Dr. Benjamin Elmore Hawke, M. D., C. M.

1866 - 1924  (58 years)

• Name	Benjamin Elmore Hawke
  Prefix	Dr.
  Suffix	M. D., C. M.
  Born	13 Apr 1866	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Residence	1871	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Wesleyan Methodist
  Residence	1889	Spokane Falls, Spokane, Washington, USA
  Crime	1912
  	accused of performing an illegal abortion which resulted in the death of the mother
  		Australia Police Gazette 22 May 1912
  Interesting	medical, scandal, crime, murder
  Military	WW1
  	Benjamin was educated at Trinity College, Toronto, where he qualified M.D., C.M. in 1887. He gained a commission as temporary Captain in the R.A.M.C. in February 1917 and was a passenger on S. S. Laconia when it was torpedoed on 25th February 1917 at 9.30 p.m. Benjamin survived and was picked up the next morning at daylight. He served for 3 years in England in the Manor War Hospital, Epsom; the Croydon War Hospital, and the Queen's Face and Jaw Hospital, Sidcup.1a 1aRAMC in the Great War https://www.ramc-ww1.com/
  Misfortune	was in a ship disaster
  	Dr. Benjamin Hawke, who for some years practised in Toronto, went from San Francisco to New York and sailed on the Laconia, and was one of the survivors of the disaster.1a 1aThe Canadian Practioner and Review Vol XLII 1917 ___________________________ On 25 February 1917 she was torpedoed by SM U-50 6 nautical miles (11 km) northwest by west of Fastnet while returning from the USA to England with 75 passengers (34 first class and 41 second class) and a crew of 217 commanded by Captain Irvine. The first torpedo struck the liner on the starboard side just abaft the engine room, but did not sink her. 20 minutes later a second torpedo exploded in the engine room, again on the starboard side, and the vessel sank at 10:20 pm. 12 people were killed, six crew and six passengers, including two American citizens.2a 2ahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Laconia_(1911)
  Name	B. E. Hawke
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-106986
  Died	9 Aug 1924	Liverpool, , Lancashire, England
  Buried	Allerton Cemetery, Liverpool, , Lancashire, England
  Person ID	I106986	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	William Hawke,   b. 13 Jan 1826, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 May 1889, Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 63 years)
  Mother	Isabella Harrow,   b. 8 Jan 1839, Peterculter, Aberdeen, Scotland ,   d. 4 Dec 1919, Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 80 years)
  Married	9 Dec 1858	Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3, 4]
  Family ID	F17871	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Mayme Trow,   b. Jun 1871, , Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F49103	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Benjamin Elmore Hawke The Canadian Album - Men of Canada or Success by Example (Brantford, Ontario, Canada: Bradley Garretson & Co., 1891)

  
  

