(22 July 1863-31July 1931), physician. (J. J. McKinnon, Joseph J. McKinnon) Born in the Alexandria area, GC, probably at his parents’ home which was on Lot 37, in the 3rd Concession of Lochiel Township. Parents: Laughlin (spelling also Lachlan) McKinnon and his wife Catherine McDonell. He was educated at the boys’ separate school, Alexandria, and at Holy Cross College, St. Laurent, Que. From Laval University in 1886 he graduated as a bachelier ès lettres, a qualification secured probably in connection with his studies at Holy Cross College. Afterwards, he taught at a “Catholic institution” (the name of which has not been found) in Montreal. At a date fairly close to 1886 he was living in Hudson, Wisc., where he studied law, before turning to medicine. In 1893 he graduated in medicine from the University of Minnesota. He helped pay his medical school expenses by teaching in the cathedral school at St. Paul, and by working as assistant supervisor of a public night school program in the same city. According to some accounts, for two years after graduation he worked as a physician with the Mayo brothers at Rochester, Minn. At any event, sometime in the 1890s he settled in Wadena, Minn., which was to be his home for the rest of his life.

     An active and successful physician, he was much involved in the life of the town and area. He was mayor of Wadena for two years, was city health officer and county coroner, and served on the boards of education and health. He played a major role in getting a TB sanatorium (Fair Oaks Lodge) established in Wadena. President of the board of the sanatorium for some years from the first organization of the institution, he was also superintendent of the sanatorium 1925-1929. Similarly, he served as president of the Wesley Hospital board. He died at his home in Wadena, of arteriosclerosis. Roman Catholic. A 1924 publication calls him “a democrat in politics.” He was married in 1894 to Miss Anna Blodgett of Minneapolis, a trained nurse. (five children) The obituary writer in the Wadena Pioneer Journal said that Dr McKinnon “was a man with the courage of his convictions. He was never so happy as when he was using his rugged intellect in a cause which he thought was right. His honesty and courage were widely known and respected and, combined with other admirable chacteristics, made his an attractive personality.” The subtitle of the obituary calls him a “Pioneer Doctor.”

Wadena Pioneer Journal, 6 Aug. 1931 (with portrait), repr. in part and without portrait Cornwall Standard 27 Aug. 1931. Also Glengarry News and CS both 13 Aug. 1931. These several obituaries agree in substance, but with much troublesome inconsistency of detail. * St. Finnan’s CRNI, III, 82 * information kindly supplied by Minnesota Historical Society, Laval University, University of Minnesota * Joseph A. A. Burnquist, Minnesota and Its People, Vol. IV (1924) 638-639 (biog. sketch) * Wadena Pioneer Journal: 15 Dec. 1927: 50th Anniversary Number, p. 61 (medical; portrait: illust. of hospital and sanatorium)