Dr. Augustus A. Soper

Other Events:

• Honoured: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England; Soper Park named in his honour
• Interesting: honoured, medical, life story
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-129486
• Occupation: 1873, Tillsonburg, Dereham Twp., Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada; Medical Student
• Occupation: 1881, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Physician - Doctor - Dr.
• Residence: 1902, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
• Occupation: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Doctor, Medicine
• Residence: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Methodist

Notes:

In the passing of Dr. Augustus Soper, whose death occurred this morning at the hospital, Galt loses a citizen who exemplified to a striking degree the true spirit of public service. Possessed of considerable wealth and actuated by a desire to advance the best interests of his adopted town, he was generous in his givings to any worthy object. The greatest monument to his generosity will always be Soper Park to the development and beautifying of which he devoted a great deal of his time and money. The thousands of people who frequent this popular resort through the summer months, not only from Galt, but from the surrounding towns and cities, will always entertain for Dr. Soper a kindly and grateful remberance.

Dr. Soper was born in the township of Dereham, Oxford County on April 30, l853 and was therefore in his 75th year. His father was a farmer and was a native of Oneida County, New York, and his mother was a daughter of Cornelius Veder who lost his life in the war of 1812.

He obtained his early education in the public schools of Canada, attending the Tassie school in Galt 1871-2, after which he entered the University of Michigan where he remained one year. He later entered Trinity Medical School, Toronto.

After becoming a licentiate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in 1880, he became a licentiate of medical colleges in Philadelphia and New York. He early conceived the idea of making the treatment of chronic diseases a specialty and with this end in view he attended various hospitals in Europe to familiarize himself with the course pursued in those institutions for the treatment of such cases. His practice proved very successful and he invested largely in real estate along the Canadian side of the Detroit river, a place which he had long prophesized had great potential value. The last seven years of his professional career were spent in Pittsburg, Pa., and in Toronto, after which he retired to Galt. The doctor, while his health had not been good for the past couple of years had only been confined to the hospital for ten days.

Galt Evening Reporter, November 16, 1928

Honoured:
Postwar, enter park neighbour Dr. Augustus Soper. Dissatisfied with Todd's natural-look ideas and stalled work, he contributed $10,000 and suggested draining wet areas, lining Mill Creek's banks with stone along its entire length, building rustic bridges, laying down driveways and adding amenities such as a swimming pool, midway, sports fields and a huge peony garden.

In return for Soper's ideas and money, Galt rechristened the site Soper Park in 1920 and a new boulevard through the park was named Marion Way after Soper's wife. Most of Soper's suggestions were carried out and for decades, that was the way the park appeared to its many visitors. During the 1990s, the city decided to revert to a more natural look '97 many features were removed and the creek allowed to return to a more natural state.

mills, r. (2017). Flash from the Past: Surviving photos preserve 90-year-old Galt park scenes | TheRecord.com. TheRecord.com. Retrieved 30 September 2017, from https://www.therecord.com/living-story/7580405-flash-from-the-past-surviving-photos-preserve-90-year-old-galt-park-scenes/

Augustus married Marion Elizabeth McCrum 10 Mar 1873, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Marion (daughter of Henry McCrum and Marion, daughter of Henry McCrum and Marion Neilson Batters) was born Oct 1853, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 8 Sep 1925, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Ida May DuPuis
• Name: Ida May Simpson
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-129488
• Occupation: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Income
• Residence: 1911, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Anglican

Ida — Cecil Simpson. Cecil was born CA 1875; died Yes, date unknown. [Group Sheet]

Ida married Thomas Arthur DuPuis 31 Aug 1898, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Thomas (son of Thomas R. Dupuis and Elizabeth) was born 1873, Kingston, Frontenac Co., Ontario, Canada; died Bef 1911. [Group Sheet]