- 1939, Thursday June 29 The Almonte Gazette front page
Death Concludes Long Career In Medical Practice
Dr Gilbert Cannon Oldest Living Graduate of McGill In Medicine
Death removed the oldest living medical graduate of McGill University, Saturday afternoon, in the person of Dr Gilbert Cannon. He was in his 85th year and died at the home of Mr John M. Chapman, 9th line of Ramsay. The funeral, Monday afternoon, to the Auld Kirk Cemetery, was largely attended. Services were conducted by Rev C.D. McLellan of Bethany United Church, assisted by Rev A.J Fowlie of Almonte Presbyterian and Rev Donald Munro of Carleton Place. Pallbearers were Doctors Dunn, Kelly and Metcalfe of Almonte, and Messrs W.W. Keats of Watertown, N.Y., Melville Paul and W.C. Pollock. The late Dr Cannon was born April 14th, 1855, on the old family homestead, eighth line of Ramsay. He was a son of the late John Cannon and his wife Harriet Carswell and a grandson of Dr William Cannon, the first qualified medical man to practise in this district. The grandfather was a surgeon in the Royal Navy and came to this country n the early 30's. A son of his, who died at the age of four and who was born in the Old Country, was the first person buried in the Auld Kirk Cemetery in the year 1836. He made his calls on horseback and had an office on the corner of the Baird farm, now the Mill of Kintail. Later he removed his surgery to the Cannon homestead on the eighth line of Ramsay. His wife was Margaret King of the Isle of Bute. The grandfather died in 1841. The late Dr Gilbert Cannon was called after an uncle who ran a woollen mill in Almonte, years ago, and was one of the best known in the town. The place was located at the foot of Cannon falls below the stone bridge. Born April 14, 1855, Dr. Cannon got his early education at the country school near his home and at the Almonte High School. He enrolled on the medical school of McGill University and graduated with honours on April 1, 1877, at the age of 22. After a short interne period in Montreal General Hospital, followed by a post graduate course in New York Polyclinic he began practice at Oxbow, Jefferson County, and afterward at Watertown, N.Y., where for 35 years he specialized in eye, ear, nose and throat work. Dr Cannon served as vice-president of the old Watertown Medical Society Aid and was one of its founders. Dr Cannon was a pioneer in the use of X-ray as an aid to medical surgery and his X-ray pictures taken in the famous "Hachets Harbour murder case," are said to have been the first accepted by the United States Supreme Court as evidence. After a distinguished career of 50 years in medicine, Dr Cannon retired in 1928 and returned to the old family homestead, 8th line of Ramsay, to spend his remaining days where he lived with his niece, Mrs John Chapman, the former Dora Cannon. Dr Cannon was a bachelor and the last member of his immediate family, one sister and five brothers having predeceased him.
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1854 - 1939 (85 years)
