The history of doctors in Southampton; originally called Saugeen, starts with the arrival of Dr. A. Walker in the early days following the original settlement of the community in 1848. He was followed by Dr. H. Haynes who stayed for a short time before he left for the township of Bruce, where he was its Reeve in 1856.
Dr. William Sumner Scott arrived in our community in 1855. He was born in 1825 in the township of Esquesing in Halton County. Today, this is the farming area between Oakville and Georgetown. He studied originally, at the New Athens Theological College in Ohio. This was followed with his medical training from the Upper Canada School of Medicine which later became The Faculty of Medicine at Trinity College in Toronto. He continued his medical training at Queen’s University in Kingston, graduating as a Physician/Surgeon in 1855.
In 1856, he married. Little is known about his first wife other than her name was Margaret and she had been born in Ireland. She died here in 1858 at age 22. She was originally buried somewhere here in the village before being reinterred in the Pioneer Cemetery in 1861, when it was legally and properly created.
He married his 2nd wife, Catherine Ann in 1862, in the eastern Ontario village of Newboro in Leeds County. The family home and medical office was located on the northeast corner of Albert and Lansdowne Streets in Southampton, just across the corner from the Presbyterian Church. Today this is the location of the Bell Canada switching station. The family grew in 1863 with the arrival of Mary Ann Lett followed in 1865 by Patrick John. William Henry Sumner arrived in 1867, and Charles Stuart came in 1869. It was not until 1877 that the 5th and final Scott child, Katherine Violet Rose, arrived.
During these years Dr. W. S. Scott became very involved in his community. For more than 20 years he was a very respected and appreciated doctor to the people of Saugeen First Nation. He also became a member of the Bruce County Militia and their battalion Doctor and Surgeon. In 1866 men of Rifle clubs throughout Bruce County were mustered to proceed to Goderich.
Following the Fenian Raids in the Niagara Peninsula, there was a threat that Goderich would also be attacked.
The Bruce Militia gathered there in preparation, but the invasion never happened. The Niagara attack was successfully defended, and the local Bruce County group returned to their homes. Dr. Scott and those who had reported for duty received the British General Services Medal for services rendered.
Dr. Scott was also very involved in local politics. He served for many years as the President of the North Bruce Conservative Association and was the Reeve of Southampton from 1880 to 1883 and from 1888 to 1892. He took a real interest in local education and served as the school inspector for the town. He was active in the Anglican Church and other local community service organizations.
In 1895, he received an honour which any Canadian would be most proud of being its recipient. The Canadian Album, Men of Canada, Success by Example, included him in naming him, along with others from across Canada, as those providing, “Object Lessons for the Present Generation and Examples to Posterity”. The album is introduced as “Containing portraits of some of Canada’s Chief Businessmen, Statesmen, Farmers, Men of the Learning Professions, and Others. Also, an authentic sketch of their lives”.
In June of 1899, Dr. Scott’s wife Catherine Ann died from extreme rheumatism at the age of 66 and was buried in the Pioneer Cemetery in Southampton.
Dr. Scott died in October 1900 and was also buried in the Southampton Pioneer cemetery. Norman Robertson, the noted Bruce County historian wrote about him; “His kindly, cheerful manner made him popular as a doctor throughout the adjoining townships, in which he possessed an extensive practice”.
Having been long associated with the Bruce Volunteers, he was given a military funeral under the charge of the officers of the 32nd Bruce Militia”.
The obituary published in the Port Elgin Times on October 25, 1900, tells the story of his death and his burial. It is the story of someone who was seen as “Royalty” throughout the county. Let me just indicate a few of the highlights about the funeral held in Southampton on October 18, 1900.
From the Port Elgin Times:
– Dr. Scott had reached his 75th year.
– 7 years earlier he had a stroke from which he never really rallied.
– He was able to go almost as well as usual, till 5 minutes before his death when without the slightest warning he dropped down dead.
– In the early days he practiced over the North Part of the riding including the townships of Arran, Amabel, Saugeen, Elderslie, and Bruce.
– He ever took an interest in his own work and the needs of the people and was most kind and considerate in all his dealings with them.
– He was the organizer of the Bruce Rifles which merged and became the 32nd Bruce County Militia.
– For many years he sat on town council and served as Reeve more than once.
– On several occasions he was President of the North Bruce Conservative Association and an active member of the Church of England.
– The body had laid in the town hall from early morning where thousands took a last look at his familiar form.
– At 1 p.m. the remains were taken to the church where Rev. Altman performed the last rites.
– Hundreds walked or rode by horse and buggy, behind the casket to the cemetery; East on High St. and along Anglaesia. A distance of more than a mile.
– The funeral was then taken charge of by the Officers and men of the 32nd Bruce Battalion.
– A special train had left Palmerston early that morning, stopping many times along the way to pick up companies of the 32nd and other prominent people from the county.
– The Battalion band played the “Dead March in Saul”. The Saugeen First Nation band also rendered several suitable selections.
– After the remains were deposited in Mother Earth, a military salute of 3 shots was fired over the grave.
– The cannon had been brought from Guelph for this occasion.
This is the last paragraph of the obituary.
“Dr. Scott leaves a family of five, namely, Dr. P. J. Scott, Dr. W. H. S. Scott, C. S. Scott (druggist), and daughters Lett and Violet. The doctor had been twice married and was pre-deceased by both. Expressions of respect for the departed and sympathy for the family were heard on all hands as a more genial, kindly, and un-selfish man than Dr. Scott ever lived in the County of Bruce. After all, this is a man who lives on in the hearts of most in our community and is most missed after death”.
More importantly for all of us living in Southampton today is that Dr. Scott and six of his family, who were deceased before 1901 are buried in plot 135R in our Pioneer Cemetery. Hopefully their plot is not in any danger due to the erosion of the riverbank. Nothing would be worse than seeing this happen to a family that can truly be said to have been “A DYNASTY’.
