Hugh McGilvery never really spoke of his family although his daughter, Adele remembered hearing him say he had a brother named Daniel and that his parents died in a boating accident. As his children grew they wondered about their grandparents and so in the late 1970s his son, Hugh McGilvery II (Mac) began his search. After contacting many unrelated McGilverys Mac finally found Rachel McGilvery in Gladstone, Michigan. Rachel remembered Hugh Sr. as one of her husband, Robert’s brothers. Mac made three visits to see her and learned Hugh Sr.’ s father was Robert Neil McGilvery and his mother was Mary Boule. Their children were Hector, Flora, Daniel, Leo, Hugh, and Mary. All except Hugh and Mary were baptized at Holy Name of Mary Church in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They probably lived elsewhere at the time of their births. Mary was a Canadian Cree Indian and as Rachel remembers always pregnant and sick. Since she died in the same year her daughter, Mary was born it is assumed she died of complications from childbirth. After her death the children were scattered Mary and Hugh went to an orphanage, a family took Hector and Robert went with his father she did not say where Daniel went. Robert Sr. worked at various lumber camps, which meant he moved around many times. At one of the lumber camps he was shot and killed in an argument over wages. His son Robert who was Rachel’s husband witnessed this incident. Rachel told of the embarrassment and shame of being part Indian during those days, such individuals were called” breeds.” She remembered Daniel was involved in a knife fight for being called a” breed.” He lived on Sugar Island in Michigan. Robert Neil’s father a lumberman was also named Hugh McGilvery
