Name:
George William MacNamara 
Location served:
Blenheim  
Years in Practice:
1897 to 1920
Area of Specialization:
Family Medicine  

Biography:

Dr. George William MacNamara was born in Ireland on the 5th of June, 1851.  Dr. MacNamara’s parents were the Reverend George MacNamara and the former Eleanor Matilda Pinkerton.  Dr. MacNamara and his mother and his older sister Elizabeth left Liverpool, England aboard the ship “Crown” and arrived in New York on the 19th of July, 1852.  He was only 11 months old.  Dr. MacNamara’s father’s names does not appear on the passenger list.  His father was a Methodist Minister and it is presumed that his father sailed to the United States ahead of his wife and children to prepare for their arrival.  Dr. MacNamara’s next three siblings, Dorcas Vienna MacNamara, Eleanor Matilda MacNamara and James Joseph MacNamara were all born in the United States.  By 1859 Reverend MacNamara and his family had moved to Ontario.   In 1861, the family was living in Tiny Twp. in Simcoe County and by 1871, the MacNamara family was living in Arthur, Wellington County.   According to the 1871 census there were 3 more children in the family; Robert Pinkerton MacNamara, Theophilis Henry MacNamara and Albert Thomas MacNamara.

Dr. George MacNamara attended The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and graduated in 1879. Dr. MacNamara set up his medical practice in Tara (Bruce Township), Ontario.  Dr. MacNamara advertised his medical practice in the Bruce County 1880 Business Directory and according to the 1881 census, Dr. MacNamara was living in Tara with his mother and his sister Dorcas.

Dr. MacNamara married Lilla Crawford on the 5th of September, 1883 in Coburg, Ontario.  Mrs. MacNamara was born near Coburg on the 23rd of July, 1856.  She was the 8th of 11 children born to Angus Crawford and the former Isabella Laurie.  Her parents were farmers and her siblings were; Eliza Hayes Crawford, Laura Isabella Crawford, Marcus L. Crawford, Charles B. Crawford, Angus Crawford, Isabella Louisa Crawford, E. Martha Crawford, Caroline Georgie Hague Crawford, Janet Crawford and Bertha Rebecca Elmhurst Crawford.

Dr. and Mrs. MacNamara returned to Tara to make their home.  Their son, George “Lawrence” Crawford MacNamara was born in Tara on the 22nd of May, 1885.  Dr. MacNamara’s medical practice was advertised in the 1887 Bruce County Business Directory.  Their daughter Bertha Isabelle MacNamara was born on the 19th of May of 1887.  In early 1891 Dr. MacNamara was known to be practicing medicine in Hope Twp., Durham Co., but by the fall of 1891, Dr. and Mrs. Macnamara had moved to Blenheim, Ontario.

Dr. MacNamara and his family lived in Blenheim as early as February of 1894 and his name was listed under the Blenheim subtitle in the 1897 Farmers and Business Directory for Elgin, Essex, Kent and Lambton County.   Dr. and Mrs. MacNamara and their family immigrated to Eldred, Pennsylvania in late 1897.  By 1907, Dr. MacNamara was practicing medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania and the family was living at 619 Parade Street.  According to the 1914 census, Dr. MacNamara was living and working in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

The 1920 census of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, stated that Dr. MacNamara was retired.

Dr. MacNamara died of pneumonia at the Punxsutawaney Hospital on the 9th of February, 1923.  Mrs. MacNamara died 17 days later on the 26th of February.  They were buried in Cobourg, Ontario.

*Dr. MacNamara’s son, George Lawrence Crawford MacNamara enlisted in the United States Army during World War I and World War II.

**Dr. MacNamara’s brother Dr. Albert Thomas MacNamara practiced medicine in Toronto.,