VALENTINE EMBURY

Daily British Whig May 29 1880

The late venerable Father Embury, who died in the village of Myersburg on the 29th of February, 1880, was of the Embury family who introduced Methodism into America, the late Valentine Embury being the grandson of a brother of the Rev. Philip Embury, who laid the foundation of Methodism in the city of New York. The two brothers, Philip and the grandfather of the deceased Valentine Embury, labored together in building the John Street Church. At the time of the revolutionary war, the war of independence in the United States, the Emburys took sides with the British, and immediately afterwards the grandfather of the late Valentine Embury and his two sons, Samuel and John Edward, moved to Canada, and settled on the shore of the Bay of Quinte, in the township of Fredericksburgh, where the old gentleman and his two sons above named aided with their own hands in building the Methodist church of Adolphustown - thought to be the first Methodist church in Canada. Valentine Embury, of whom we are now writing, was the son of John Edward Embury, and was therefore grand nephew of Philip Embury, of New York, and was born in Fredericksburgh on the 24th August, 1791, as was therefore in the 89th year at the time of his death. When quite young, his uncle John Detlor, taking a fancy to him, he got permission of his father to go and live with this uncle, Lieutenant Detlor, in the town of York (now Toronto), where he obtained a somewhat liberal education for that early day. In the war of 1812, Lieutenant Detlor was killed, and young Valentine Embury was appointed clerk in the barracks of the city of Kingston. At the close of the war, his father, John Edward Embury, offered Valentine, as he was his youngest son, the homestead, if he would leave the city and come and live with him, which offer he accepted in the year 1825. Not long after this his father sold the homestead, and bought a farm in the township of Richmond, near Napanee, where the old gentleman died in 1848.

Father Valentine Embury, in his old age, made his home with his son-in-law, Mr. William Wynne, of Myersburg, as above stated, and where he died, full of joy as well as full of years. - Christian Guardian.

DR. ALBERT J. FILE

Canada’s Oldest Practising Physician

Dr. Albert J. File of Ameliasburg, Ontario

Active at Age of Eighty-Seven

Kingston Whig Standard July 13 1929

Canada’s oldest practising physician is believed to be Dr. Albert J. File of Ameliasburg village in Prince Edward County, Ontario, where he has spent sixty years healing the sick. Dr. File is a typical old-time country doctor and the friend of everybody in the countryside. He is one of those medical men of the olden days who has spent his whole life in ministering to the needs of a community which might have lost many of its people had he not been on the ground to check their illnesses. He reminds one of “Dr. MacClure” in Ian Maclaren’s “Bonnie Brier Bush,” who stayed up all night with fewer patients, ministering to them through the still hours, sitting by the bedside till the sun came up and going home to catch a few hours sleep before beginning another day of attending upon the sick. Like Scotland, Canada owes much to the country doctor – that type of ministering angel who sticks to the outposts and dies without fame – and yet whose memory lives in the hearts of the community in which he labors and serves with his whole heart and soul. To him that love of the people around him is greater than a monument of marble or a tablet of brass extolling his virtues. He loves to see the babies at whose birth he assisted grow to be healthy young men and women; to see fathers and mothers happy in middle life, and the grandparents of his day and generation content in the evening of their lives.

In the district of Ameliasburgh this is what the venerable Dr. File witnesses at the great age of eighty-seven after a life spent in helping humanity. This aged doctor is still doing duty, prescribing for the sick and acting as health officer of the township. The debt owed to the country doctor in Canada is immense and there are none who realize this more that the specialists and the city doctor with the hospital practice. And at this day regret is often heard that the country doctor is passing. But times are changing, Ontario’s hospital centres are now elaborately equipped, the automobile has made it possible to rush the sick long distances in a brief time, and the man who is willing to go into the rural districts has not the practice that awaited him years ago.

Dr. Albert J. File was born in the township of North Fredericksburgh, near Napanee in 1842. He graduated from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Kingston in 1869 and at once began practice at Ameliasburg village, Prince Edward County where he has carried on his profession ever since. As his picture shows he is patriarchal in appearance, reminding one of the late Rev. Dr. MacKay, the famous Canadian missionary to Formosa. Dr. File is of benign countenance and ready smile. For the past forty years he has been medical officer of health of the large township of Ameliasburgh giving his personal attention to every case. He is a mild disposition but very strong and active for one of his years. He attends to his ator, [sic] Michael Sullivan, Dr. Yates, Dr. Sampson and Dr. Stewart, all Old-Country-trained men. Dr. Sullivan was quite advanced in surgery in his day and performed operations of the pioneer kind. At the age of twenty-seven, Albert File went forth to practise his profession. He garden and a large flock of poultry, [sic] and with one of his sons has a stock farm of Ayrshire cattle which have carried off many prizes at exhibitions. He takes vigorous forms of exercise. The doctor is a great reader and keenly interested in the topics of the day. With his family he was largely responsible for the building of St. Alban’s Anglican Church, Ameliasburgh. Dr. File was married to Catharine Barnes of Kingston by the Rev. Henry Wilson of St. George’s Cathedral. Mrs. File is still living and there are also six sons and three daughters. One of the sons is associated actuary of the Canada Life Assurance Company.

Some time ago there was a family reunion and snapshot pictures were taken of the happy family of eleven. One snapshot shows the patriarchal doctor standing among his flowers and vegetables.

