Hi Michigan purtills I am one of your many canadian cousins. ROBERT PURTILL was my great-great grandfather. he immigrated to La Sallette, Ontario which is about 2 miles from Delhi, Ontario. He purchased his land for his farm in 1848. He was killed by misadventure while clearing his land in 1856. His wife MARY McCARTHY was born in 1821, she died in La Sallette in 1879. there children where - maria 1838 married joseph schmouse..edward 1841 married frances hold..alice 1844 married john connar..ellen 1846 married thomas connar..bridget 1848 married walter reavety..mary-jane 1849 married thomas moore..[.james 1850 married maria schooley - james and maria are my great grand parent]..robert 1853.. James PURTILL and his wife purchased the home farm in La Sallett and raised 10 children. One of their children Robert Joseph purchased the farm from James his father. Robert changed the home farm over. Robert was a great reader, and he figured he could grow tobacco on his farm. He wrote a letter to virginia to find out how to grow tobacco, they told him how and he did it. He then sent them his bales of tobacco. They sent him a letter that they would buy all he could grow. Ever since then the La Sallett & Delhi area of ontario has been the heart land of the tobacco industry of Ontario. This is just a little information of the Purtills of Ontario. If you want, get in touch with me, we still live in the area. wm. farwell