As previously mentioned, the evidence shows that there were doctors in Sherbrooke as far back as the 1840s. The following are doctors that practised in Sherbrooke up to World War I and a short biography of their lives wherever possible:
The first doctor noted is first mentioned in "The Eastern Shore", a journal kept by Joseph Alexander, Catechist, years 1845-1846. "His name was Dr. Henry Elliot and practised during the 1840s to 1850s. He was born in Kinsole, Ireland in 1789 and died in Stillwater on Wednesday morning July 25th, 1860.(11) He was married with seven children.(12) His home was where Hugh MacDonald now lives in Stillwater.(13) He was a devoted member of the Anglican Church and encouraged Rev. Alexander to start a Sunday School. He also had Sunday service at his home prior to the construction of the church.(14) It is said that prior to coming to Stillwater he was in the British Navy and was present at the Battle of Trafalgar. He was then awarded the land in Stillwater in recognition for his service.(15)
The following doctor, was Dr. John McMillan. The exact dates of his practice here are not known since there are a few discrepancies in the information available. He was practising here in 1862.(16) In August 1862 he was appointed surgeon of the Sherbrooke Volunteer Guards.(17) In 1870 he is purported to have moved to New Glasgow.(18) But in Lowell's Nova Scotia Directory for 1871, John McMillan, M. D. is listed as living in Sherbrooke.
During the same time another doctor appears and is even more mysterious. His name was Dr. Alexander McGilvray. According to Hutchinson's Nova Scotia Directory for 1864-1865 he was here in Sherbrooke. He does not appear in the 1866-1867 edition and by 1870 he was in New Glasgow.(19)
Dr. James Campbell was the next doctor. He went to Harvard University and graduated in 1864.(20) He appears in Sherbrooke in the McAlpine Nova Scotia Directory for the years 1868-1869. He was the eldest son of the Presbyterian minister of Sherbrooke.(21) Born in 1844 he died February 3rd, 1883 of Pluro-pneumonia at the age of 39. He had a brother, William, who was a druggist. Dr. Campbell's office was in what is now the funeral parlour. Originally it was a two story building. Several oral history sources said that Dr. Campbell's office was upstairs and his brother operated a drugstore downstairs.(22) By 1883 however, William Campbell was operating a drugstore in Boston.(23) Dr. Campbell had other interests as well. He owned and operated a gold mine at Moosehead. It was said that he "is one of our most energetic and persevering gold hunters".(24)
Another physician who appears in the McAlpine Directory for Nova Scotia 1868-69 is Doctor Alexander Francis Falconer. He was born in Pictou in 1838.(25) He died September 6th,1898 at the age of 60.(26) He attended Harvard University.(27) Apparently he took part in the American Civil War on the side of the North and after the war he came to Sherbrooke.(28) He also spent some time in Virginia City, Nevada.(29) In 1866 he married Sarah MacKenzie. They had three children, Carrie, Minnie, and Robert. He lived and had his office in the Anderson House, where the restaurant, House of Jade now stands.(30) By 1872 he was very active in local affairs. In that year he was secretary for the Miners and Mechanics Association in Goldenville.(31) He also had mining interests and considered himself an amateur geologist.(32) In 1884 he ran in the municipal election against W. D. R. Cameron. The result of that vote was, Cameron - 74 votes, William MacLean - 72 votes, A. F. Falconer - 54 votes and J. McNab - 51 votes.(33) Some sources report that in 1890 he moved to New Glasgow.(34) There seems to be a discrepancy here. The Women's Institute history as well as interviewed sources insists he remained here until his death. In 1897 he delivered Mae Carroll as well as Lester MacDonald at Sherbrooke.(35) In 1895 he was credited for handling a typhoid case in Sherbrooke.(36) His residence is unsure from 1890 to 1898.
The next doctor was a Dr. Chute. Little information could be uncovered on him except one mention in the Eastern Chronicle. "Dr. Chute has set up his medical practice in Sherbrooke, having left Sheet Harbour."(37) That is the only mention of Dr. Chute.
At the turn of the century two doctors came to Sherbrooke, a Dr. James Fraser Ellis and a Dr. Lamborn D. Densmore. Dr. Ellis was born on June 11, 1869, in Upper Stewiacke. He went to Pictou Academy and received his medical training at Western University where he graduated in 1898.(38) When he first came to Sherbrooke in 1900 he lived at the Sherbrooke Hotel and might have had his office there as well.(39) On April 24th, 1901, he married Alice L. Stewart and they moved to Dr. Falconer's old property. A year later Alice Stewart died. On August 14th, 1907, he married Ethel Anderson.
Doctor Ellis had other interests than medicine. In 1904 he was elected on a Liberal ticket to the Provincial Legislature. He was M. L. A. for Guysborough County from 1904 to 1920. He was also Speaker of the House of Assembly from 1912 to 1916. During World War I he was attached to the Army Medical Corp. for overseas service. Though he was elected to the Legislature in 1916 he was not able to attend until April 1919.(40) The year following his return, he was appointed to the Federal Pensions Board and moved to Ottawa. He lived there until his death on April 3rd, 1937, at the age of 68. (41)
Dr. Lamborn Densmore was born in Maitland, Nova Scotia in 1878. He graduated from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario in 1901. He came to Sherbrooke with a friend who had some lumbering business to attend to. Several people in the community approached him to come and settle in Sherbrooke. He went home to pack his belongings and then returned.(42) He married Mary Jean Murdock, daughter of Capt. William Murdock. They had two children. His home and office was in Renova Cottage. He loved horses and would race on the ice as well as on the horse track. He also had three peacocks in his yard. He enlisted in the army in 1915 and went overseas. He was awarded the Military Cross. When he came home in 1919, he only practised for a short time, perhaps six months. He then moved to Bathurst, New Brunswick where he lived until his death in 1968 at 90 years of age.(43)
During the war years, a Dr. Stella Pearson came to replace Dr. Densmore and Dr. Ellis. Her home and office was in what used to be the Bright House Restaurant.(44) She had a young daughter. Apparently her husband was not in Sherbrooke with her, but was away at war. She was reported to have been very busy since she was the only doctor in the area. After the war she removed herself from Sherbrooke and never returned.(45)