This web-master and other viewers interested in this family web-site are indebted to those in our family who have taken the time to research their particular family lines and have then graciously permitted the material to be posted on this web-site. Those contributions have gone a long way in adding to and making this site possible. An example of one such contributor who deserves special recognition is Donald MacWillie of Texas, the grandson of Doctor John MacWillie. Donald researched and drafted the history of Dr. John MacWillie to which this chapter is devoted. Donald had inherited family research material started by his father, expanded on the research and then willingly supplied the material and photos for this chapter.
Webmaster: Robert McWillie.

An Alexander MacWillie, a descendant of the McWillies of Botriphnie parish, Scotland, married a Margaret MacGlashan at Methven, Perth, Scotland, on the 3rd of August, 1868. They had three children of whom the first, Alexander, was born in Scotland in 1869. Shortly thereafter, the family immigrated to Ontario, Canada, where the father found employment as a retail clerk and bookkeeper for a lumber company at Bolsover, Canada. While at Bolsover, their two other children were born: John in 1872 and David in 1876. (Particulars of the life of the sons Alexander and David can be found elewhere in this web-site by clicking on "Box 7, Individual Stories" in the "Directory" or by going to "Family Genealogical Chart" at the top right of this page.)

In 1873 the family left Bolsover, moving to Milbank, Ontario, where the father became a partner in the foundry of "McLaughlin & MacWillie." Unfortunately the father, Alexander, died at the young age of forty-five. Following Alexander's death, the mother and three children moved to Toronto, Ontario, where, in order to support the family, the mother opened a family grocery store.

The son John who had been born in 1872 at Bolsover, Eldon Twp, Victoria County, Ontario, Canada, received his primary education first in Bradford, Ontario, and later through home tutors. In 1900, he graduated second in his class from Trinity University Medical College with a degree of MDCM (Medicinae Doctorem et Chirurgiae Magistrum). At the time, John was 28 years old. Like his brother Alexander before him, John had been interested in Missionary work in China which was being performed through a China Mission Organization in Toronto, and both brothers had volunteered for duty there. John was accepted, but his brother was rejected because the family grocery business was in Alexander's name and the Mission felt that Alexander's responsibility lay at home with the care of his aging mother.

While attending Trinity College, John met and fell in love with Lotta Luella McMorran who was born on September 4th of 1878, and was attending Trinity's sister college, St Hilda's, in Toronto, where she graduated as a practicing nurse. It was the couple's intent to marry immediately following John's graduation, however the China Mission policy required they go through a two year "apprentice period" to demonstrate their dedication to the goals of the China Inland Mission. John and Lotta reluctantly agreed to postpone their marriage for another two years.