Biography:

Dr. George Archer Tye was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England on the 12th of July, 1835.  Dr. Tye was the 2nd of 5 children born to William Archer Tye and the former Sarah Hawkins.  His parents were farmers and interestingly enough, all 5 children had the same middle name of Archer.  Dr. Archer’s siblings were; Charles, Mary, Samuel and Sarah.  In 1845, his family immigrated to Canada and they settled in Howard Township (Chatham-Kent), Ontario.  Dr. Tye did very well at school and he taught school at the DeCow School in Howard Township for 5 years.  He boarded with the DeCow family and subsequently met his future wife.

Dr. Tye married Hannah DeCow in Thamesville, Ontario on the 1st of December, 1858.  Mrs. Tye was born on the 13th of June, 1839 in Southwold Township (Elgin County), Ontario.  She was the 7th of 11 children born to William Squire DeCow and the former Sarah “Sally” McIntyre. Her parents were farmers and her siblings were; Jacob, Catherine, Ezekiel, Nancy, William, John,  Jane, James, Abraham and Sarah.

Dr. Tye attended medical school at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York for one term and another term in Long Island College Hospital. After graduating M.D. in 1866 he attended Victoria College in Toronto.   He graduated M.D. from Victoria College in 1867. After graduation he opened his medical practice in Thamesville.  According to the 1882 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Tye joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 13th of September 1867.

Dr. Tye joined the Tecumseh Lodge of Thamesville A.F. & A.M. in 1860.  In 1874, Thamesville achieved “village status” and Dr. Tye was one of the first councillors.  He sat on the Village of Thamesville Council for 3 years and he was the Chairman of the Board of School Trustee’s for 4 years.

Dr. and Mrs. Tye had 8 children; Maud Mary Tye (1860), Emily Elmina Tye (1862), Kathleen Lillian Tye (1865), George Walter Tye  (born in 1868 and died in 1872), William Henry Tye (born on the 12th of July, 1870), Sarah Tye (born the 27th of Feb 1873 and died in 1874), Alfred Tennyson Tye (born 9 months after Sarah in November of 1873) and Anna Tye (who was born the 13th of May, 1877 and died in August of 1877).

Dr. Tye’s wife Hannah died in Thamesville on the 6th of June, 1877 just before her 38th birthday.  She was buried at a small cemetery, located at 19 Memory Lane near Thamesville.

Dr. Tye married Louisa McIntyre in Chatham, Ontario on the 3rd of July, 1878.  Mrs. Tye was born in Chatham-Kent in 1846, the daughter of Robert and Sarah McIntyre.  She had an older sister named Annie, an older brother named Thomas and 2 younger brothers; Alexander and James.  Dr. and Mrs. Tye had a daughter Sarah Laura Tye, who was born on the 5th of May 1879.

Dr. Tye moved his medical practice and his residence to Chatham in 1881.  His home and his office was located on the corner of Wellington and Fifth streets.  Dr. James Henry Duncan took over his practice in Thamesville.  In 1881 Dr. Tye was appointed as an Examiner in Physiology by the Ontario Medical Council; a position he held until 1886. In 1882, Dr. Tye was listed as Assistant Surgeon to Dr. T.K. Holmes with the 24th Battalion of Infantry. Dr. Tye was elected the 1st Vice-President of the Ontario Medical Association in 1884 and he served as President from 1885-1886.  He advertised in the 1885 Ontario Business Directory.

Around 1888 Dr. Duncan joined Dr. Tye’s medical practice in Chatham.  Dr. Tye maintained his medical practice until his death on the 23rd of July, 1891, in Chatham. He was buried at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.  Mrs. Louisa Tye died in Chicago, Illinois on the 22nd of July of 1904.  She had moved there in 1901, to live with her daughter.  According to the death record, Mrs. Louisa Tye was buried at Chatham.

*Dr. Tecumseh Kingsley Holmes, Dr. James Henry Duncan  and Dr. Tye’s son, Dr. William Henry Tye and Mrs. Tye’s brother Dr. Abraham Decow are also featured on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

**Dr. Tye’s son Alfred Tennyson Tye served with the United States Armed Services during WWI.