Biography:

Dr. John Bryce McMurrich was born in Toronto, Ontario on the 1st of May, 1871.  Dr. McMurrich was the 2nd of 9 children born to George Playfair McMurrich and the former Minnie Gentle Drummond.  At the time of his birth his parents resided at 106 John Street (Toronto) and his father was a merchant.  His siblings were; Mabel Estelle Drummond McMurrich, George Temple McMurrich, Helen Maude McMurrich, Arthur Redpath McMurrich, Percy Dickson McMurrich (who died of croup at the age of 2 yrs and 7 months), Minnie Georgina McMurrich, Jessie Elise McMurrich and Gladys Drummond McMurrich.

Dr. McMurrich received his primary education in Toronto and graduated M.D.,C.M. from Trinity Medical College in Toronto in 1896.  Dr. McMurrich was listed in the Kent County Business Directory, published in 1900, as practicing in Bothwell.  His name appears on numerous birth and death records from 1899 through 1902.

Dr. McMurrich married Beatrice Worts Myles in Toronto on the 9th of January, 1907.  Mrs. McMurrich was born in Toronto on the 1st of December, 1879.  She was the eldest of 4 children born to Robert Myles and the former Margaret Elizabeth Worts.  At the time of her birth, her father was a bookkeeper and her parents resided at 539 Church Street in Toronto.  Her siblings were; Frederick Percival Myles, Florence Adeline Myles and Robert Gordon Myles. In 1891, the Myles family resided in the St Patrick’s Ward of Toronto and they employed a cook and 3 “housemaids”.

Dr. and Mrs. McMurrich had one daughter, Margaret Drummond McMurrich who was born on the 23rd of March, 1908.  At the time of her birth the McMurrich family were residing at 130 Delaware Ave., in Toronto, Ontario.

Dr. McMurrich enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corp, during World War I, on the 2nd of April, 1916 with the rank of Captain.  On his attestation Dr. McMurrich was listed as 5’9″, with a fair complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.  Dr. McMurrich served in England and in France.  He was working at the Étaples Hospital in the north of France when it was bombed.  While he was serving in England, he was diagnosed with diabetes.  Dr. McMurrich was struck off strength on the 18th of May, 1920 due to general demobilization.

According to the 1921 census, Dr. and Mrs. McMurrich and their daughter Margaret were residing at MacDonald College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.  (The MacDonald Campus opened in 1907 and is part of McGill University).  Dr. McMurrich was a professor at the college, but his occupation is listed as “Doctor” on the census.

Dr. McMurrich became a physician for the C.P.R. ocean liners.  On a return trip from Liverpool, England to New York, on the 11th of January, 1924, Dr. McMurrich was listed as a surgeon.

Dr. McMurrich was working on the ocean liner “Melita” when he died suddenly on the 28th of December, 1925.  His death was registered in Jarrow, London, England.  Although his death occurred 7 years after the official conclusion of WWI, his death was attributed to “heart failure and diabetes” related to his service during the war.

At the time of Dr. McMurrich’s death, his wife resided at 131 Imperial St. in Toronto and she lived there until her death.  Mrs. McMurrich died on the 19th of September, 1965.  Dr. and Mrs. McMurrich were buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

*Mrs. McMurrich’s brothers, Frederick Percival Myles and Robert Gordon Myles both enlisted with the Canadian Armed Services during WWI.  Both brothers survived.

**Mrs. McMurrich’s sister married Dr. David King Smith on the 4th of June, 1907.  Dr. Smith served with the Canadian Army Medical Corp during WWI.  He died at his residence in Toronto on the 3rd of November, 1942.

***Dr. McMurrich’s daughter Margaret Drummond McMurrich married Robert Broddy Duggan in 1966 in Arlington, Virginia.  She died in 1979 and she was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.