Early Doctors in Estevan

First doctor in Estevan was Dr. Ernest Harold Scott

He owned his own office in a building on 12th Ave.
where the Bank of Montreal parking lot is today (2008)

P.C. Duncan had his land office in this same building.
In 1955 Mr Kohaly had his law office here.
Ernest Harold Scott died May 29, 1900 of sun stroke,
and is buried in the old Estevan City Cemetery.
Buried in the same cemetery is a Harry Duncan Scott.
There is a Mary Scott, nee Neilson buried there in 1917,
and this would be his wife.
1911 census says her name is
 Mary Nelson Scott, born in Ontario
and the oldest son was
Harold Nelson Scott, born in Ontario.
I still think Harry Duncan Scott is this son,
but census birth year does not match headstone.
 or maybe a 7th child?
Other children born in Saskatchewan were
Ethel Widmere Scott,
Guy Lymburn Scott,
Mary Lillian Scott,
Gladys McRitchie Scott,
Marjory Helen Scott.
They had a total of 6 known children.
Dr. Scott was also the first Postmaster in Estevan.
On his death, Mary his wife, served as postmistress.
Harold Nelson Scott was the First Librarian in Estevan
His assistant was his sister, Lillian Scott.
 

a Dr. Daniel Ross Davies (Welsh nationality)
Born- Oct 1865 or 1866 in Ontario- Died Mar 23, 1932
buried in Old Estevan City Cemetery,
served in the area, and was one of the early doctors.
His wife's name was Pansy (possibly nee Tookey),
she was born in April 1883 in Ontario.
They are both shown as Baptists in the 1911 Census.

He built a brick building on 12th Ave./ 5th St Corner.
Known as the Davies block or the Rae block.
It became the Land titles building,
and the Bank of North America.
located on opposite corner of the Empire Hotel.
He was the First Chairman of the Library board, Feb 1908
He was also a member of the first town council.
A Dr. Davies also shows up on the board in 1948.
Not the same doctor though.

A Dr. Morrow prescribed Brandy to save
 my Grandmother Mae Gesell's life from the Spanish flu.
Nov, Friday, 1918 in Estevan.
Still a great prescription if you ask me!

There was 2 families of Morrow's in Estevan
in 1911, but they were Bricklayers, not doctors.
There was a Vet out of Oxbow, named Dr. Morrow,
maybe he did house calls for the flu in 1918?

A Dr. J. E. Bromley served in the area in the 1920's
A Dr. Parker ca 1924

Dr James (Jim) Forbes Creighton

Dr. James Forbes Creighton was born Nov 2, 1879
in Wingham, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada
Died May 5, 1944, in Vancouver BC, age 65
BC Death Reg. Number: 1944-09-643831
Father was John Creighton, a farmer,
mother Agness (with 2 s's which is wrong) ,
in 1881 census.
He had 2 more brothers,
John A., and Finley Creighton.
and 2 sisters, Jane and Catherine.
All born in Ontario, all Scottish nationality.
1881 census- Culross, Bruce South, Ontario

Served 1 year in B. Battalion, RCFA,
in the South African War (1899-1902),
and 6 months in the
 Lieutenant Arthur L. "Gat" Howard Canadian Scouts. (1900)
As well as in WWI as a Physician-Surgeon.
His mother, when he enlisted on Apr 3, 1915,
in WWI was Agnes May Creighton,
 who lived at 384 Cathedral Ave., Winnipeg MB.
He was only 5ft 6 1/2 inches tall.
His rank was Captain.

Dr Jim Creighton actually helped my
aunt Rose Gesell during her illness in 1936.

Letter written by Dr Creighton to my aunt, Rose Gesell
dated Jan 28, 1936, on M/S Canada,
The East Asiatic Company
stationary.
He sailed from Vancouver, and was heading
to St. Thomas as he was writing this letter.

This ship was new in 1935, and mined during WWII
and sunk in 1939, off river Humber.
Probably not many copies of this stationary around.

Dr Jim Creighton served as MLA
 for the Souris Constituency.
He ran as an independent in 1925 and won.

At one point Dr Jim Creighton
was with Dr. Robert Inglis in Estevan.

Here is the Gall bladder diet at that time
with their letterhead, ca 1940's
note- Phone # is 3!
Dr. Creighton had his Office at
1108-4th Street, built ca 1910.
Creighton Lodge, Senior home in Estevan
is named after this man.
He owned the first car in Estevan.
He also made a donation to help form the Bienfait Legion.
Dr. Jim Creighton donated the Creighton Shield,
 an ECI student award.
He was part owner of the Creighton block,
built in 1925, where the Princess Cafe was located.
Jim Creighton retired to Vancouver, where he died in 1944.

There was 2 brothers who first came to Bienfait in 1913,
Jim and Bill Creighton.

