Samuel Willis Prowse (1869 - 1931)

Born 25 Aug 1869 in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island

Ancestors

Husband of Katherine Mary Gordon (Smith) Prowse — married 18 Apr 1894 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Husband of Irene Mary (Fairbairn) Prowse — married 8 Jan 1926 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Died 1 Aug 1931 at age 61 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Leanne Cooper [send private message]

Biography

Samuel W. Prowse was born in on August 25, 1869^[1] in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island. He was the youngest child of Samuel Prowse and Louisa Willis. He grew up in the family home in Murray Harbour.

After receiving an B.A. at Mt Allison University in Sackville, NB, Samuel moved to Scotland to pursue medical studies. He obtained a Bachelor of medicine and master in Surgery from University of Edinburgh, following which he practiced medicine for 4-5 yrs in Fifeshire, Scotland. He then obtained an M.D. from the University of Edinburgh. In 1893, he became Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.^[2]

While in Scotland, Samuel married Katie Smith, widow of James Aitken Robertson, on April 18, 1894.^[3] They had one daughter, Evelyn.

In 1898, Samuel and his family moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba where Samuel was a practicing physician, specializing in diseases of eye, ear, nose and throat. He served as President of the Winnipeg Medico-Chirugical Society in 1910.^[4] In 1916, Samuel joined the Canadian Expeditionary Forces,^[5] and took a mobile field hospital to France. In 1917, while overseas, he was elected Dean of the Manitoba Medical College.

1901 Canada Census at Winnipeg, Manitoba:^[6]

• Head: Samuel W Prouse, 31, b. Canada;
• Wife: Catherine M G Prouse, 33, b. England, Immigration 1898;
• Daughter: Frances E Prouse, 6, b. Scotland, Immigration 1898;
• Lodger (likely mother in law): Elizabeth Smith, 56, b. Scotland, Married, Immigration 1900;
• Lodger (mother): Louisa J Prowse, 69, b. England, Immigration 1842.

1906 Canada Northwest Provinces Census at Winnipeg, Manitoba:^[7]

• Head: Samuel W Prowse, 48, b. Ontario;
• Wife: Kate Prowse, 35, b. Scotland;
• Daughter: Evelyn Prowse, 11, b. Scotland.
• Note: Samuel's age is incorrect, however, no image available for this record to determine if it is a transcription error or otherwise.

1911 Canada Census at Winnipeg, Manitoba:^[8]

• Head: Samuel Prowse, b. Aug 1869 PEI;,
• Wife: Katherine Prowse, b. May 1867 Scotland;
• Daughter: Francis Evelyn Prowse, b. Feb 1895 Scotland.

1916 Canada Census, Prairie Provinces at Winnipeg, Manitoba:^[9]

• Head: Samuel W Prowse, 46, b. PEI;
• Wife: Kate M G Prowse, 48, b. England;
• Daughter: Francis E Prowse, 21, b. Scotland, Single.

Samuel's wife Katherine died in 1921^[10]A few years later, Samuel married Irene Mary Fairbairn. They were married on January 8, 1926 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.^[11] Sadly, Irene died only 3 years after they were married, at the age of 40.^[12]

1926 Canada Census, Prairie Provinces at Winnipeg, Manitoba:^[13]

• Head: Samuel Prouse, 56, b. PEI;
• Wife (2nd): Irene Prouse, 38, b. United States;
• Daughter: Evelyn Prouse, 31, b. Scotland, Single;
• Son: Aylen Prouse, 12, b. Manitoba.
• Note: Robert 'Aylen' Prowse was born 20 Feb 1914 at Winnipeg, to Irene Mary Aylen (maiden name), which predates his first wife's death and his marriage to his second wife. One assumes he was a stepson, officially adopted hence the same last name on the official records.

Samuel died on August 1, 1931 in Winnipeg, at the age of 61^[14]

Sources

1. ↑ No birth or baptismal certificate found, but same date is on multiple documents
2. ↑ The Guardian, Charlottetown, July 18, 1901, Pg 5 – Dr S.W. Prowse joins faculty of Manitoba Medical College
3. ↑ Island Farmer, May 17, 1894, transcribed in Century of Immigration, Marriage and Death Records from Prince Edward Island Newspapers, 1780-1900, by Leland Currie, Page 690
4. ↑ Memorable Manitobans – Samuel W. Prowse
5. ↑ Library and Archives Canada, Soldiers of the First World War, Officers Declaration Paper, Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force – Samuel Willis Prowse, May 20, 1916
6. ↑ "Canada Census, 1901", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHK9-2L4 : Sat Mar 09 21:56:17 UTC 2024), Entry for Samuel W Prouse and Catherine M G Prouse, 1901.
7. ↑ "Canada, Northwest Provinces Census, 1906", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KHJP-GYR : Thu Mar 07 09:59:25 UTC 2024), Entry for Samuel W Prowse and Kate Prowse, 1906.
8. ↑ "Recensement du Canada de 1911", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV95-XPVH : Sat Mar 09 08:56:33 UTC 2024), Entry for Samuel Prowse and Katherine Prowse, 1911.
9. ↑ "Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1916", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMPC-QBK : Fri Mar 08 04:58:26 UTC 2024), Entry for Samuel W Prowse and Kathrine M G Prowse, 1916.
10. ↑ Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency, 1921,019178 – Death of Katherine Mary Gordon Prowse, May 23, 1921, age 53
11. ↑ Manitoba, Vital Statistics Agency, Marriages, Registration 1926-003050 - Samuel W. Prowse and Irene Mary Fairbairn
12. ↑ Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency, 1929-0039136 – Death of Irene Mary Prowse, August 5, 1929, age 40
13. ↑ "Canada, Prairie Provinces Census, 1926", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPV7-FM5K : Fri Mar 08 22:11:37 UTC 2024), Entry for Samuel Prouse and Evelyn Prouse, 1926.
14. ↑ Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency, 1931,036096 – Death of Samuel Willis Prowse, August 1, 1931, age 61

See also:

• 1881 census of Canada, 1881 Canada Census; PEI, Kings (District 3), Subdistrict U, Lot 64, Pg 73 - Samuel & Louisa (pg 73) and 3 children (Continued on pg 74)
• 1891 Canada Census, Library and Archives Canada, PEI, Kings (District 133), Subdistrict U, Division 1 (Lot 64) Pg 19 - All on same page: Samuel & Louisa Prowse and 1 son ; William H, Ada, and 2 children; Albert P, Williamina and 4 children
• 1901 Canada Census, Library and Archives Canada, Manitoba, Winnipeg City (12), Ward 2 (B), Division 6, Pg 4 – Samuel W & Catherine M.G. & one child
• 1906 Canada Census, Manitoba, Winnipeg (10), Ward 1 (1), Division A, Pg 6 – Samuel W & Kate plus 1 daughter
• 1916 Canada Census, Manitoba, Winnipeg (15), City, Pg 43 - Samuel W. & Katherine M.G. Prowse and 1 child

• The Osler Library Newsletter, McGill University, No 113, Spring 2010, Pg 12 – Samuel Willis Prowse, Manitoba Dean
• Past and Present of Prince Edward Island: Embracing a concise review of its early settlement, development, and present conditions], MacKinnon, Donald Alexander, Warburton, Alexander Bannerman, 1906, pp430-31 (https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/archive/Past-and-Present-of-Prince-Edward-Island---Embracing-a-concise-review-of-its-early-settlement--development--and-present-conditions-2R3BF1OWRNZ12.html)
• The Charlottetown Guardian, Aug 3, 1931, Pg 7 – Death of Dr. Samuel Willis Prowse