He opened an office in a building opposite Loth's Hotel and lived for a time in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Kalbfleisch, where the Francis Funeral Home is now located. On April 11, 1885, he purchased from George and August Schaefer, a house at the corner of Hope Street West and Mogk Street. Since that time, over a period of eighty-two years, this has always been the home of a medical doctor, the present owner being Dr. Wayne Weston, who purchased it from the writer in 1966.

Dr. Rankin was known as a friendly, jovial person. He was large in stature, weighing about 360 pounds and later in life, as a member of Parliament, he was reputed to be the biggest man in the House of Commons. He was an inveterate cigar-smoker and claimed that smoking was responsible for keeping his weight below four hundred. He was a colourful figure in Tavistock in the 1880?s. The story is told about the good doctor hearing a terrific racket in the Bauer Hotel one day, as he walked along the street. He cautiously opened the door and immediately realized that a rather one-sided battle was in progress, with a fellow from West Zorra being the victim of a mass attack by several of the stalwart men of Tavistock. The doctor was unwilling to become embroiled in the fisticuffs, but there was no doubt in his mind that the lad from the country was badly in need of help. Noticing a few beer kegs sitting in front of the hotel, he began tossing them, one after another, through the window. The fracas ended abruptly, as the combatants rushed to the street.

One December 21, 1888, Dr. Rankin sold his practice and property to Dr. Michael Steele. (see picture, 1909 School Board) He moved to Stratford, where in addition to conducting a medical practice, he became prominent in municipal, political and military affairs. He represented the North Riding of Perth, as a Liberal member of the House of Commons in Ottawa, from 1908 to 1911 and again from 1921 until 1925, when he was appointed to the Senate. He died in Stratford on June 15, 1934.

Dr. Otto George Niemeier came to Tavistock to establish a medical practice in 1887, following his graduation from Trinity Medical College in Toronto. He was born at Neustadt, in Bruce County in 1862, the son of Dr. George Niemeier, who was educated in Germany and obtained his medical degree in 1848. With this family background, young Dr. Niemeier was interested in practising in an area where many of the people were of German origin. On December 30, 1890, he purchased from Levi Wildfang and wife, a house at the corner of Woodstock and Jane Streets where Mrs. Marguerite Wiffen and Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Wiffen now live, This was only a stone's throw from the home and office of Dr. Michael Steele, who had succeeded Dr. J.P. Rankin. From this date, for a period of almost forty-six years, medical practitioners at these two locations in the centre of the village, served the medical needs of the community and from their respective vantage points, were able to keep an eye on one another's activities.

I am indebted to Miss Beatrice Niemeier of Toronto, a daughter of Dr. Neimeier, for information and interesting stories about her father, who developed a large general practice here during the horse and buggy days. Like other doctors in the area, he took great pride in driving good horses and at one time during an epidemic of influenza, used seven horses to their full capacity. It was not all smooth travelling on country roads in those days. One morning, at daybreak, the doctor was seen entering the village, astride his horse which was hitched to the buggy, which had a fence rail lashed beneath one axle to replace a missing wheel, lost in the mud.

Dr. Neimeier did a considerable amount of dental work and became quite proficient in extraction of teeth. He maintained in his home, a bedroom for patients who needed to remain under care and supervision overnight and his wife acted as nurse on many occasions.

After spending seventeen years in Tavistock, Dr. Neimeier was obliged to leave his country practice due to failing health. He sold his property on October 3, 1904, to Dr. J. Lorne Campbell and moved to Toronto, where he engaged in a limited and less strenuous practice. He died at his home in Toronto on December 2, 1929.