Dr. William (Bill) Creighton

Bill shows up in 1906 census as William, Creighton, age 26
Medical doctor, born May 1885, in Manitoba.
Scottish, Presbyterian.
Possibly 4 nurses? in the Hospital in Estevan with him,
or maybe they were patients?
As well as a Thomas Creighton, 1 month old, born in 1911
I don't show Will or Jim as being married,
but they could have been,
their wives wouldn't be at the hospital, so names unknown.
In Manitoba vital records there is a William Creighton,
born May 3, 1885 in the RM of Whitehead,
mother was Agnes McCallum
Father's name not shown.
Birth was not registered until July 17, 1920
We now know this is the correct William
from the WWI information above for Jim.

Knowing Jim was in the war, I looked up William,
and sure enough he was in WWI also, as a Major.
He enlisted Mar 18, 1916.
 with the #12 Field Ambulance Corp, CEF
Low and behold he is married, to a Florence Melita Nee?
who was living at suite #18, Balmoral Court, in Winnipeg.
Shown born May 3, 1885, same as above.
in Alexander, Manitoba, Canada
Presbyterian, and had no earlier service, unlike his brother Jim.
Occupation- Physician and Surgeon.
Religion- Presbyterian
Dr. William (Bill) Creighton, moved back to Winnipeg.
This link describes his life, marriage, and death,
minus the Estevan part.
He was obviously into the paranormal.

Jim and Bill's grandmother and grandfather,
(Agnes McCallum's parents), were
Finlay (Jr.) McCallum and Jane Laidlaw.
Finlay's parents were
 Finlay (Sr.) McCallum and Christian Campbell.

John (Jr.) Creighton, their dad, in 1880,
was a farmer in Culross, county of Bruce, Ontario.
Their mother Agnes, was the oldest of 11 children.
(5 sisters and 3 brothers were still living in 1880.)
John married Agnes McCallum Sept 25, 1872 at Esquesing.
John (Jr.) father was also John (Sr.) Creighton.
John (Jr) mother was Catherine Alexander.

No sign of James Forbes though in the census forms?
Thomas will not be in the Sask vital records until 2011.
then we will find out who was his father, and mother.
A Miss Vera Creighton taught school at ECI,
another possible relative of these doctors.

Dr. Frank B. Walsh

Dr.  Walsh left Estevan in 1930,
and went to the Wilmer Eye Institute,
John Hopkins School of Medicine,
 Baltimore, Maryland USA
He became a leading Neuro-Ophthalmologist.
Professor Emeritus of Ophthalmology
Often termed as the "Father of Neuro-Ophthalmology"
Has at least 25 publications to his name in this field.

Dr. Logan Miller Fairbairn

From 1928-1942 Jim Creighton was in partnership
 with Dr. Logan Miller Fairbairn.
He practiced here from 1928-1940
Dr. Fairbairn was born at Sec 31-Tsp 02-Rge 32
 near Carnduff SK, Feb 8, 1905
to Robert Davidson Fairbairn and Christina Milne Miller.
They were farmers from Ontario,
living at Sec 31-Tsp 3- Rge 32 in 1911.
(Birth registration says Tsp 2?)
SK Birth Registration Number 1378
He had 2 brothers, Harold and Frederick in 1911.
Dr. Fairbairn served in WWII as a Commandant
of the 8th Canadian General Hospital.
From 1940-1945 he served overseas.
Moved to Calgary on his return from the war.
After a time with the McEachern Group as a Surgeon, 1945-1955,
he moved into a specialized practice in Calgary AB.
He was President of the Calgary Medical Society in 1949.
He retired in 1971, and died in Calgary in 1972
Buried in Queen's Park Cemetery in Calgary AB.

Dr. Fairbairn was the doctor on my dad's
 Eastern Mine pay stubs in 1938 and 1939.
They deducted $2.00 / month, doctor fees,
and his take home pay was $17.45 for Dec 1939.
A big chunk of money in those days.
Today a Twoney is nothing!

After 1918 the miner's had to pay a flat mandatory fee,
deducted from their pay, by the mine owners,
for what were to be,
regular doctor check-ups at the mines.
This fee was not cheap,
based on their take home pay at the time.
Problem is, the fees were collected,
but not always did the men see the doctor.
I can see now why Tommy Douglas
was so adamant about medicare,
as he would have heard these stories over and over again.
Also can see why the doctors would not want this stopped.
I'm sure it made them a fair amount of money.
 

Dr. James Victor (Vic) Millions

Dr. Vic Millions was in partnership
 with Dr Creighton and Dr Fairbairn in Estevan.
Born Sept 26, 1896 (1897 in enlistment form is wrong),
in Whitewater, RM of Morton, Manitoba
Apr 23, 1918 he enlisted in WWI.
Regimental # 2683774
He was living in Regina, a member of the RNWM Police.
His father James Millions was a farmer in Carnduff, SK
6ft 1/2 in tall.
He later practiced in Westlock AB.
and Kincaid before he enlisted in WWII.
He moved to Eastend SK in 1945 with his wife and 3 sons.
He died in 1969 while practicing at Eastend SK
Buried in a Regina Cemetery. 

His Father- James Millions b- Dec 26, 1862
in Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Upper Canada
died 1945 in Carnduff.
Mother- Elizabeth Hannah Wilson, died 1936
He was one of 7 children. 3 boys, 4 girls.