• Notes

  BENJAMIN E. HAWKE, M.D., Stratford, Ont., was born on the 13th of April, 1866, at Hawkesville, Ont., the place being named after his father. He received his education at the Hawkesville public school and Berlin High School, where he obtained a second-class teacher's certificate. He then entered Trinity College, Toronto, and commenced his medical training. In 1887 he graduated M.D., C.M., taking honors all through his course. After graduating he entered the hospitals of New York to further perfect himself in his profession. After this he commenced to practice at Wellesley, where he built up a large business, which he subsequently sold out, and then spent some months travelling through the Western States. Returning to Ontario in 1889, he settled at Stratford, where he enjoys the confidence of the people and has a growing practice. Dr. Hawke is an adherent of the Methodist Church, is a member of the I.O.O.F., C.O.F., A.O.U.W., K.O.T.M., Select Knights and other societies. He is examining physician for each of these societies, and examiner for the Dominion Life, Ontario Mutual, Sun Life, London and Lancashire and other life assurance companies. The Canadian Album - Men of Canada or Success by Example (Brantford, Ontario, Canada: Bradley Garretson & Co., 1891) _______________________ The President declared the report and resolution unanimously adopted. Dr. Griffin then presented the report of the Discipline Committee re Benjamin E. Hawke as follows : College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Discipline Committee. Dominion of Canada, Province of Ontario, County of York, To Wit: In the matter of an enquiry directed to be held by the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario before the Discipline Committee of the said Council to enquire into the case of Benjamin E. Hawke, a registered medical practitioner, registered under the Ontario Medical Act, and alleged to be liable to have his name erased from the Register of the said College by reason of infamous or disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. To the President and Members of the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario: Gentlemen, The undersigned Committee duly appointed by by-law for the purposes of section 35, of the Ontario Medical Act. were duly appointed by the Council on the 4th day of July, 1912, and were directed to enquire into and ascertain the facts of the case of the said Benjamin E. Hawke, a duly registered medical practitioner, alleged to be liable to have his name erased from the register for infamous or disgraceful conduct in a professional respect. Notice of the charges which formed the subject matter of the enquiry and of the time and place appointed to hear the evidence in support of the said charges, viz., at the Registration Office of the said College on the 29th of April, 1913, at 2 o'clock p.m., was duly served upon the said Benjamin E. Hawke, by registered letter in accordance with the provisions of 10 Edward, VII, Chap. 77, Section 3, and a copy of such notice is hereto appended as Schedule "A." Your Committee duly met in pursuance of such notice at the Registration Office in the College Building, 170 University Avenue, Toronto, at the hour of 2 o'clock in the afternoon, when the said Benjamin E. Hawke failed to appear, nor did anyone appear on his 'behalf. The Committee thereupon proceeded with the enquiry in the absence of the said Benjamin E. Hawke, and after hearing the evidence and after consideration and discus- sion of the evidence, determined as follows: (1) That the said Benjamin E. Hawke performed an illegal operation upon Esther Davidge, formerly of Toronto, at his house in Wellesley Street, in the said City of Toronto during the month of February, 1912. (2) That the purpose of the said operation was to procure an abortion. (3) That as a result of the said operation the said Esther Davidge did abort and subsequently died. (4) That on the first day of March, 1912, an information was laid charging the said Benjamin E. Hawke "with intent to procure the miscarriage of one Mrs. William Davidge, did unlawfully use on her an instrument or other means with the like intent." (5) That the said charge was not proceeded with by reason of the fact that the said Benjamin E. Hawke fled from the city to avoid prosecution, and that he is at the present time and has been since the date of the information a fugitive from justice. Your Committee therefore reports that the charges against the said Benjamin E. Hawke has been substantially proved as stated in the said notice. Dated at Toronto the 29th day of April, 1913. H. Griffin, Chairman. A. E. MacColl, J. MacArthur. Dr. Griffin then read the following resolution: That whereas the Discipline Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario on the 3rd day of July, A.D. 1913, made their report to the Council of the said College of the facts of the case of Benjamin E. Hawke, a registered medical practitioner, alleged to have been guilty of infamous and disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, and to be therefore liable to have his name erased from the register of the said Coollege; Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the said report of the said Discipline Committee be and the same is