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Chapter XVII - Physicians From the Boston and U. P. Congregations


DR. WILLIAM SCOTT, son. of Peter Scott, who lived on Lot 4, Concession 5, East, was born in 1826, attended the Quatre Bras School, and also a class taught by Joseph Carbert, or Carhart, a medical student, in the old Boston Church. Other members of the class were Robert Hume, William Hume, Alexander Laidlaw, John Dewar, Alexander Sproat, William Anderson, Robert Winlaw, and one or two more. He taught the Ligny School for two years, the Waterloo School and a school in N.assagaweya. He took one term . in the Grammar School in Palemro, and went to the Jefferson College at New Athens, Ohio, intending to become a Presbyterian Minister. Having poor health, and being advised to discontinue his studies for the ministry, he changed to medicine, studied in Toronto for one year, and in Queens College, Kingston, for two years, graduating in or about 1854. He practiced in Nassagaweya for about nine months, and then settled in Southampton, where he lived and labored for about thirty-six years in the active and successful work of his profession. He was physician to the Indians on the Reserve, and was able to converse with them in their own tongue. In his late years he was disabled by paralysis, and died in October 1900. Having been medical officer in the Bruce Battalion he was buried with military honors, the coffin being borne to the cemetery on a gun carriage. Two of his sons, both physicians, served in the late war. In his yotith he attended the U. P. Church.

DR. WILLIAM HUME was the son of James Hume, who lived on Lot 10, 4th Concession East, and brother of Rev. Robert Hume. He was born in 1830, attended Waterloo School, and was a member of the Boston Church class mentioned above. He studied medicine in Toronto and gradated from the University. He settled in Milton and had an excellent reputation as a physician. He died February 4, 1864.

DR. ALEXANDER LAIDLAW was the son of Walter and Margaret Robertson Laidlaw. He attended Quatre Bras School, the class in the old Boston Church, began the study of medicine in the University of Toronto, but after a time left and entered Queens College, Kingston, from which he graduated. He settled in Norval and practiced there for two, or three years, when he went to Milton, and became partner with Dr. William Hume in a very wide and successful practice. He died on February 3, 1865, aged 30 years, and his body was buried in the Boston Church Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and young son Walter.

DR. DAVID ROBERTSON was the son of Alexander Robertson, school teacher, farmer and Justice of the Peace, and was born in 1841. He attended the Ligny School when Robert Little was teacher, went to McGill College and graduated about 1864. In that year he began to practice in Nassagaweya, and in 1866 removed to Milton, where he practiced for many years, was Mayor of Milton for 4 years, and served as Treasurer of the School Board. Before coming to Milton and uniting with Knox Church, of which he was an honored elder, he was a member of the U. P. congregation. He died in Nelson, British Columbia, on August 8, 1912.

DR. ALEXANDER ROBERTSON was a brother of Dr. David Robertson, and attended Ligny School when Robert Little was teacher there. He graduated in Medicine from Ann Arbor University, Michigan. He lived many years in Chicago, and was connected with the H. E. Buchlin Co., a patent medicine corporation. He retired from business about 1904. He was travelling in Germany when the war broke out in 1914, and was held for some time a prisoner because he was a Canadian citizen. He died at Ocean Beach, California, in November, 1918.

WILLIAM ANDERSON was a brother of Hiram Anderson, who lived on Lot 3, Concession 2 East. He went in 1848 with his brother Hiram to Michigan, where they remained one year in the village of Plainwell, and then returned to the farm in Esquesing.

William intended first to become a Presbyterian minister, but changed his mind, and went to the University of Syracuse, N.Y., and studied medicine. He married a Miss Matthews, of Plainwell, Mich., and settled in Sodom in Nassagaweya, where he practiced medicine until 1863, when he moved to Lexington, Sanilic County, Mich. His brother Hiram settled on a farm near Lexington. He kept a drug store in connection with his practice. He died February 18, 1875, aged 48 years, and was survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

DR. GEORGE A. STARK, son of James Stark, who lived on‘ Lot 8, Concession 4 East, was born in 1848, attended Quatre Bras, taught school for some time, went to McGill College, Montreal, and graduated at the head of his class in 1871, or 1872. He practiced medicine in Milwaukee, Wis., for eleven years. In 1883 he went to Glen Ullin, in Mortin County, North Dakota, and thence to Mandan in the same county, where he practiced Tor nineteen years, and held several important positions. He died from apoplexy, and was survived by his wife, five sons and two daughters.

DR. HUGH A. McCOLL is the son of the late Duncan and Helen Scott McColl, who lived on Lot 12, 6th Concession West. He attended Waterloo School, Brampton High School, and graduated in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1889. After receiving license from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1890, he began practice in the same year in Milton, Halton County, and has continued there to the present time. He served three terms as Mayor of Milton, and has had been successful in his profession.

DR. CHARLES W. McCOLL is also a son of the late Duncan and Helen Scott McColl. He was a pupil in Waterloo School, and recalls with pleasure the “swimming hole” in Michie’s field, and the early harvest apples he surreptitiously abstracted from Malcom McPherson’s orchard. He attended the Brampton High School, and was an expert telegrapher for some years in St Catharines. He graduated from the Detroit College of Medicine in 1895, and then settled in Wyandotte. Michigan, where he has made good in his profession.

DR. ALLEN N. MOORE, son of Ephraim Moore, who lived on Lot 16, 4th Concession West, was born on June 30, 1853, in Esquesing. He attended Waterloo School, and graduated in medicine from the University of Michigan in 1878. He began the practice of his profession at Rapids, Niagara County, New York, in the same year, and continued there until 1893, when he came to Lockport, N.Y., where he has continued till the present time. He has prospered and is widely and favorably known.

