Name:
Charles Bailey Lake 
Location served:
Ridgetown, Thamesville  
Years in Practice:
1866 to 1914
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. Charles Bailey Lake was born on November 5th, 1842 in Frontenac County, Ontario.  Dr. Lake was the 5th of 8 children born to William Lake and the former Lucinda Stafford. His parents were farmers and his siblings were; Mary Lake, John Harvey Lake, Ira Lake, William Lake, Dennis Lake, Buckley Waters Lake and Harriett M. Lake.

Dr. Lake was educated in Kingston at the Royal Military College and he went on to study medicine at Queen’s University.   He graduated M.D. in 1866.  Dr. Lake practiced medicine in Thamesville for a short period of time before moving his practice to Ridgetown in late 1866.

He married Sarah Louisa Dodge on the 14th of October, 1869. Mrs. Lake was born in Dawn Mills (Chatham-Kent), Ontario on the 21st of January, 1849.  She was the 3rd of 11 children born to Henry Dodge and the former Statira Marsh.   Her father was an innkeeper and her siblings were;  Tressa Dodge, Nancy Eugenia Dodge, Maria Francis Dodge, Albert Dodge, Laurie J. Dodge, Statira Dodge, Josephine Dodge, Helen Victoria Dodge, Bertha Ella Dodge and Henry Dodge (he died on the 7th of January, 1869 in his 3 year).

Dr. Lake advertised his medical practice in Ridgetown in the 1869 Province of Ontario Gazetteer and Directory.  Dr. and Mrs. Lake built a home at 51 Main Street East in Ridgetown in 1870.  They had 4 sons born in Ridgetown; Harry William Lake was born on the 18th of September 1871, Charles Buckley Lake was born on the 27th of August 1872 (he died of pneumonia on the 10th of December, 1872), Charles Ross Lake was born on the 30th of November, 1876 and Walter Edward Lake was born on the 29th of September, 1882.

According to the 1882 Ontario Medical Registry, Dr. Lake joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 7th of February, 1876.  In November of 1877 Dr. Lake’s practice was advertised in the East Kent Plaindealer.  He advertised in numerous business directories over the years.  Dr. Lake was a member of the I.O.O.F. and the Ridgetown Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed swimming and skating.

Dr. Lake died on the 18th of March, 1914.  Mrs. Lake died at her residence on Main Street in Ridgetown on the 18th of May, 1932.  Dr and Mrs. Lake were buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Ridgetown.

*Dr. Lake’s son Charles Ross Lake became a dentist and practiced in Detroit, Michigan.  He served with the United States Army during WWI.  

**Dr. Lake’s son Walter Edward Lake became a physician and practiced medicine in Ridgetown.  Dr. Walter Edward Lake also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.  

***Dr. Lake’s grandson Dr. James Douglas Lake also appear on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

Note: Although it states that Dr. Lake was born in Howard Twp on his marriage record, other records point to his birth in Frontenac County including the Queen’s University register.