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Commemorative
Biographical Record of the County of Kent, Ontario
Duncan P.
McPhail |
DUNCAN P. McPHAIL, M.D.,
physician and druggist of Highgate, Orford township, County of Kent,
came to that place in 1887 from his birthplace, Iona Station, Dunwich
township, County of Elgin, Ontario. He is a son of Hugh and Mary
(Paterson) McPhail, of the County of Elgin the father, now (1904)
eighty-one years of age, living retired on the homestead. The mother
died April 1st, 1902, aged seventy-five years. Hugh McPhail has been a
justice of the peace many years, and was also township councillor for
several years. In religious belief he is an adherent of the Baptist
Church, to which his wife also belonged. They were the parents of the
following named children: Alexander, who is postmaster at Alvinston,
Ontario; John, a farmer of the County of Elgin; Hugh, a farmer on the
old homestead; Daniel, who died after growing to manhood; Arthur, who
died at the age of seventeen years Sarah, wife of Duncan McCallum, a
retired farmer of Glencoe, Ontario; Eiza, who married John Mitchell, of
Iona, Ontario; Duncan P.; Christina, unmarried, at home; and Minnie,
unmarried and at home.
Duncan McPhail
remained at home on the farm with his parents until he was
seventeen, rounding out his literary education with a course at the
st Thomas and St Catharine's Collegiate Institutes. He then took up
teaching, following that calling in the Counties of Elgin, Middlesex
and Lambton, and meantime began reading medicine with Dr. Marlatt,
of Alvinston, now of St Thomas. He was successful in that calling,
having been principal of the Alvinston public schools, when he left
to give all his attention to medicine. He entered Trinity Medical
College, Toronto, from which he graduated in 187, and he was one of
the few to receive first honours from that college. After
practicing in Highgate for seven years he took a post
graduate-course in the Post Graduate school at New York, and has
ever since devoted himself to his calling; since 1890 he has been
coroner of the County of Kent. His standing is among the most
successful medical men of the county, for he enjoys a large
practice, and in addition he has a lucrative drug business, which he
has carried on since 1897. In that year he built his fine brick
store in Highgate, where his office is established. He is
progressive and up-to-date in all that relates to his profession, as
well as in all that concerns the public welfare, and is regarded in
the community as a man worthy of the respect he receives.
Dr. McPhail is a
member of the Masonic Fraaternity, in which he has advanced to the
Knight Templar degree; he is also a member of the A.O.U.W., the
I.O.F. and the C.O.F. In politics he is a Liberal, taking an active
part in local affairs, and he has served upon the school board for
the past three years. In religious matters he subscribes to and
attends all the churches.
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