Dr. William J. Christie
Dr. William J. Christie came to Seeley’s Bay in 1892 to take over the practice of Dr. Bowen who moved to Gananoque. Dr. Christie was born at Fort Pelly, NWT, to William J. Christie, a Hudson Bay factor and his wife, Mary Sinclair, a woman with extensive Metis heritage.
The younger William Christie received his education in Scotland and completed his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh in 1877. Shortly after his graduation he entered the British Navy as a surgeon at the Royal Haslar Hospital and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir in 1882. In 1886 he left the Navy and returned to Canada to serve with the Hudson Bay Company as physician at Moose Factory.
In 1890 he moved to Brockville where his parents had retired and opened a medical practice. Two years later he moved to Seeley's Bay and was eventually joined by his parents. In 1898 Dr. Christie purchased a lot on the north side of Mill St. and contracted to have a new house built that would accommodate his parents and include consulting rooms. Sadly Dr. Christie suffered a heart attack and died June 13, 1899. His father died October 22, 1899 and his mother died February 19, 1900; Dr. Christie and his parents are buried in Brockville.
The Christie family never lived in the new house which was later sold to William Francis Bracken.
Mary Sinclair Christie has been identified as the possible creator of a decorated fire bag acquired by the Royal Alberta Museum from the Carnegie estate in Scotland.
