elizabeth Fitzgibbon on the 10th of February, 1875 in Waterdown, Wentworth Co.  She was the daughter of John and Eliza Fitzgibbon.  Dr. and Mrs. McCully had 3 children born to them while they were living in Waterdown; Mary Bertha McCully was born on the 14th of August, 1877, Kenneth Clare McCully was born on the 14th of April, 1880, Helen Geraldine McCully was born on the 28th of September, 1882 (she died 6 months later on the 28th of April, 1883) and a 4th child Laura Elizabeth McCully was born in Toronto on the 17th of March, 1886.  In 1881, Dr. McCully’s first child, Samuel ‘Rolph’ was living with his grandmother, Sarah McCully in Howard Twp, near Bothwell.  Rolph was still there in 1891.  In 1885 Dr. McCully was listed in the Wentworth County Business Directory as practicing medicine in Waterdown.

Dr. McCully was listed in the 1887 Ontario Business Directory as practicing at 283 Jarvis Street in Toronto.  According to the 1896 Ontario Business Directory, Dr. McCully was practicing on Yonge Street in Toronto.  Dr. McCully immigrated to the United States in June of 1889.

According to the 1900 U.S. Census, Dr. McCully had moved to Topeka, Kansas where he was practicing medicine and living with his 3rd wife, Nannie.  She was born Nancy Hudson in Kentucky in September of 1853.  Her 20 year old daughter Elizabeth Mathers was also listed on the census.  Mrs. Nannie McCully died on the 26th of February, 1906.  She was buried at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky.

On the 18th of July, 1906, Dr. McCully married his 4th wife Susan Agnes McRoberts in Houston, Texas.  She was born in Lucan, Ontario on the 24th of March, 1870.  Mrs. McCully was the eldest of 4 children born to James Henry McRobert and the former Jane Ann Armitage.  Her father was a grain dealer and her siblings were; William Wesley McRobert (who died as an infant), Alva Alexander McRobert and May McRoberts.  According to the 1900 U.S. Census, Mrs. McCully had immigrated to Wabash Twp, Indiana  in 1896 with her mother and her siblings.  According to that same census, Mrs. McCully’s occupation was listed as a stenographer and her brother’s occupation was listed as a pharmacist.  In June of 1906, Dr. and Mrs. McCully were living on Rock Island, Colorado County, Texas and in 1910, they were residing at 107 Allen Street in Dallas Texas.

The 1911 Canadian Census found Dr. McCully’s children Kenneth and Laura living with their mother in Toronto, Ontario.  Mrs. Helen McCully stated that she was a widow, but in fact, Dr. McCully did not die until the 23rd of August, 1921.  He died in Victoria, Texas and he was buried there at the Evergreen Cemetery.

In 1930 Mrs. Susan McCully was living at 407 West Forest in Victoria.  She died on the 9th of March, 1941.  At the time of her death, she resided at 107 N. Moody Street, in Victoria.   She was buried at Evergreen Cemetery next to Dr. McCully.

*Dr. McCully’s daughter Mary Bertha McCully became a musician.  She drowned on the 6th of July, 1906 at the age of 28.  His daughter Laura McCully, became an accomplished published author and poet.  In 1907 she attained a B.A. from the University of Toronto and she followed this up with a masters degree in 1908.  Laura McCully died in Toronto on the 9th of July, 1924 of complications from diabetes at the age of 38.   His second wife, Helen Fitzgibbon McCully died on the 22nd of September, 1931.  His son Kenneth McCully died on the 1st of August, 1944 and they are buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.  His son Samuel Rolph McCully died on the 2nd of December, 1928 and was buried at Saint Johns Anglican Church Cemetery in Toronto.

**Dr. McCully’s brother, Dr. Jonathon McCully is also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.