Dr. File entered the Kingston College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1866 a year before Confederation, and received his instruction from prominent physicians and surgeons of that day, including the late Sen- [sic] took his post-graduate work in the rude school of experience. He did not have the diagnosis aids of the modern physician – bacteriology, pathology and X-ray. The country doctor of sixty years ago had to depend upon his college knowledge and book reading. He seldom got to a hospital or to a medical meeting for refresher work. He followed the instruction given him in college and treated difficult cases as best he could. Sometimes he had to ride miles on horseback to reach a distant patient. Fractures were set and emergency amputations done in the office or the home. When there was suffering from toothache the country doctor was the dentist as well as the physician and surgeon. He became, too, the counsellor, acting in a closer manner than even the clergyman. Through all the years, Dr. File was a faithful physician and today at eighty-seven he is the most revered man in the whole countryside.

THE FINKLES

History of the Settlement of Upper Canada, Wm. Canniff, 1869

The late Geo. Finkle, of Ernesttown, says, “My grandfather, Dr. Geo. Finkle, left Germany when a young man; and bought two estates, one at Great and one at Little Nine Partners. In adhering to the British, he had all his estates, which were valuable at Nine Partners, Duchess Co., confiscated to the Rebel Government. My father, Henry, made his way to Quebec shortly after the war began, being sixteen years old. Entered the Engineer’s Department, where he learned the use of carpenter’s tools. In settling, this knowledge was of great use to him and he became the builder of the first framed building in Upper Canada. His wife was a sister of Capt. John Bleeker. He settled on the front of Ernesttown, lot six. Finkle’s Point is well known.

The First court held in Upper Canada, it is said, was at Finkle’s house, which being larger than any at Kingston, or elsewhere on the Bay, afforded the most convenience. Mr. Finkle records the trial of a negro for stealing a loaf of bread, who, being found guilty, received thirty-nine lashes. The basswood tree, to which he was tied, istill standing; Mr. Finkle had slaves and was the first to give them freedom. One of the brothers, of which there were three, John, George and Henry, served seven years in Johnson’s regiment.

Mr. Finkle wrote us, Dec. 11 1865; he says, “Being in my 74^th year and in impaired health, I am unable to write more.” The kind man soon thereafter was called away at a good old age, like his father and grandfather.

Geo. Finkle, son of Henry, had three sons, Gordon William, Roland Robinson and Henry. The Finkles as we have seen elsewhere, were actively engaged in the construction of the first steamboats, the ‘Frontenac’ and ‘Charlotte,’ having had an interest in the ‘Charlotte’ and his eldest son, Gordon, is now one of the oldest captains upon the Bay, being attached ot the steamer “Bay Quinte.’

The old place granted to the grandfather still belongs to the family, Roland R. Still residing there, and the youngest, Henry, is Postmaster at Bath.

ALEXANDER FISHER

Settlement of Upper Canada, Wm. Canniff, 1869

Judge Alexander Fisher, a name well known in the Midland District, was a native of Perthshire, Scotland, from whence his parents, with a numerous family, emigrated to New York, then a British province. At the time of the rebellion, they had accumulated a considerable amount of both real and personal property; but at the defeat of Burgoyne, near the place of whose defeat they lived, the Fisher family, who would not abandon their loyalty, left their all and endured great hardships in finding their way to Montreal. Alexander was subsequently employed in the Commissariat, under McLean, at Carleton Island; while his twin brother obtained the charge of the High School at Montreal, which situation he held until his death, in the year 1819. At the close of the war the family obtained their grants of land as U.E. Loyalists.

Alex. Fisher was appointed the first District Judge and Chairman of Quarter Sessions for the Midland District, to the last of which he was elected by his brother magistrates. He was also for many years a Captain of Militia, which post he held during the war of 1812. The family took up their abode in Adolphustown upon the shores of Hay Bay. A sister of Judge Fisher was married to Mr. Hagerman and another to Mr. Stocker, who, for a time, lived on the front of Sidney. He was related by marriage to McDonnell of Marysburgh. His parents lived with him at the farm in Adolphustown. They were buried here in the family vault with a brother and the Judge’s only son.

Judge Fisher was short in stature and somewhat stout, with a prominent nose. He was, as a judge and as a private individual, universally esteemed. “He was a man of great discernment and moral honesty governed his decisions.” –(Allison.) He died in the year 1830 and was buried in the family vault. As an evidence of the high esteem in which he was held, there was scarcely a lawyer or magistrate in the whole District, from the Carrying Place to Gananoque, who did not attend his funeral, together with a great concourse of the settlers throughout the counties.

ISAAC FRASER

History of the Settlement of Upper Canada, Wm. Canniff, 1869

Among the prominent men who resided in Ernesttown, near the Bay of Quinte, was Isaac Fraser, Esq., for many years M.P.P. for the Counties of Lennox and Addington. Mr. Fraser was a man of great decision of character and during the active part of his life, probably wielded a great influence and his opinions always commanded great respect. In his political opinions, he was identified with the Conservative or Tory party; and when he arrived at a conclusion on any particular point, he adhered to it with all the tenacity which a clear conviction of its justice could inspire. With him there was no wavering, no vacillation. He was always reliable and his friends always knew where to find him. There is no doubt, he acted from conscientious motives and from a clear conviction of duty and, so far as I know, no man ever charged him with acting corruptly. In his religious views, Mr. Fraser sympathized with the Presbyterians and, if I mistake not, was a member of the church organized and watched over by the late Rev. Robert McDowall of Fredericksburgh.