Thomas Joseph Paull (died 1943, aged 83) first appears in Temple Lodge, No. 33 membership records in 1904. He remained a member of Temple Lodge, No. 33 until his death in 1943.
Thomas Paul was a farmer on Gibbins Road, North Cowichan. According to his obituary, he came to the Cowichan Valley about 1903. He served as a councillor on the North Cowichan District Council in 1925-26, 1928 and 1929.
Here is a brief biography of Thomas Joseph Paull taken from local newspaper reports of his death and funeral:
“Paull – The death of Mr. Thomas J. Paull, which occurred in Burnaby, B.C. on January 19, has not previously been recorded in this column. A former resident of Gibbins Road, Mr. Paull, who was in his 83rd year, had lived in Burnaby for the last four years.
Born in Somerset, England, as a young lad of 16 he came with his father to Texas. Later the family moved to Victoria. Mr. Tom Paull spent some time in the Yukon before coming to this district over 40 years ago. He made his home on Gibbins Road and went in for chicken farming. He also undertook road contracts.
For a number of terms Mr. Paull served as councillor on North Cowichan Municipal Council. He was first married in Texas. His second wife , whom he married in 1909, died in Duncan in July, 1931. There were no children by either marriage.
Mr. Paull was the last survivor of his family. He leaves a sister in law, Mrs. W. Paull, living in Duncan, and a nephew, Mr. A. Paull, at present working in Port Alberni. There are several nephews and nieces in Texas.
Funeral services were conducted with Masonic rites, Mr. Paull being a member of Temple Lodge, A.F. & A.M. Interment was made in a Burnaby cemetery.” [Note: There is a Masonic Cemetery in Burnaby, B.C. We will check the records of the Masonic Cemetery to see whether Bro. Paull is interred there. We will post this information when we uncover it.]
(Source: Cowichan Leader, 1 April 1943 – from Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives collections)
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