Memorable Manitobans: Eugene Walters (1864-1934)

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Eugene Walters
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Physician, cleric.

Born at London, England on 22 September 1864, son of Henry Walters and Emily Walters, he was reportedly orphaned at the age of 14 and attended Cliff College at Derbyshire, Hartley College at London, and Holly Theological College of the National Schools. Upon graduation in 1887, he departed for Jamaica as a Baptist missionary. There he met and married Eva Needham at Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica in 1889. The couple had five children: Howard N. Walters (1893-?), Francis J. Walters (1899-?), Geraldine G. Walters (1891-?, wife of Alfred O. Huguet), Doris Nina Walters (1894-?, wife of Hartley Colin McFadyen), and Janet Adelaide Walters (1897-?, wife of Alexander Francis Watts).

He eventually returned to England to continue working in clerical ministry and undertook graduate medical work in a London hospital before moving to the United States and enrolling in a four-year medical program at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1896. He returned home to England before coming to Canada in 1904. The family settled at Stonewall where he was the Minister for the local Baptist Church as well as for nearby mission churches at Balmoral and Grassmere. He continued clerical work at mission churches in Elmwood, East Elmwood, Weston, and St. James. He also both helped construct and served as pastor of the Beulah Baptist Church in Elmwood.

In October 1906, he was admitted to the University of Manitoba for his last year of medical school and graduated in May 1907. The following year, he founded a community dispensary and medical practice in what would become the North End of Winnipeg, providing medical care to an under-served community. This developed into the North Winnipeg Hospital (NWH), for which he was Medical Superintendent (1908-1919). After the Municipal Hospital Commission took over operation of the NWH, he served less than a year as Superintendent of Victoria General Hospital. He entered private practice and maintained an office in the Boyd Building for many years. Despite falling ill around August 1933, he reportedly continued to see patients at his bedside until his death.

He was a medical adviser for the Masons (St. John's Lodge No. 4) and IOOF (Northern Star Lodge No. 2), and was nine-year President (Board of Deacons) of the Crescent Congregational Church, as well as a Deacon of Central Baptist Church and Trinity Baptist Church. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club.

He died of liver cancer at his Winnipeg residence, 315 Balmoral Street, on 9 May 1934 and was buried in the Elmwood Cemetery.

Sources:

1911 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“University is prosperous,” Winnipeg Tribune, 12 October 1906, page 8.

“Graduates of University [Medicine],” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 May 1907, page 10.

“Beulah Baptist Church,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 April 1908, page 5.

“Society [Dr. and Mrs. E. Walters ...],” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 March 1910, page 9.

“Suburban - North Winnipeg [The reception given by the Ladies Aid of St. John's Presbyterian Church ...],” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 May 1910, page 3.

“Society [Miss Doris Walters ...],” Winnipeg Tribune, 21 July 1921, page 8.

“McFadden-Walters,” Winnipeg Tribune, 11 March 1922, page 7.

“Dr. E. Walters, well-known physician, dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 10 May 1934, page 3.

“Dr. E. Walters is dead following lengthy illness,” Winnipeg Free Press, 11 May 1934, page 7.

“Many attend funeral of Dr. Eugene Walters,” Winnipeg Tribune, 15 May 1934, page 7.

“Hospital beds at a bargain,” Winnipeg Free Press, 13 July 1970, page 116.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 14 October 2017

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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