Name:
William Wallis Hay 
Location served:
Wallaceburg  
Years in Practice:
1887 to 1917
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. William Wallis Hay was born in Pine Grove, York County, Ontario on the 23rd of March, 1864.  Dr. Hay was the 2nd of 8 children born to Rev. Robert Hay and the former Annie Juliet Wallis. His father was a congregationalist minister and his siblings were; Jessie Edith Hay, Ralph F. Hay, Robert Vaughn Hay, Ethel Prairie Hay, Jean D. Hay, Gertrude Hay and Harold Kenneth Hay.  Dr. Hay’s family resided in Algonquin, Illinois from 1870 until the mid 1870’s before moving back to Ontario.

Dr. Hay attended school in Toronto and graduated from Toronto Collegiate Institute. He secured his medical training at Trinity Medical College, in conjunction with The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine graduating M.D. in 1886. Dr. Hay practiced in Dundalk, Ontario before moving to Wallaceburg in 1889.

Dr. Hay married Gretta Belle Steinhoff on the 5th of October, 1892.  They were married in Wallaceburg at the home of the bride by Dr. Hay’s father, Rev. Robert Hay.  Mrs. Hay was born in Wallaceburg on the 10th of April, 1871.   She was the 2nd of three children born to Captain Andrew Steinhoff and the former Elizabeth MacDonnell. Her father was a mariner and her siblings were;  Alexander MacDonnell Steinhoff who was born in 1867 and died the following year and James Andrew Steinhoff (1873-1901).

Dr. and Mrs. Hay, had one daughter Gretta Julliett Steinhoff Hay who was born in Wallaceburg on the 29th of April, 1895.

Dr. Hay appears in the 1913 Bell Telephone Directory.  His residence was located on Duncan Street and his telephone number was 26.

Dr. Hay was a member of the Knights of Pythias and the C.O.F.  Dr. Hay was a member of the Presbyterian Church and served on the Board of Management in Wallaceburg.  Dr. Hay served as a Councillor for the Town of Wallaceburg from 1913 until 1918.

Dr. Hay retired in 1917 due to poor health.

Dr. Hay died on the 16th of December 1927 and he was buried in the Steinhoff family plot at Riverview Cemetery in Wallaceburg.  Mrs. Hay died of tuberculosis at her residence on Duncan Street on the 4th of February, 1930 and she was also buried at Riverview Cemetery.

*Dr. Hay’s brother Dr. Ralph Hay worked as a CPR surgeon.