Biography:

Dr. Philip Palmer Burrows was born in Ottawa, Ontario on the 9th of June, 1842.  Dr. Burrows’ was the 5th of 7 children born to John Burrows and the former Maria Elizabeth Hoskins.  His parents were born and married in England and immigrated to Canada in 1816.  Mr. Burrows was an engineer and he became the Superintendent overseeing the construction of the Rideau Canal.  His father died on the 27th of July, 1848, when Dr. Burrows was only 6 years old.  His siblings were; John Burrows, Thomas Burrows, Alfred Burrows, Mary Burrows, Maria Eliza Burrows and Harriett Jemima Burrows.

Dr. Burrows studied at Laval University before attending McGill University Faculty of Medicine graduating M.D.,C.M. in 1866. The topic of his graduation thesis was “pneumonia”. He joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons on the 9th of June, 1866.  For the first few years of his medical practice he was associated with Dr. James Grant in Ottawa.  According to the 1871 census he was practicing medicine in Hope Twp, Durham County but by 1872 he was living in Chatham-Kent and practicing medicine in Morpeth, Howard Twp and as far north as Dresden.

Dr. Burrows married Charlotte Susanna Needler on the 22nd of April, 1874 in Lindsay, Ontario.  Mrs. Burrows was born on the 19th of September, 1842 near Montreal, Quebec.  Her parents were Walker Needler and the former Sarah Leary.   Her father moved the family to Millbrook, Ontario after he bought the saw mill and grist mill in 1852.  As of 2015, Needlers Mill is still standing, but boarded up.  Mrs. Burrows had 2 older brothers; George Needler and William Walker Needler.

Dr. and Mrs. Burrows had one daughter, Lotta Evelin Burrows who was born on the 18th of September, 1882 in Lindsay.  Dr. Burrows continued to practice medicine in Lindsay until his death on the 31st of July, 1908.  At the time of his death, the family lived on Sussex Street.

After her husband’s death, Mrs. Burrows moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan.  According to a number of business directories, Mrs. Burrows took housekeeping jobs to support herself and her daughter.

Mrs. Burrows died on the 26th of November, 1912 in Ann Arbor.  At the time of her death, Mrs. Burrows resided at 706 Ingalls Street South (in Ann Arbor).  According to her death record, Mrs. Burrows was buried in Lindsay.