A Cyclopædia of Canadian Biography: Brief biographies of persons distinguished in the professional, military and political life, and the commerce and industry of Canada, in the twentieth century
History
A Cyclopædia of Canadian Biography: Brief biographies of persons distinguished in the professional, military and political life, and the commerce and industry of Canada, in the twentieth century
Canada -- Biography
Kingston, in 1859, and passed the final examination in March, 1862,
receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, and his license
to practice in Canada, from the hands of Governor-General Monk. On the
13th of April following, Dr. Chamberlain located at Morrisburg, County
of Dundas, on the St. Lawrence River, and during the succeeding years
built up a large and lucrative practice. In 1859 he was requested by the
government of Sir Oliver Mowat to take the Inspectorship of Public
Institutions of Ontario. The history of the doctor during these years is
the history of a busy life. Besides following his profession, he served
as Reeve of his municipality, member of the Counties’ Council, and
Warden of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Justice
of the Peace, Health Officer, member of the High and Public Board of
Education, Director of the Agricultural Association, and Director of the
Parry Sound Lumber Company. Inspector of schools for County of Dundas.
At the time of the Fenian Raid, he was member of a strong company of
volunteers under Captain I. N. Rose, Superintendent of the Williamsburg
Canals, and with other members of the company was out night and day on
guard at the locks, and in the village, as an attack was daily expected
to be made by General O’Neal. On the 1st of July, the General with 1,600
men appeared on the bank of the river opposite Morrisburg. The
Government of Sir John A. Macdonald, realizing the seriousness of the
situation, and desirous of keeping informed of O’Neal’s movements,
appointed a man to keep in touch with O’Neal’s forces, but this man
failing to accept, Dr. Chamberlain, a strong personal, but not a
political, friend of Sir John’s, was detailed for this duty. He accepted
the appointment, and taking his horses and buggy, and accompanied by a
young man named Leslie Weaver, set out to follow the Fenian force, and
to report as fully as possible their movements and designs. Crossing the
river to Waddington, N.Y., on Capt. Murphy’s Ferry, on July 9, he found
that the Fenians had moved, and he followed them to Malone, about 50
miles distant, over-taking them about dark. Staying over night and
having obtained all information possible, he left the next morning for
Plattsburgh, which place he made that evening. After a wearisome and
anxious night, he left Plattsburgh for Whitehall, at the foot of Lake
Champlain, arriving there the next morning, and at Saratoga in the
evening. He continued the journey to Troy and Albany, and returned
thence to Ogdensburg, Prescott, and home to Morrisburg. The result of
this close espionage, and prompt reports by the scouts, and the careful
guarding of the river, was that the invaders were compelled to abandon
their design of crossing the river, and to turn their faces to the west.
The doctor’s services on this occasion were most effective and valuable,
yet he never applied for nor received land grant, or medal, nor refund
of his expenditure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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