Biography:

Dr. William Frederick Roome was born near Clearville (Chatham-Kent) on the 21st of November, 1841.  Dr. Roome was the 3rd of 7 children born to William Frederick Roome and the former Catherine McLean.  His parents were farmers and his siblings were; Abraham Roome, John Somers Roome, Charles D. Roome, Joseph Edward Roome, Sarah Catherine Roome and James H. Roome.

Dr. Roome taught school in the public school system prior to entering medical school.

Dr. William F. Roome attended the University of Michigan Medical School and graduated M.D. in 1867.  Dr. Roome set up his medical practice in the Village of Newbury (Middlesex County).  Dr. Roome’s name appears on numerous birth and other records in Bothwell and Zone Twp (Chatham-Kent).  Newbury is located within 10 km of Chatham-Kent and he routinely made the journey to attend to his patients who needed medical care.  Dr. Roome advertised his practice in the 1875 McAlpine’s London City & Middlesex County directory.  The practice was located on Haggerty Road in Newbury.  Dr. Roome’s practice was also documented in Newbury in the 1885-1886 and the 1888 Farmers and Business Directory for Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford County.

Dr. Roome married Mary Margaret Anderson on the 20th of January 1869.  Mrs. Roome was born in Wardsville, Ontario on the 18th of October, 1850.  She was the youngest of 4 children born to John D. Anderson and the former Elizabeth Thompson.  Her siblings were; Elizabeth Anderson, John D. Anderson and Robert Irwin Anderson.  Mrs. Roome’s father died on the 27th of March, 1851 when Mrs. Roome was just 5 months old.  Mr. Anderson was buried at the Wardsville Municipal Cemetery.  Her mother married Thomas Robinson and they had a daughter, Catherine Jane Robinson born in 1860.  According to the 1861 census, the Anderson children all had the surname of Robinson.

Dr. and Mrs. Roome had 1 son, William Robinson Roome who was born on the 24th of February, 1873.

While residing in Newbury, Dr. Roome served as Chairman of the local school board in Newbury and as a member of the Newbury Village Council.   Dr. Roome was a Past Master of Albion Lodge and a Past Grand at Mt. Zion Lodge of the I.O.O.F.  Dr. and Mrs. Roome moved to London around 1890.  Dr. William F. Roome represented Middlesex West as a Conservative in the House of Commons from 1887 to 1896.

Dr. Roome’s residence and medical practice were located at 300 Wolfe Street in London according to the 1898 Fosters London City and Middlesex County Directory.

Dr. Roome died on the 1st of September, 1921.  Mrs. Roome died on the 22nd of July, 1924 in London.  Dr. and Mrs. Roome are buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in London.  Their son William Robinson Roome died on the 17th of May, 1945 and he was also buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

*Dr. Roome’s brother Dr. John Somers Roome was mentored by Dr. William Henderson of Morpeth.  Dr. Henderson also acted as his preceptor.  Dr. John S. Roome studied medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan and graduated in 1866.  He practiced medicine in the United States and died in Los Angeles, California on the 6th of February, 1919.  (Dr. William Henderson also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.)

**Dr. Roome’s brother Dr. Charles D. Roome graduated from Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1871 and he practiced medicine in the United States.  Dr. Charles D. Roome died in Cresco, Iowa on the 31st of May, 1923.