Biography:

Dr. Thomas “Arthur” McCallum was born near Rodney, Ontario on the 5th of August, 1903.  Dr. McCallum was the 2nd of 3 sons born to Thomas McCallum and the former Isabella King.  His parents were farmers and his brothers were Stewart Ervin McCallum and Wilbert Duncan King McCallum.  Dr. McCallum attended the Rodney Public School and the Rodney Continuation School, before graduating from the Dutton High School.

Dr. McCallum graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1928.  He worked at the Ontario Hospital in Brockville, for one year.  Dr. McCallum eventually moved to Highgate. He is listed on the 1935 Voters Record as residing and practicing medicine in Highgate.   He stayed in Highgate until 1942, when he enlisted in the Canadian Army Medical Corps, during World War II.  He served overseas on the hospital ship, Leitia as a Senior Medical Officer.

After Dr. McCallum was discharged in 1946 and he returned to Chatham-Kent to join Dr. Harold Orr in Ridgetown.  Dr. McCallum was a member of the Erie Chapter R.A.M. 73 Masonic Lodge, as well as the Rodney Masonic Lodge No. 411, and he belonged to the Ridgetown Branch of the Canadian Legion 234.

He married Mabel Christina Thomson on the 10th of August, 1946 at the home of the bride in Rodney.  Mrs. McCallum was born in Strathroy, Ontario on the 25th of December, 1910, the 4th of 5 children born to Howard Watt Thomson and the former Grace Alice Helen Brown. Mr. and Mrs. Thomson raised their family in Rodney, where Mr. Thomson was a druggist. Mrs. McCallum’s siblings were; Henry “Harry” Craig Thomson (who died at the age of 7 and was buried at the Tillsonburg Cemetery), Grace “Helen” Thomson, Anna Dean Thomson and Jean Thomson. Mrs. McCallum was a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and she became a teacher.  She taught school in Rodney and Ridgetown.

Dr. and Mrs. McCallum had a son named John Arthur McCallum born in 1948.

Dr. McCallum died on the 13th of July 1952 at the Public General Hospital in Chatham.  He was 48 years old upon his death.   He was buried at the Rodney Cemetery in the family plot near his parents.

Mrs. McCallum married George William Sales of Ridgetown in 1959.  Mr. Sales was born on the 16th of November, 1901, the youngest of 2 children born to John Sales and the former Clara Apthorp.  His sister Velma Irene Sales was born on the 27th of February, 1899 and died in 1900.  Mr. Sales had been married to Dora Olive Bennett and they had 2 daughters and a son. (Mrs. Dora Sales died in 1957.) Mr. Sales died in 1992.  Mr and Mrs. Sales are buried at Pardoville Cemetery in Chatham-Kent near his parents and baby sister.

Mrs. Mabel (McCallum) Sales died on the 16th of September, 2007 and she was buried at the Rodney Cemetery next to Dr. McCallum.

*Dr. McCallum’s brother’s Stewart Ervin McCallum and Wilbert Duncan King McCallum served with the United States Armed Services during WWII.

**Dr. Harold Orr also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

***The webmaster gratefully acknowledges the research assistance of Goldie Howes.