THOMAS ALFRED PATRICK, M.D.
Dr. Thomas Alfred Patrick, a pioneer physician and surgeon of York- ton, is not only prominently known as a professional man but has won widespread recognition for his political services. He was born on the 23d of December, 1864, a son of George B. and Alicia (Hobbs) Patrick, at their home in London township, Middlesex district, Ontario. In the acquirement of his preliminary education Thomas Alfred Pat- rick attended the public schools of his birthplace and the Strathroy high school. Subsequently he enrolled in the Western University and was graduated in medicine in 1888, and practiced medicine in Ignace, Michi- gan, until the end of that year, after three months' postgraduate study. He then went to East Assiniboia and located in Saltcoats, and in 1894 re- moved to Yorkton. He was the pioneer physician in northeast Saskatche- wan and all of the experiences and hardships of the pioneer doctor were his. For thirty-five years he has been in active practice and during that time he has rendered valuable service to his fellowmen. Not all of the Doctor's time and attention have been devoted to his profession, however. From 1898 to 1904 he represented the constituency of Yorkton in the Northwest Territories Legislature. In 1891, as a can- didate from the constituency of Wallace, in an election address he was the first in the Northwest Territories to announce himself a follower and supporter of Mr. Haultain. In 1898 at a by-election, and in the gen- eral election of 1899, he was elected by acclamation as a member for Yorkton in the legislature of the territories. In 1902, while a member of the legislature, he withdrew his support when Mr. Haultain's govern- ment proposed that one province should be erected from the Territories. He was reelected in 1903 as an opponent of the government on a platform advocating the creation of two provinces and opposing the annexation of any portion of Manitoba. In the Conservative convention at Moose Jaw in 1903 he introduced the resolution which committed that party to the policy of fighting local elections on party lines. In the Dominion election of 1904 he was the Conservative candidate for the representation of the electoral district of Mackenzie. It was a series of letters published over the Doctor's name in the Free Press during January, 1897, which probably had most to do with his subsequent prominent part in territorial politics. In these letters he gave a lucid statement of his views regarding the propo- sitions to annex the eastern part of the territories to Manitoba, and his arguments were the more forceful from the fact that he was a resident of that region which was directly tributary to Winnipeg. In 1898 he was associated with Mr. Haultain in a presentation of the arguments for ac- tion of some kind which would relieve the Territories of their disabilities and financial difficulties. During the years of his public service Dr. Patrick has exerted widespread influence. Associated with him were such prominent men as Mr. Sifton, R. B. Bennett, J. J. Young and G. W. Brown. In 1890 was celebrated the marriage of Dr. Patrick to Miss Marion Griffith, a daughter of James E. Griffith of Byron, Ontario. He has three daughters, all of whom are honor graduates of the University of Toronto, and one son, a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan. Bibliography follows:

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