Register entry 207 - Dr. James Switzer Freeborn
Dr. James Switzer Freeborn (1858-1937) was born in Bruce County, Ontario, and lived there most of his life. He studied medicine in Toronto, and overseas at Dublin, Edinburgh and London.
A Surgeon assigned to "B" Battery Field Hospital during the North-West Rebellion of 1885, he was stationed at the Battles of Fish Creek, Cut-Knife Hill and Batoche, and, after the conflict ended, at the North-West Mounted Police Depot at Regina. During his sojourn in these turbulent times in the West, Freeborn also acted as a field correspondent for several newspapers, including: the "Toronto Mail",
the "Owen Sound Sun", and the "Tara Leader". After his military service ended in October, 1885, he stopped at the famous Bell Farm en route back to Ontario, to see for himself what this well-known farm was all about.
In 1886-87 he was listed as the Acting Surgeon of "B" Battery, stationed in Quebec.
Subsequently, Dr. Freeborn married Marietta Elizabeth Gardener (1861-1941) on Feb. 21, 1888. They settled back in Bruce County, where they raised two sons. Eventually they moved to Magnetawan, Ontario, living there from 1897 onward.
In politics, Dr. Freeborn ran unsuccessfully for the Conservative Party in the 1904 federal constituency of Parry Sound; and served as Reeve for six years on the rural council of Chapman Township. He also served as Crown Lands Agent for the district - helping to augment his limited income from medical practice.
Both Dr. and Mrs. Freeborn were active in various community initiatives during The Great War (1914-18). He later documented the history of the men from Magnetawan who fought in the War; and helped establish a summer camp for girls and boys in their region. Jams Freeborn continued to practice medicine until his death in 1937.
He was reportedly very generous with his patients, often reducing or omitting fees for those unable to pay for his services.
SOURCES:
Obituary / Biography - 1937: http://images.ourontario.ca/almaguin/79761/page/8?n=
Gravestone - https://search.ancestry.ca/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60527&h=176068667&tid=&pid=&queryId=3f7728650ad5e6f053f1c55f5a64534b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=iyx26&_phstart=successSource
"B" Battery Personnel and wages – 1886-87: http://books.google.ca/books?id=qSwlAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA165&dq=%22freeborn%22+%22A.A.+Farley%22&hl=en&ei=OFOmTbTFAYTl0gGc2ZDuCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22freeborn%22%20%22A.A.%20Farley%22&f=false
1904 federal election: Parry Sound Constituency: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parry_Sound_(electoral_district)
RESEARCH BY:
Michelle Cabana, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Sask.