Biography:

Dr. Lorenzo Dow Healy was born in Springford (Oxford County), Ontario in October of 1849. Dr. Healy was the eldest of 3 children born to John Healy and the former Amy Otis.  His parents were farmers and his younger siblings were; Fremont Healy and Alvaro Healy.  Dr. Healy’s father had been married to Athalinda Smith prior to his marriage to Amy Otis and they had 4 sons; Charles Healy, William Healy, George Healy and Francis Healy.  Dr. Healy had no sisters.  Athalinda Healy died around 1847 and she was buried at the Springford Cemetery.  Most of the historical documents that concern Dr. Healy’s father and some of his siblings show their surname as Haley, but Dr. Healy’s surname is mostly reflected as “Healy”, including his tombstone.

Dr. Healy graduated from The University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in 1874.

In 1876 Dr. Healy was practicing medicine in Port Burwell (Elgin County), Ontario when he published an article in Canada Lancet titled “Treatment of Constipation”.

Dr. Healy married Emma Melissa Harris in Jefferson, Ohio on the 30th of September, 1880.  Mrs. Healy was born in Ontario on the 18th of March, 1857.  She was the youngest of 2 children born to Eli Clark Harris and the former Mary Dorance Jones.  Her mother died of tuberculosis at the age of 21, within a year of Mrs. Healy’s birth.  Mrs. Healy and her elder sister Martha “Mattie” Dorance Harris went to live with her paternal grandparents in Ingersol.  After the death of his wife, Eli Clark Harris married Susan Ann Shaw.  She had been previously married to James Nelson Nye.  She brought to the marriage her son Thomas Nye and according to the 1871 census Mr. Harris and his wife Susan, his 2 daughters Mattie and Emma and her son Thomas (Nye) all lived together in Ingersol.  Mr. and Mrs. Harris had a son Robert LeRoy Harris born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on the 12th of February, 1874.  Mr. and Mrs. Harris divorced and Mr. Harris married Phoebe Anne (Land) Putnam in Hamilton on the 13th of December, 1881.  Mrs. Putnam was widowed with 3 children, Hattie, Harry and Ruby when she married Mr. Harris.  Mr. and Mrs. Harris had a daughter named Delta Ann Harris born in Ohio on the 24th of September, 1885.

After their marriage Dr. and Mrs. Healy settled in Brantford Ontario where Dr. Healy opened a medical practice.  Dr. and Mrs. Healy had a daughter Laura Dorance Healy born to them in Brantford on the 2nd of September, 1881.

During 1882 and into February of 1883, Dr. Healy was practicing medicine in Chatham with Dr. James Page Rutherford.  Their medical practice was located in the Scane Block on King Street.

In the spring of 1883, Dr. and Mrs. Healy moved to Denver, Colorado.  Two more children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Healy in Denver; Agnes Charruand Healy (born 26 August, 1886) and Harold Harris Healy (born 20 July, 1889).

The Healy family resided at 1609 Gaylord Street in Denver.  According to the 1902 Denver Colorado Business Directory, Dr. Healy’s medical practice was located in the Toltec Building, at 808 17th Street.

Dr. Healy died in Denver on the 16th of July, 1903 at the age of 54.  Mrs Harris continued to live at their home in Denver after the death of her husband.  According to the 1940 U.S. Census, she lived alone.  Mrs. Harris died on the 17th of September, 1944.  Dr. and Mrs. Healy were buried at Fairmont Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

*Dr. Healy’s son, Harold Harris Healy served with the United States Armed Services during WWI and WWII.

**Mrs. Healy’s brother Robert LeRoy Harris served with the United States Armed Services during WWI.