DR. JOHN D. McPHERSON, the son of James McPherson and Jane Frazer McPherson, was horn in 1858, on Lot 14, 6th Concession West. He attended the Waterloo School, the Georgetown and Rockwood Academies, graduated in medicine from the Ann Arbor University of Michigan in 1883, and in that year began the practice of his profession at Akron, N.Y., where he remained until his death in 1912. He had a large practice and was highly esteemed as a physician and as a citizen. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and a son, who after his deathwent to live at San Diego, California.

DR. JAMES F. MacPHERSON was also a son of James and Jane Frazer MacPherson, and was born in 1862. His early education was obtained in the Waterloo School and the Georgetown Academy. He studied medicine at Trinity University and Medical College, Toronto, for three years, and at Buffalo University for one year, graduating in 1892. He practiced in North Tonawanda, N.Y. for twenty years. Being in poor health he moved with his family to San Diego, Cal., in 1912, where he soon recovered his health and resumed practice.

DR. WILLIAM A. MacPHERSON, a brother of John and James, was horn in 1866. He attended Waterloo School, the High School in Georgetown and also in Brampton, entered Trinity University and Medical College, Toronto, in 1887, and graduateed in 1891. He settled in LeRoy, N.Y., and practiced there for eighteen years, then took a post graduate course in Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and settled in Tonawanda, N.Y., and practiced there for five years. Then, on account' of poofi health he went with his family to California, where they remained for three years, and returned to LeRoy, N.Y. When the United States entered the War he enlisted in the Medical Corps as Lieutenant, and was assigned to duty at Camp Gordon, at Atlanta, Georgia. He was transferred to Camp McClellan, Anniston, Alabama, where he remained until the signing of the Armistice, when he was honorably discharged. In February, 1919, he was notified that he had been promoted Captain in the M.R.C., M.S.A.

Dr. Marjory MacPherson, daughter of James MacPherson, attended Waterloo School, the Georgetown High School,, and the High School in LeRoy, N.Y., graduating in 1894. She entered the University of Buffalo, and after graduating in medicine married a class-mate, Dr. William J. Potter, and they began practice together at Niagara Falls, N.Y., and continued there for twelve years, when they went to Kootenai, Idaho. Dr. Potter, her husband, enlisted for the war, as army surgeon and went to France. After his discharge in the summer of 1919 he returned to the United States, and rejoined his wife, who was practicing in San Diego, Cal.

DR. ROBERT A. FISHER is the son of William Fisher, who lived on Lot 9, 5th Concession East. He received his public school education at S. S. No. 2, and the Waterloo School, graduated from the Georgetown High School, and obtained his Junior Leaving and Matriculation. He taught the Waterloo School for three years, graduated M. B. from the University of Toronto in 1903, and took his membership in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in 1904, spending the following year as house surgeon and house physician at the Toronto General Hospital. He practiced in Oakville from September, 1905, till November, 1913, went to London, England, in December to do post graduate work, and took L.R.C.P. (London) and M.R.C.S. (England) in September, i914; from that time to June, 1918, was engaged in surgical work in London and Edinburgh, holding the position of Surgical Registrar of Middlesex Hospital, London, and Surgical Tutor, and Senior Demonstrator in Anatomy at Middlesex Medical School. He returned to Canada in July, 1918, and began the practice of medicine at 343 Sherbourne St., Toronto, in October, 1918, and has held the position of Demonstrator of Anatomy, Toronto University, since October, 1918.

DR. HAROLD HAGYARD is the son of the late Thos. C. Hagyard, who lived on Lot 9, 3rd Concession East, and was born Dec. 4th, 1891. He attended Qnatre Bras School and Georgetown High School, entered Queen’s University in 1909, and graduated in 1915. He practiced a little over a year with Dr. Bogert of Kingston, and then went to McDonald’s Corners, Lanark County. In April 1918 he enlisted and went into training at Hamilton and Niagara. He was made Captain and went overseas in October, 1918. He was sent first to Kinmel Camp, North Wales, and was transferred to Knotty Ash Camp, where he inspected returning troops. ’

It would have been gratifying to have been able to give a history of the Sunday School and of Women’s Work in Boston Church, but the data on record are insufficient.

It is uncertain when Sunday School work began, but there was a school in the pastorate of the Rev. James Mitchell, when Andrew Laidlaw, Walter Laidlaw, John Stewart, Margaret Laidlaw and others were teachers, and it has been continued ever since.

Only a few facts are mentioned concerning the work done by the women, hut enough to show that they have been busy in their Missionary Society, Ladies Aid and in the general work of the congregation.

While the names of many persons are mentioned in these pages the names of many more good men and women do not appear at all, but “God is not unmindful to forget their work of labor and love which they have showed towards His name.”

The country church has suffered in late years by the drift of population towards the cities and large towns, but Christ and His Church will always be indispensable to the spiritual and moral welfare of country communities. Those who from past or present association love Boston Church will pray that while it endures it shall continue to be a Bethel,- house of God and gate of heaven; a vitally religious and attractive social centre for many people; that the homes of the community shall be Christian homes; and that the young people who grow up here shall know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, and as His servants live the life and do the work to which He calls them.

The old Church, notwithstanding human imperfections, has been a blessing to its neighborhood, and through those who have gone from it carrying their Christian faith, principles and ideals with them it has been a blessing to many places in the Dominion of Canada and other lands.

“Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget.”
—Kipling


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