Dr. William Gillespie

1881 - 1959  (77 years)

• Name	William Gillespie
  Prefix	Dr.
  Born	20 Oct 1881	Seaforth, Huron Co., Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119944345
  Occupation	1910	Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	Doctor
  	Dr. J. A. Butler who had a good medical practice in Baden, sold his property and practice to Dr. Gillespie of Seaforth. Dr. Gillespie takes possession Sept. 1st. We wish him every success. Dr. Butler intends to visit the larger hospitals in New York City for a few months before he starts in his new field.1a 1aBerlin Daily Telegraph 29 Aug 1910
  Occupation	1910	Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	physician
  Occupation	1911	Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Medical Doctor
  Residence	1911	Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Presbyterian
  Occupation	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Doctor, Medical
  Residence	1921	138 Frederick St., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  Residence	1921	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Presbyterian
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-214454P
  Died	19 Jun 1959	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Buried	Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Person ID	I214454	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Family 1	Ruth Marie Wettlaufer,   b. 10 Nov 1899, Rostock, Ellice Township, Perth Co., . Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Sep 1986, Owen Sound, Grey Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 86 years)
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F35749	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Rosetta Delona Otto,   b. 4 Aug 1880, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 15 Feb 1929, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 48 years)
  Married	16 Nov 1910	Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F191264	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  GILLLSPIE, WILLIAM was born at Seaforth on October 20, 1881, the son of John Gillespie."The Province of Ontario-A History" contains a short history of his parents. He was educated at the local schools and then taught school at Shipka, Ont. for three years, he entered the school of Medicine at the University of Western Ontario and graduated in 1909. Following a year of internship he began to practise at Baden, buying the practice of Dr. J. A. Butler in September 1910. He moved to Kitchener in March 1919, opening his office at 138 Frederick Street, now the site of the Police Building. 'When this property was sold to the city, he moved to Walter Street, where he continued to practise until 1959. He died on June 19, 1959 and was survived by the former Ruth Wettlaufer, his second wife, and by a son and a daughter. (Mrs. Gillespie has written an account of his career, and the Daily Record in the issue of September 15, 1923, describes an experience which took place in 1913.) Dr. Alexander D. Campbell, Doctors in Waterloo County 1852-1925 _______ Dr. Gillespie, 77, Passes Suddenly Celebrating his 50th anniversary in the medical profession, Dr. William Gillespie, 77, well- known Kitchener doctor, died suddenly at K-W Hospital late yesterday. He had entered hospital in the morning for an operation after taking ill on Sunday. Dr. Gillespie, who was born in Seaforth on Oct. 20, 1881, was a son of the late John Gillespie and Mary Paige FUNERAL ON MONDAY He is survived by his wife.. Ruth Wettlaufer, one son, William, at home, one daughter, Mrs. Michael (Ann) Snykaluk of Belleville, and one grandchild. Funeral services will be held Monday at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church at 3:30 o'clock, followed by interment in Woodland Cemetery. Rev. Dr. John Schmieder will officiate. Remains will be at the Schreiter Sandrock Funeral Home until removal to the church at 1 o'clock Monday. A Mason, he was a member of Grand River Lodge, AF & AM. Fifty years ago this spring when he was graduated from medical school at the University of Western Ontario, antibiotics were unknown and undreamed of, X-ray equipment was rare and unreliable and medical science was almost helpless before cancer. Recently Dr. Gillespie, marking 50 years as a doctor - 40 of them in Kitchener recalled some of the advances that have been made since his graduation. From 1919 to 1956 he practised at 138 Frederick St., on a site now occupied by the police building. His office was later at 85 Walter St. MOVED TO BADEN His first job was as the only intern at a Jackson, Mich, hospital. He received only his board from the hospital, and had to live on 31 a day paid him jointly by the City of Jackson and the Mich igan Central Railroad. Operations were carried out withoug surgical gloves and with only chloroform or ether as an aesthetic. After a year at the hospital he moved to Baden, where after three years he purchased a car, the second in the town. Till then he rode a horse or used a horse and buggy to care for patients in rural areas, often a difficult task in winter. When he moved to Kitchener in 1919, Dr. Gillespie said, surgical techniques and equipment were similar to those used to-day. Greatest advances have been in prevention of major diseases, making today's eitizen healthier and less likely to incur serious infections. SANITATION HELPS Sanitation and cleanliness have also played large parts in all but eradicating typhoid and diphtheria, and slashing the incidence of tuberculosis. Similar advances are being made in treatment and prevention of polio. "I have great hopes they'll find something for cancer too," he added. Dr. Gillespie had served as chief of surgical staff, chief of medicine and chief of obstetrical staff at K-W Hospital which in 1919 consisted of the part now used as the Kathleen Scott pavilion. There was no St. Mary's Hospital then. He had seen medical practitioners increase in number from about half a dozen to almost 100. Had he any thoughts of retiring? "I wouldn't have any idea what to do. I think I would be lost," he said. Kitchener-Waterloo Record Fri, Jun 19, 1959 Page 3

  
  

• Sources

  [S1507] Census - ON, Waterloo, Baden - 1911, Baden Div. 13 Page 11. [S721] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, marriage certificate 21803 (1910), Gillespie-Otto. William Gillespie, physician, 29, residence Baden, s/o John Gillespie (engineer) & Mary Barns married Rosetta Deona Otto, 30, residence Wilmot, d/o John Otto (farmer) & Elizabeth Ratz, married 16 Nov 1910 Wilmot. [S655] z Vit - ON - Birth Registration, 12008 (1881), William Gillespie. William Gillespie, b. 20 Oct 1881 Seaforth, s/o John Gillespie (labourer) & Mary Barn. [S87] Cemetery - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Woodland CC#4510 Internet Link . William Gillespie/ B.A. M.D./ 1881 - 1959 [S2264] Census - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - 1921, Sub District 29 Page 27.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 20 Oct 1881 - Seaforth, Huron Co., Ontario, Canada Occupation - Doctor - 1910 - Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - physician - 1910 - Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Married - 16 Nov 1910 - Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Medical Doctor - 1911 - Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1911 - Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Doctor, Medical - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1921 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 19 Jun 1959 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Woodland Cem., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth