Biography:

Dr. George Gordon was born in Dundas County, Ontario on the 24th of May, 1855.  Dr. Gordon was the 7th of 9 children born to John Gordon and the former Elizabeth Ford.  Both of his parents were born in Scotland.  Dr. Gordon’s parents were farmers and his siblings were; Anna, Jane, Jesse, Charles, Rosa, Elizabeth, William and Samuel.  Dr. Gordon moved to Merlin with his parents in 1871 and he was educated at local schools.  According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ), Dr. Gordon graduated from the University of Toronto in 1867.  The Journal also stated that he died at the age of 82, which confirms his birth year to be 1855 and aligns with other sources of his birthdate.  It appears that the CMAJ made a mistake about the year that Dr. Gordon graduated, otherwise he graduated from the University of Toronto at the age of 12.  It is more likely that he graduated in 1877.

Dr. Gordon married Thalia Emily Early in 1879.    Mrs. Gordon was born in Pelham, Ontario on the 11th of June, 1861.  Mrs. Gordon was the youngest of 7 children born to Gilbert Early and the former Abigail Hopkins.  Her father was a tinsmith and her siblings were; Samuel Hopkins Early, Eliza Louisa Early, Mary Melissa Early, Judson Augustus Early, Franklin Fraser Early and Evelina A. Early.

Dr. Gordon started practicing medicine in Merlin in 1879, possibly the first physician and surgeon to practice in Merlin.

He is recorded in the 1881 Gazetteer as practicing in the Township of Raleigh (Merlin). According to the 1882 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Gordon joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 8th of May 1877.  Their daughter Edith Thalia Gordon was born in Merlin on Middle Road (Raleigh Twp) on the 2nd of May, 1880.

By 1888 Dr. Gordon was living in Wardsville, (Middlesex County) Ontario with his wife Thalia and their children; Edith Thalia Gordon, William John Early Gordon, Mary Elizabeth Gordon, Martha Louisa Gordon, George Gilbert Grenville Gordon and Anna Gordon.  Edith died in Colorado Springs, Colorado on the 29th of May, 1903 at the age of 22.  Edith had been in poor health and she had travelled to Colorado Springs with her mother in hopes of getting better.  Edith was buried at the Wardsville Municipal Cemetery.

According to the 1911 census Dr. and Mrs. Gordon and their daughter Martha were living in Newbury (Middlesex County), Ontario where Dr. Gordon was practicing medicine.

Dr. Gordon’s wife Thalia, died in Newbury of pneumonia on the 10th of March, 1917.   She was buried at the Wardsville Municipal Cemetery.

Dr. Gordon married Annie Mary Heath on the 20th of April, 1933 in Wardsville.  Mrs. Gordon was born in Camden Twp (Chatham-Kent) in March of 1854, the daughter of Henry Brown and the former Mary Tiffin.  At the time of her marriage to Dr. Gordon, Mrs. Gordon worked as a housekeeper.  She had previously been married to John Heath, who was a flour mill operator in Wardsville.  Mr. Heath had 7 children with his first wife, Hannah Fray.  It is unknown when Mrs. Gordon married John Heath, but Mrs. Hannah (Fray) Heath died in 1896.  Mr. John Heath died on the 9th of October, 1925.  His daughter Greta Heath served as a witness at Mrs. Gordon’s wedding to Dr. Gordon.  At the time of their marriage Dr. Gordon lived in Newbury and Mrs. Gordon lived in Wardsville.

Mrs. Annie Gordon died at Strathroy General Hospital on the 18th of March, 1937.  She was buried at the Wardsville Cemetery.  Dr. Gordon died of pneumonia at his daughter Martha’s home in Newbury on the 30th of May, 1937.  He was buried at the Wardsville Municipal Cemetery.