Re: Dr. James Sinclair (veterinary)

[Niven Sinclair <niven@niven.co.uk>]

At 11:58 21/03/00 -0400, you wrote:
>from "Called Them Blessed"  a book of Cannington, Ontario -
>
>"......Dr. James Sinclair, another outstanding figure in the community
>throughout his lifetime.  He enjoyed an international reputation as a
>judge of horse flesh.  This took him to fairs, horse shows and
>exhibitions all over America and
>abroad.  Despite his time-consuming travels, Dr. Sinclair managed to
>attend a wide practice, and stories of his loving skill with animals
>continue to be told.  An example of these stories is one which concerns
>a horse which had been "hospitalized" in Dr. Sinclair's barn for some
>time.  Eventually the time came when he felt that he had the animal
>cured.  He sold the horse to Edgar Lambert, explaining the possibility
>that there might be a recurrence of the ailment, and at the same time
>advising him of the action to take in such an event.  Unfortunately,
>recurrence co-incided with the arrival of the threshers.  Anyone who
>remembers my uncle's love of horses (I don't know who was the author of
>this story) will appreciate that nothing less than the confusion
>attendant upon such occasions would have caused him to neglect the
>horse.  The fact that the horse was in trouble went unnoticed, but this
>was an intelligent and resourceful animal,
>he knew where to get help.  He managed to escape from the pasture and to
>find his way the two miles to his kind doctor, but this story has a sad
>ending.  The weakened animal collapsed on the roadside at Dr. Sinclair's
>door, and died before help could reach him."
>
>Sniff :-(
>
>"Dr. Sinclair had no family, and his wife never accompanied him on his
>trips. Very early, he commenced the practice of bringing to her on each
>occasion some piece of exquisite china.  The collection became an
>interesting hobby, and when the home was broken up after his death, this
>china was sought with eagerness by every woman in the countryside.
>Today, in many homes, even one piece is a cherished memento of a man who
>was respected by all."
>
>There is also a photo of him with a beautiful horse standing before his
>lovely house
>at 34 John Street, Cannington.
>
>   I hope you enjoyed this.   Sometimes we get very caught up in births,
>deaths, and marriages, and forget to research how they lived.  If anyone
>has the family pedigree for this branch of Sinclairs, I'd appreciate
>hearing from you.  I don't know how Dr. James is related to Archibald
>from Islay, but I'd like to find out.  I think he is related to my Neil
>Sinclair, but I can't prove that yet.
>
>There is another Sinclair from that area that I can't connect.  He was
>Donald, born on the Atlantic Ocean, married Margaret Campbell.  He was a
>farmer and storekeeper in Digby
>when 2 of their children were killed while playing with matches and a
>container of gun-
>powder.  The house was shattered to pieces.  (January, 1870).  In the
>1870 and 71 he was described as a general merchant and tavern keeper of
>the North Star Hotel.  I don't  know where they went after that.
>
>Toni S.
>
>  What a lovely story.  It  brought tears to my eyes.  I love horses - having
     been brought up on a farm.  My grandfather, David Sinclair, was 
President of the       Caithness Horse Breeders Association.   He had a 
rare gift with horses.

     My elder brother, another David Sinclair, has a similar gift with 
cattle.  He won
    the Smithfield Championship on three occasions and the King's Cup five 
times
    in succession.  He was awarded the CBE for services to agriculture.


   Niven Sinclair


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