Name:
Carl Raymond Adams 
Location served:
Chatham  
Years in Practice:
1944 to 1990
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. Carl Raymond Adams was born in Springhill, Nova Scotia on the 8th of June, 1915.  Dr. Adams was the 4th of 5 children born to Edward Campbell Adams and the former Bessie Maude O’Brien.  His father was a coal miner in the local Springhill Coal Mine and his siblings were;  Myrta “Grace” Adams, Helen Maude Adams, Edward Campbell Adams and Mona Mae Adams.  Interestingly, although prior to the birth of Dr. Adams, the 1911 census, lists his father’s occupation as a miner “on strike”, a similar comment next to many people on that census.  In 1921 the Adams family resided at 148 Chappel Street in Springhill.  Dr. Adams graduated from Springhill High School before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick.

Dr. Adams graduated M.D.,C.M. from Dalhousie University in 1944.  Dr. Adams completed his internship at Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia and Charlottetown General Hospital in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Dr. Adams enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force towards the end of WWII.

In late 1945, Dr. Adams was practicing medicine in Springhill, Nova Scotia.  Incidentally, Springhill, Nova Scotia is the birthplace of Anne Murray.  Her father was Dr. James Carson Murray who also practiced medicine in the Town of Springhill.

In 1947, Dr. Adams was practicing medicine in Chatham.  His medical office was located at 141 Third Street.

Dr. Adams married Edythe Alice “Violet” Gwalchmai in Springhill, Nova Scotia on the 25th of June, 1948.  Mrs. Adams was born on the 6th of February, 1923 in London, Ontario.  She was the eldest of 5 children born to William Daniel Gwalchmai and the former Ethel Olive Jane Walker.  Her father was a miller and her siblings were; Daniel, Marjorie, Betty and Rose.  Mrs. Adams graduated with the 1944 class of nurses at the Public General Hospital in Chatham in 1944.  She graduated B.Sc Nursing from the University of Western Ontario in 1946.  Mrs. Adams was a teacher of student nurses in Chatham when she was married to Dr. Adams.  After their marriage, Dr. and Mrs. Adams made their home in Springhill, Nova Scotia.

Dr. and Mrs. Adams were the parents of 3 children, a son Carl and 2 daughters, Shirley and Carolyn.

By the early 1960’s, Dr. and Mrs. Adams were living in Woodstock, where Dr. Adams was a respected family physician.  Mrs. Adams was active in her community and served 2 terms on the Woodstock City Council.  She was also the Chairperson of the Thames Valley District Health Council.

Dr. Adams died in Woodstock on the 28th of June, 1990.

After the death of Dr. Adams, Mrs. Adams married William E. Allen.  Mr. Allen was a businessman in Woodstock and he served the community as an Alderman and as the Mayor of Woodstock from 1970 until 1972.  Mr. Allen died on the 1st of August, 2015.

Mrs. Adams died in Tavistock, Ontario on the 9th of May, 2016.  Dr. and Mrs. Adams were laid to rest in Springhill, Nova Scotia.