Alfred Schmitz Shadd was born in about 1870 to Garrison William Shadd and Harriet Poindexter Shadd, his father and mother respectively. He spent his years as an educator, politician, doctor and office holder. He gained his medical certification from the University of Toronto where he graduated with distinction. He died in 1915 of appendicitis.

Alfred Schmitz Shadd
Born
Alfred Schmitz Shadd

c. 1870
Diedc.1915 (aged 44–45)
Resting placeMount Pleasant Cemetery
Alma materUniversity of Toronto (School of Medicine)
Occupations
  • Educator
  • doctor
  • journalist
  • farmer
  • politician
  • office holder
Spouse
Janet Stevenson Simpson
(m. 1907)
Children2
Parent(s)Garrison William Shadd (father)
Harriet Jane Curtis (mother)
RelativesAbraham Doras Shadd (grandfather)
Mary Ann Shadd (aunt)

Career

edit

Alfred Schmitz Shadd (c.1870[1]c.1915) was an office holder, politician, farmer, journalist, doctor and educator.[2] He was a trained teacher engaged in education within racially segregated schools. Shadd was a doctor in Melfort, Saskatchewan.[2]As a doctor he was diligent and selfless with all types of patients alike. As a famer, he was the pioneer of growing crabapple trees and mixed farming practices in his vicinity.[3] As an educator, he taught at Buxton School and eventually became the principal of the same school in 1896.[4]

Education

edit

Shadd enrolled into the University of Toronto medical school for his medical degree. While at the University of Toronto, he was a member of Trinity College.[3] Within that duration of time, he had financial constraints which prevented him from completing his degree in 1896. Following that, he took up a role as a teacher at Kinistino within the province of Saskatchewan to gather funds. He made his way back to the University of Toronto medical school to complete his degree after a year spent teaching. In 1898, he graduated with honors in his medical degree.[2]

Family and Children

edit

Shadd's grandfather Abraham Doras Schadd, was actively involved in the abolitionist movements after he arrived in Canada mid 19th century. Abraham Shadd was also involved helping slaves escape. Alfred Shadd's aunt, Mary Ann Cary, was well known in the United States and Canada for her role as an educator in racially segregated schools and racially integrated schools respectively.[4] On the 13th of December 1907 he married Jeanette Simpson whom he had two children, named Garrison and Louena.[3]

Politics

edit

Shadd was a conservative who contested and lost for the position of a territorial candidate in Kinistino, Saskatchewan in 1902. He contested again for Saskatchewan's first legislature under the Haultain's Provincial Right party in 1905. He lost that contest as well by 52 votes.[2]

Electoral results

edit

1902 election

edit
May 21, 1902 election
Name Vote %
  William Frederick Meyers 425 62.32%
  Alfred Schmitz Shadd 257 37.68%
Total Votes 682 100%

Death

edit

Alfred Shadd died at the age of 45 years of appendicitis.[3]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Lee, Cam. "'The first black doctor on the Prairies': a look at Dr. Shadd during Black History Month in Canada". battlefordsNOW. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Biography – SHADD, ALFRED SCHMITZ – Volume XIV (1911-1920) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". www.biographi.ca. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Media, OH!. "Alfred Schmitz Shadd « Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum". sachm.org. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Biography - Dr. Shadd". Western Development Museum. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
edit