hereby received and adopted. And be it further Resolved, That the acts and conduct of the said Benjamin E. Hawke, ascertained by the said Discipline Committee and stated in the said report, constitute infamous and disgraceful conduct in a professional respect, and that the said Benjamin E. Hawke is therefore liable to have his name erased from the said register. And it is further Resolved, That the name of the said Benjamin E. Hawke be forthwith erased from the register kept by the Registrar of the said College pursuant to the provisions of the Ontario Medical Act, and that the Registrar be and he is hereby directed to erase from the said Register the name of the said Benjamin E. Hawke. And it is further directed, under the provisions of the Ontario Medical Act, that the costs of and incidental to the said erasure and of and incidental to the said enquiry by the said Committee be paid to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario forthwith after taxation thereof by one of the taxing officers of the High Court of Justice of Ontario, and the Registrar of the said College is hereby directed after such taxation to obtain the issue of such execution or executions as may be necessary for the collection of such costs by the said College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. Dated at Toronto this 3rd day of July, A.D. 1913. Dr. Griffin moved, seconded by Dr. MacColl, that the name of' Benjamin E. Hawke, in accordance with the foregoing resolution, be erased from the Register. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario Announcements 1913-1914 _____________________________ BENJAMIN ELMORE HAWKE, M.D., of No. 21 Wellesley street, Toronto, is one of the well-established physicians of that city, and one whose professional preparation has been unusually complete, a fact which, in connection with his agreeable personality and close attention to his work, accounts fully for the success which he has attained. The Hawke family was originally of English extraction, but migrated to the New World before the American Revolution and settled in Pennsylvania. In 1811 Benjamin Hawke, grandfather of the Doctor, left the United States, and coming to Canada located in County York, on Yonge street, about twenty miles from Toronto, then called York. lie had charge of building the Yonge street road, through what is now known as Hogg's Hollow. About 1855 he moved with his family to County Waterloo, Wellesley township, where he settled on a farm and remained until his death, in 1866, at the age of eighty-four years. Hawkesville, in the County of Waterloo, was named for the family, some of whom were its first settlers. They were prominent men in their localities, and in the first council for the township of Wellesley there were four members of the name of Hawke. Benjamin Hawke married Miss Mary Lount, an aunt of the late Judge William Lount. so well known in Ontario. Mrs. Hawke was born in Pennsylvania and died in Welllesley. William Hawke, son of Benjamin, was born in County York, in the Yonge street home, in 1828. He was a farmer and stock raiser by occupation and became one of the prominent men of his locality. His death occurred in 1889, in the Toronto General Hospital, as the result of an operation, an event the more to be deplored as he was but just past the very prime of life. Mr. Hawke was twice married. His first wife was Miss Jane Monkman, who belonged to one of the old families of County York, and by this union there were four children, namely: Erastus, an implement dealer; Lavinia, wife of Pierce Petch: Rachel, wife of David Harrow; and Edgar, Melfort, Sask. By his second marriage Mr. Hawke was united to Miss Isabella Harrow, who was bom in Scotland in 1841, daughter of William and Jane Harrow. The Harrow family came to Canada when Mrs. Hawke was nine years old, and settled in County Waterloo on a farm, where her father died later. To Benjamin and Isabella Hawke ten children were bom, as follows: George, of Aurora; Albert, a physician in Galt; Henry; Benjamin E.; Calvin; Janet, wife of Rev. A. J. Johnston; Frank; Agnes, residing in Galt; Harvey and Walter, also off Galt. Dr. Benjamin E. Hawke was born in Wellesley in 1866. His general education was received in the Berlin schools, after which he entered upon the study of medicine in Trinity Medical College, of Toronto, from which he graduated in 1887. As he was desirous of still further study along his chosen lines Dr. Hawke then proceeded to New York City, where he entered the New York Polyclinic and Post-Graduate School, from which institution, a year later, he received a degree also. Thus equipped for his profession, he returned to his native township and began practising in the village of Wellesley. After two years he removed to Stratford, where he was located for ten years, and then in 1901 settled in Toronto, where he quickly built up a good practice. Dr. Hawke was married in 1893, to Miss Mayme Trow, daughter of the late Hon. James Trow, of Stratford, who was for twenty-five years a member of the Dominion Parliament. In political faith Dr. Hawke is a Reformer, while fraternally he belongs to the MMasons. The Hawke family are very proud of their descent and carefully cherish certain heirlooms in their possession. Dr. Hawke's mother, who now resides in Galt, is very proud of a chair which Benjamin Hawke brought with him to Canada in 1811, while another valued article is the seat from the first carriage in Toronto; this seat Mrs. Hawke has had upholstered and placed in a corner of her sitting-room in Galt. The Doctor esteems very highly a pair of old- fashioned tongs made by Samuel Lount, a blacksmith at Holland's Landing, and who was hanged in Toronto in the year 1838 for participating in the rebellion of 1837-38. Samuel Lount was a brother of the Doctor's grandmother. Commemorative Biographical Record of the County of York, Ontario : Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settled Families. 