Biography:

Dr. Henry “Harry” James Sullivan was born in Picton, Ontario on the 8th of February, 1875.  Dr. Sullivan was the 2nd of 5 children born to Daniel Sullivan and the former Margaret Goodwin.  His father was a brick maker and his siblings were; Eugene Sullivan, Mary Estella Sullivan, Thomas Clearly Sullivan and Archibald Sullivan. Dr. Sullivan graduated from Picton High School in 1893 and taught school for a number of years before continuing his own education.

Dr. Sullivan attended The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine and earned his M.B. degree in 1902.  He interned for a year at St. Michael’s Hospital (Toronto). Dr. Sullivan opened his medical practice in Chatham, Ontario in September of 1904.

Dr. Sullivan married Emma Evelyn Robert on the 19th of October, 1908 at St. Joseph’s Church in Chatham.  Mrs. Sullivan’s brother, Rev. Father Robert performed the ceremony.  Mrs. Sullivan was born on the 19th of January of 1882, in Dover Township (Chatham-Kent).  She was the 8th of 13 children born to Pierre Robert and the former Julienne Goudreau. At the time of her birth her parents were farmers but the Robert family moved into the Town of Chatham between 1888 and 1890, where her father became a merchant.  Her siblings were; Alfred Alexis Robert, Louisa Robert, George Robert, Félix Pierre Robert, Marcelline Robert, Julia Catherine Robert, Sophie Robert, Hubert Narcisse Robert, Joseph Xavier Robert, Jean Adolphus “Hector” Robert, Marie Rose “Anne” Robert and Alexander James Robert.

Dr. and Mrs. Sullivan had two children and both were named after his parents.  His son Daniel James Bernard Sullivan was born on the 20th of August, 1909 and his daughter Margaret Mary Sullivan was born on the 11th of January of 1911.  The Sullivan family resided in a home located at 275 King Street West (in Chatham).  Dr. Sullivan appears in the 1913 Bell Telephone Directory and his telephone number was 348.

Dr. Sullivan served on the Catholic Separate School Board and on the Chatham Public Board of Education. He was also a member of the C.M.B.A., the Knights of Columbus, and the Catholic Order of Foresters. Dr. Sullivan was one of the original incorporators of St. Joseph’s Hospital.  In his spare time, Dr. Sullivan enjoyed playing cricket.

Dr. Sullivan became ill with a severe cold and he died of pneumonia in Chatham on the 18th of March, 1914.  In early March of 1914, Dr. Sullivan signed the death record of a 35 year old man who had died of pneumonia, indicative that he cared for his patients up until the time he got sick just prior to his death at the age of 39.  He was buried at St. Anthony’s Cemetery in Chatham.  Dr. Paul Poisson of Tecumseh, purchased the practice of Dr. Sullivan, in the spring of 1914.

According to the 1921 census, Mrs. Sullivan was living with her children and her widowed mother at 33 Third Street in Chatham.

Dr. Sullivan’s son Daniel, went on to teach philosophy at Fordham University in New York, and he became a published author. His daughter Margaret Mary Sullivan, married John Arthur Cullen and she moved to Montreal.  Eventually Mrs. Sullivan moved to Montreal to be near her daughter.

Mrs. Emma Sullivan died at her residence, 4900 Doherty Ave (Montreal) on the 25th of January, 1968.  She was buried at St. Anthony’s Cemetery, next to her husband.

*Mrs. Sullivan’s brother Joseph Xavier Robert also became a physician.

**Mrs. Sullivan’s niece Claire Antoinette Robert (daughter of Alfred Alexis Robert) married Dr. James Patrick Moriarity.  Dr. Moriarity also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

***Dr. Paul Poisson also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

Tombstone Photo Credit: Anne F.