Name:
Francis “Dawson” Truax 
Location served:
Cedar Springs  
Years in Practice:
1932 to 1965
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. Francis “Dawson” Truax was born in York County, Ontario on the 21st of July, 1905.  Dr. Truax was the youngest of 9 children born to Rev. Albert Truax and the former Margaret Jaques.  Dr. Truax’s siblings were; Albert Garnet Truax, Una Margaret Truax, William Vernon Truax, Gladys Truax,  James Anthony Froude Truax (who died at the age of 10 months), Constance Coralie Truax, Alfred Jaques Truax and Gwendolyn Truax (who died of scarlet fever in childhood).

Dr. Truax’s father Rev Albert Truax, became an ordained Methodist minister in 1882 and served primarily in parishes in Norfolk and Haldimand Counties.  Rev. Truax ran afoul of the Methodist teachings and he left the church in 1893.  He and a number of other Methodist Ministers who had left the church formed a Ministry under the auspices of the Christian Association.  Rev. Truax became the President of the Christian Association in 1904 and he moved his family from Brampton, Ontario to a residence located at 26 Homewood Ave. in Toronto, Ontario.  This is where the family resided when Dr. Truax was born.

In 1919, Rev and Mrs. Albert Truax and their 14 year old son (Dr.) Francis Dawson Truax moved to a settlement that included Christian Association parishioners, on the Peace River Valley in Alberta.  The community is now known as Beaverlodge, Alberta.  Initially Rev. and Mrs. Truax moved in with their son Garnet and his family in a small cabin.  According to the 1921 census, Rev Truax listed his occupation as “farmer”.  Rev Truax died in 1922 and he was buried at Beaverlodge.  Mrs. Truax died in Toronto on the 25th of September, 1928.  She died at her residence which was located at 100 Admiral Ave (in Toronto).  She lived there with her son, (Dr.) Francis Dawson Truax.  She was buried at St James Cemetery in Toronto.

Dr. Truax married Aileen Charlotte Josephine Jackson on the 25th of April, 1929 in Toronto.  Mrs. Truax was born on the 16th of March, 1908 in Toronto.  She was the 6th of 8 children born to Dominick Olden Jackson and the former Edith Bradley.  At the time of her birth, the Jackson family resided at 44 Bleeker Street in Toronto.  Her father was an accountant and her siblings were; Benjamin Gordon Jackson, Arthur Jackson (who was born premature and died at the age of 2 days old), Elizabeth Marion Jackson, Isabella Gertrude Jackson, Dominick Philip Douglas Jackson, Edith Frances Miriam Jackson and Rosemond Jackson.  Prior to 1912, the Jackson family moved to 507 Dovercourt Rd in Toronto.  At the time of his marriage Dr. Truax was not yet a physician.  He was an office manager who resided at 164 Cumberland Street (Toronto).

Sadly Mrs. Truax died on the 3rd of March 1931, of an intestinal obstruction just 23 months after their marriage.  She was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

After the death of his wife, Dr. Truax pursued his medical training.  He graduated M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in London, England in 1937. Some of his training was done at Guy’s Hospital in London (England).

Dr. Truax married Kathleen Frances in the fall of 1937 in England.  According to the 1939 census, Dr. and Mrs. Truax resided on Wellington Road in Northampshire, England.  Little is known about Mrs. Truax but she was born on the 12th of July, 1909.

Dr. and Mrs. Truax had 3 children, Garnet, Derek and Claire prior to their immigration to Canada in 1946.

Dr. Truax practiced medicine in the Greater Toronto area when he returned to live in Canada but in the early 1960’s Dr. Truax was known to be on staff at the Southwestern Regional Centre in Cedar Springs (Chatham-Kent).

Dr. Truax died in Toronto on the 5th of May, 1965.  Mrs. Truax died in 1994.

*Dr. Truax’s brother Dr. Alfred Jaques Truax served with the Canadian Armed Services during WWI.  At the time he was a student and he joined the Queen’s Own Rifles.   

**Mrs. Aileen Truax’s brother Benjamin Gordon Jackson served with the Canadian Armed Services during WWI and her brother Dr. Dominick Philip Douglas Jackson, served with the United States Army during WWII.  Dr. Jackson graduated from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1932.