1907 ____________________ DR. B.E. HAWKE, RODNEY STREET. The funeral of Dr. Benjamin Elmore Hawke, of Rodney street, who died on Saturday, at his residence, 52, Catherine street, at the age of 56 years, took place at Allerton Cemetery, on Wednesday. Prior to the interment a service took place at St. Margaret's Church, Prince's road, at which the Rev. J. A. Russell Derham Marshall officiated. The chief mourners were: Mrs. May Rosalie Hawke, widow: Miss Hawke, sister; Mr. J. S. Playford, brother-in-law: Dr, and Mrs. Kennedy, Mr. F. H. Porter, Dr. Hope Simpson, Messrs. T. H. Porter, P. Robinson W. Smith. C. Porter, S. Johnson, and W. H. Porter. Runcorn Weekly News Fri, Aug 15, 1924 Page 5 ________ DR. B. E. HAWKE DIES Had Brother In London; Was Victim of Torpedoing Liner GALT, Aug. 9.-Dr. Albert Hawke of this city has received a cablegram announcing the death in Liverpool, England, this morning of his brother, Dr. B. E. Hawke, 58. Deceased was a native of Wellesley, Waterloo county. During the war he served with the R. A. M. C. and was aboard the liner Laconia when it was torpedoed. He was in the water a long time before being rescued and since then had been in poor health. The Windsor Star Sat, Aug 09, 1924 Page 1 ________________ HAWKE, BENJAMIN E. a brother of Albert Hawke was born at Hawkesville on April 3, 1866. He was educated there and at Berlin High School, obtaining a second class teacher's certificate. He then entered Trinity Medical College, Toronto, graduating in 1887. After taking some postgraduate work in New York, he bought the practice of Dr. L. B. Clemens of Wellesley. The Dumfries Reformer approved of him, saying "our young friend passed a very successful course, and being possessed of a pleasing address and genial manners, will, we have little doubt, become a successful and popular practitioner." The same paper on April 25, 1889 said that he had sold his practice to Dr. J. McGillawee for $1000.00 and was moving to Spokane Falls W. T. his American stay lasted only a short time the September 5th. issue referring to him as "one of the victims of the great fire at Spokane Falls." On October 17th. he opened an office in Stratford. After about eight years, in April, 1897, it was reported that he had just returned from Rat Portage where he had spent the winter in practice. His next move was to Toronto. The Weekly Reformer of June 11, 1908 had the following item: New Magazine. We are in receipt of the initial number of a new magazine, "The Curler and Bowler" published in Toronto by Dr. B. E. Hawke and Mr. J. M. McDonald, two of the best known and most popular bowlers and curlers in the province. In 1909 his card appeared in the Berlin Telegraph as an itenerant surgeon. In 1910 he was acquitted of the charge of attempting to perform a criminal operation. In 1912 however the Telegraph of March 4th. reported that "Dr. B. E. Hawke Disappears". He was named in the verdict of a coroner's jury for a similar charge. There was no further mention of this matter, and indeed his name did not appear again until the Weekly Reporter of June 27, 1918 reported that he had received a promotion in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Britain. His obituary appeared in the Toronto Telegram on August 9, 1924. He had served in the army and was aboard the liner Laconia when it was torpedoed. He had been in the water a long time and had been in poor health thereafter, dying of a stroke in Liverpool on July 27, 1924. Dr. Alexander D. Campbell, Doctors in Waterloo County 1852-1925

  
  

• Sources

  [S113] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1881, Division 2 Page 24. [S269] Census - ON, Waterloo, Wellesley Twp. - 1871, p 49. [S5] Vit - - ON, Waterloo - 1858-1869 Marriage Register. William Hawk Born: Canada Res: Wellesley Township Age: 35 Father: Ben Born: 1823 Spouse: Isabella Hannan Age: 21 born: Scotland Res: Wellesley Township Born: 1837 Father: William married 9 Dec 1858 county: Waterloo [S20] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - Berlin Telegraph (title varies: Berlin Telegraph, Berlin Daily Telegraph) (1853-1922), 24 Dec 1858. Hawk - Harrow: By the same on the 9th inst., William Hawk, Esq., to Miss Isabella Harrow, both of Wellesley.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 13 Apr 1866 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Wesleyan Methodist - 1871 - Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1889 - Spokane Falls, Spokane, Washington, USA Died - 9 Aug 1924 - Liverpool, , Lancashire, England Buried - - Allerton Cemetery, Liverpool, , Lancashire, England  = Link to Google Earth