Name:
John Malcolm Graham 
Location served:
Blenheim, Chatham  
Years in Practice:
1937 to 1970
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. John Malcolm Graham was born in St. Marys, Ontario, on the 29th of October, 1911.  Dr. Graham was the youngest of 5 children born to James White Graham and the former Annie McLaren.  His father was a lawyer in St. Marys and his siblings were; James McLaren Graham who was born on the 29th of February, 1904, William Henry Graham who was born on the 11th of March, 1905, Adelaide Louisa Graham who was born on the 15th of February, 1907 and Beatrice Anne Graham who was born in July, of 1908.  At the time of Dr. Graham’s birth, the Graham family resided on Robinson Lane in St Marys.

Dr. Graham was educated in St Mary’s and graduated from St. Marys Collegiate Institute before going to Medical School at the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Graham graduated M.D. in 1937.  He interned during the summer of 1936 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham.  From 1936-1937 Dr. Graham was a Student Clinical Intern at the Ontario Hospital in London, Ontario.  Further in 1937 he was a Senior Intern at the Brantford General Hospital.

Dr. Graham joined the medical practice of Dr. James W. Rutherford and Dr. James S. Ferguson in Chatham 1937.  In May of 1939, he purchased the medical practice and home of Dr. Charles Baldwin Langford located at 46 George Street in Blenheim.  (Dr. Langford had died on the 1st of April, 1939).  The home was built by Dr. James Samson in 1870 and today the home is included on the Chatham-Kent Municipal Heritage Register.

Dr. Graham married Caroline Margaret McCubbin on the 8th of July, 1939 at the home of Mrs. Graham’s parents on Lacroix Street in Chatham.  Mrs. Graham was born in Chatham on the 24th of December, 1912.  She was the youngest of 3 children born to George Albert McCubbin and the former Charlotte Tobey.   Her father was a civil engineer and her siblings were; Charlotte Alice McCubbin born on the 26th of July, 1902 and Clara Eleanor McCubbin born on the 23rd of December, 1906.  Mrs. Graham graduated from The University of Toronto and she taught school in the Chatham area.

Dr. and Mrs. Graham had 4 children; Caroline Anne Graham, John George Graham, Robert James Graham and Malcolm Cameron Graham.

Dr. Graham served on Blenheim Town Council for 10 years. He was a member of the Blenheim Public Utilities Commission and he was a member of the Blenheim District High School Board for 5 years. He served as the President of the Kent County Medical Society in 1945.  Dr. Graham was actively involved with the East Kent Conservative Association and he served terms as President and Vice President.  Dr. Graham belonged to the Kiwanis Club in Blenheim.

Mrs. Graham was a member of the Blenheim Public Library Board and she was a Past-President of the Chatham-Kent Chapter of the University Women’s League.

In his spare time, Dr. Graham enjoyed gardening, reading and travelling.

Dr. Graham died at his residence in Blenheim on the 14th of October, 1970. Mrs. Graham died in Toronto on the 9th of November, 2005. Dr. and Mrs. Graham were buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Blenheim.  Graham Street in the Town of Blenheim was named after Dr. Graham.

*Dr. James W. Rutherford, Dr. James S. Ferguson, Dr. Charles B. Langford and Dr. James Samson also appear on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

Tombstone Photo credit: Anne F.