Name:
Ewart Earl McPherson 
Location served:
Blenheim  
Years in Practice:
1916 to 1949
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. Ewart Earl McPherson was born in Cedar Springs, Ontario on the 26th of October 26th,1892.  Dr. McPherson was the only child born to Alexander Hugh McPherson and the former Annie Louise Nagle.  His parents were farmers.  Dr. McPherson attended the Cedar Springs Public School and the Blenheim Continuation School.  He graduated from Chatham Collegiate Institute, prior to attending university. Dr. McPherson graduated M.B. from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1916.

Dr. McPherson enlisted in Toronto during WWI on the 12th of June, 1916.  He served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps as a Captain. Dr. McPherson saw active service in Europe.  In 1917, he was stationed at a clearing station behind the lines at Vimy Ridge.  The battle of Vimy Ridge raged on from April 9th to the 12th of April, 1917.  In June of 1917, Dr. McPherson wrote the following to his parents, “Things are quiet just now and not many casualties come back to us.  Last Wednesday I got the afternoon off and went up to look over the Vimy battlefield.  I waded through mud that was like a thin soup and one is likely to sink up to his knees before he realizes where he is. We carried tin hats and gas helmets and after crawling through tunnels and dodging shell holes we finally got to the top of the ridge.  One can’t imagine the kind and amount of destruction, done up there.  All the trenches on both sides are wiped out.  The whole top of the ridge is marked with shell holes and mine craters and there in not a level piece of ground anywhere.  Except  for hundreds of broken rifles and discarded equipment there is not much to be seen.”

Dr. McPherson was transferred to a Canadian Hospital in Boulogne, France in December of 1917.  While he was here, he met his future wife Ethel Lunman, who was also a member of the Canadian Army Medical Corp.  After his discharge,  Dr. McPherson worked as the resident surgeon at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto from 1919 to 1920.

According to the 1928 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. McPherson joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 21st of May, 1919.

Dr. McPherson returned to Blenheim in 1920 and took over the practice of Dr. George Bryce Kendrick, who had moved his medical practice to Chatham.  Dr. McPherson was the Medical Officer of Health and a Coroner.

Dr. McPherson married Ethel Alberta Lunman on the 10th of January, 1921 in York, Ontario.  Mrs. McPherson was born in Cushendall (near Kingston), Ontario on the 5th of January, 1895.  Mrs. McPherson was the 6th of 8 children born to Albert Alfred Lunman and the former Ellen Porter.  Her father had been born in Stockholm, Sweden and he was a butcher.  He died on the 1st of November, 1900 when Mrs. McPherson was just 5 years old.  Mrs. McPherson’s siblings were; Kathleen Christina Lunman, John Albert Lunman, George Albert Lunman, Alfred James Lunman, Alexander Lunman, Ermine Lunman and Grace “Mabel” Lunman.  Mrs. McPherson enlisted in World War I on the 2nd of February, 1916 in Toronto, Ontario.  On her Officer’s Enlistment document her rank is listed as N.S. (Nursing Sister) and her occupation is listed as a nurse.  Her address at the time, was 491 Barrie St., in Kingston.

Dr. McPherson was a member of the Kent Lodge No. 274 A.F. & A.M. and he served as the President of the Blenheim Rotary Club from 1937-1938.  Dr. McPherson was a member of the Kent Medical Society and the Ontario Medical Association.  He belonged to the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 185 in Blenheim.

Dr. and Mrs. McPherson had two children, Alexander Hugh McPherson who was born in 1922 in Chatham and a daughter, Jean Louise (McPherson) Britton.

Dr. McPherson died at his home in Blenheim on the 27th of November, 1949.  He worked up until the day before he died.  Mrs. McPherson died at Metropolitan Hospital in Windsor, Ontario on the 30th of August, 1980.  Dr. and Mrs. McPherson are buried side by side, at the Craford Cemetery, 19306 Craford Sideroad, Cedar Springs in Chatham-Kent.  Their son, Alexander McPherson died in 1971 and he was buried at the same cemetery.  Their daughter Jean became a registered nurse.

*Dr. McPherson is also featured on the ‘Gathering Our Heroes’ website.

** Dr. George Bryce Kendrick is also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

Photo: Courtesy of the Chatham-Kent Museum.