Biography:

Dr. Harry “Cammy” Alexander Taylor was born in Glencoe, Ontario on the 23rd of January, 1881.  Dr. Taylor was the eldest of 2 children born to Harry Campbell Taylor and the former Margaret Stewart Campbell Graham.  His father was a carpenter and his sister was Elizabeth “Bessie” Taylor.  His sister Bessie Taylor married William Wesley Turner and they had a son, William Partridge Turner who also became a physician.

By the time he was 3 years old, Dr. Taylor’s family had moved to Wallaceburg, Ontario where his father worked as a garage mechanic.

After completing school in Wallaceburg, Dr. Taylor tried his hand at being a carpenter, according to the 1901 census.

Dr. Taylor attended The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and he graduated M.B. in 1909. While in university he played football and he was elected as the President of the Athletic Association in his third year.  Dr. Taylor interned for 3 years at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. He worked in the pathology laboratory of the Ontario Department of Public Health and for a short time where he worked in the general medical practice of Dr. George McKeough in Chatham, Ontario.  According to the 1928 Ontario Medical Register, Dr. Taylor joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 18th of July, 1911.

Once he established himself in Wallaceburg, he became the Medical Officer of Health for the town and the Chief Coroner for the District.

Dr. Taylor married Maud “Anna” Mickle on the 15th of May, 1912.  Mrs. Taylor was born in Chatham Township (Chatham-Kent) on the 4th of September, 1880.  She was the eldest of 3 children born to William Dexter Mickle and the former Jane Allen.  Her parents were farmers and her siblings were Ethel May Mickle and Edna Louisa Mickle.  Mrs. Taylor was a teacher.

Dr. and Mrs. Taylor had 2 children; Donald Dexter Taylor was born on the 20th of December 1913 and Margaret Taylor was born on the 27th of November, 1915.

Mrs. Taylor died at the Toronto General Hospital on the 17th of February 1932.  She was buried at Riverview Cemetery in Wallaceburg.

Dr. Taylor married Elsie Alice (Hopper) Robinson in Tupperville, Ontario on the 21st of September, 1935. She was the widow of James Robinson and at the time of her marriage to Dr. Taylor she was a merchant in Dover Centre, Ontario.  Mrs. Taylor was born on the 5th of October, 1883 in Chatham Township (Chatham-Kent).  She was the daughter of George Hopper and Emma Babcock.  Mrs. Taylor’s father had been married to Susan Roberts prior to his marriage to Emma Babcock and they had 3 children prior to the untimely death of Susan (Roberts) Hopper.  Those children were; James Allen Hopper, Emma Jane Hopper and John G. Hopper.  Susan Hopper died on the 20th of February, 1874 at the age of 24 and she was buried at the Dresden Cemetery.  George and Emma (Babcock) Hopper were farmers and they had 3 children; Henrietta “Etta” Phoebe Hopper, Elsie (Mrs. Taylor) and Louis Allen Hopper prior to the death of Emma (Babcock) Hopper on the 19th of April, 1887.  Mrs. Emma Hopper was also buried at the Dresden Cemetery.

Mrs. Taylor was married to James A. Robinson in Tupperville on the 15th of June, 1910.  They had 2 children; William and John Robinson.  Mr. Robinson died in Chatham on the 17th of January, 1928.

Dr. Taylor was a member of the Wallaceburg Rotary Club and the Wallaceburg Lawn Bowling Club.  He was a member of the 1903 Wallaceburg Lacrosse Club and for years afterwards he was an ardent supporter of the team.  He was a member of the Pnyx Dodge No. 312, A.F. & A.M. and the Kent Shrine Club.

Dr. Taylor died at St Joseph’s Hospital in Chatham on the 16th of April, 1952.  He was buried at Riverview Cemetery.  Mrs. Elsie (Robinson) Taylor died in Strathroy on the 2nd of January, 1969 at the age of 82.   She was buried in the Mausoleum, at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.

(The photo of Dr. Taylor standing in front of the bushes is courtesy of the Wallaceburg Museum)

*Dr. William Partridge Turner and Dr. George Thomas McKeough also appear on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.