She married James Pattie about 1855 in Scotland. She received training as a nurse. She was a most exceptional woman, large and strong, and that strength of body and spirit would be invaluable in her future life.
Shortly after their marriage, James and Ellen immigrated to Guelph, Ontario, Canada where Ellen gave birth to six of their eight children; Elizabeth, James, John, Ellen, William, and Rachael.
In about 1869 or 1870, they immigrated to Sanilac County, Michigan, where the two youngest children were born. James died in 1874 at the age of 46, three months after the birth of Donald, leaving Ellen to raise the family alone.
Being trained as a nurse was invaluable to her with the acute shortage of Doctors and it developed that in addition to raising her family, she literally became midwife, nurse and doctor for the whole community. At a time when vaccination and medical science was still rudimentary, she took puss from cattle infected with cowpox and concocted a vaccine to inoculate the younger children against smallpox. Smallpox was then a highly contagious and often fatal disease. She died of cancer in 1887 when Donald was thirteen and he spent his teen years living with his brother
John
Shortly after their marriage, James and Ellen immigrated to Guelph, Ontario, Canada where Ellen gave birth to six of their eight children; Elizabeth, James, John, Ellen, William, and Rachael.
In about 1869 or 1870, they immigrated to Sanilac County, Michigan, where the two youngest children were born. James died in 1874 at the age of 46, three months after the birth of Donald, leaving Ellen to raise the family alone.
Being trained as a nurse was invaluable to her with the acute shortage of Doctors and it developed that in addition to raising her family, she literally became midwife, nurse and doctor for the whole community. At a time when vaccination and medical science was still rudimentary, she took puss from cattle infected with cowpox and concocted a vaccine to inoculate the younger children against smallpox. Smallpox was then a highly contagious and often fatal disease. She died of cancer in 1887 when Donald was thirteen and he spent his teen years living with his brother
John
She married James Pattie about 1855 in Scotland. She received training as a nurse. She was a most exceptional woman, large and strong, and that strength of body and spirit would be invaluable in her future life.
Shortly after their marriage, James and Ellen immigrated to Guelph, Ontario, Canada where Ellen gave birth to six of their eight children; Elizabeth, James, John, Ellen, William, and Rachael.
In about 1869 or 1870, they immigrated to Sanilac County, Michigan, where the two youngest children were born. James died in 1874 at the age of 46, three months after the birth of Donald, leaving Ellen to raise the family alone.
Being trained as a nurse was invaluable to her with the acute shortage of Doctors and it developed that in addition to raising her family, she literally became midwife, nurse and doctor for the whole community. At a time when vaccination and medical science was still rudimentary, she took puss from cattle infected with cowpox and concocted a vaccine to inoculate the younger children against smallpox. Smallpox was then a highly contagious and often fatal disease. She died of cancer in 1887 when Donald was thirteen and he spent his teen years living with his brother
John
Shortly after their marriage, James and Ellen immigrated to Guelph, Ontario, Canada where Ellen gave birth to six of their eight children; Elizabeth, James, John, Ellen, William, and Rachael.
In about 1869 or 1870, they immigrated to Sanilac County, Michigan, where the two youngest children were born. James died in 1874 at the age of 46, three months after the birth of Donald, leaving Ellen to raise the family alone.
Being trained as a nurse was invaluable to her with the acute shortage of Doctors and it developed that in addition to raising her family, she literally became midwife, nurse and doctor for the whole community. At a time when vaccination and medical science was still rudimentary, she took puss from cattle infected with cowpox and concocted a vaccine to inoculate the younger children against smallpox. Smallpox was then a highly contagious and often fatal disease. She died of cancer in 1887 when Donald was thirteen and he spent his teen years living with his brother
John
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