John Sweetland, son of Simon and Jane (Norris) Sweetland, dates his birth at the City of Kingston, Ontario, August 15, 1835. He is a descendant of the Sweetlands of Exeter, Devonshire, England. He was educated at Queen’s College in his native city, and was graduated from its medical department in 1858. He opened an office at Pakenham, County of Lanark, Ont.; practiced there for eight years, and in 1866 removed to the capital of the Dominion, which has since been his home, and where he has an extensive practice in the several branches of his profession.
Since entering the practice of medicine and surgery, Dr. Sweetland has led an extremely busy life. In addition to the duties of his large practice, in their usual line, he has had much labor to perform otherwise, having held various offices which absorbed much time. Most of the years while a resident of Pakenham, he was Coroner of Lanark and Renfrew counties; and, since settling in Ottawa, he was Surgeon of the Carleton County Jail for several years; also of the General Hospital, and is now Consulting Physician of that institution. He was likewise, for a long time, Surgeon of Unity Protestant Benefit Society; for a shorter period Surgeon of the Foresters, and is now Surgeon of the independent order of Odd Fellows.
Dr. Sweetland was President of the Ottawa Medico-Chirurgical Society in 1877; of the St. George’s Society for seven years; of the Ottawa Protestant Poor Relief Committee for two seasons; was President for three years of the Ottawa Reform Association, a political organization; is now President of the Beechwood Cemetery, and has been first Vice-President of the Ottawa Ladies’ College since that popular school was organized. He was Commissioner during the construction of the Ottawa Water Works, and for years a Director of the 1st and 2nd Mutual Building Societies of Ottawa.
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and for four years was Master of Doric Lodge No. 58, Canadian Register.
He is a member of Christ Episcopal Church; a man of the purest Christian character, and in hearty sympathy with the reformatory movements, in a moral sense, of the age. He is a man of very noble impulses, and untiring in his efforts to aid in promoting the best interests of his fellow beings.
Dr. Sweetland has a second wife. His first was Isabella, daughter of Sheriff Dickson of Kingston, Ont. She died in 1872, leaving two daughters, Elizabeth J. and Selina Florence. His present wife was Mrs. Caroline Blasdell Sparks, relict of the late Nicholas Sparks, son of Nicholas Sparks, the founder of Ottawa, their union taking place in August, 1874. They have one child, John Blasdell.
Dr. Sweetland has a high standing in his profession and as a citizen, and is not unknown outside the Dominion of Canada. He is a member of the North American St. George’s Union, and was Vice-President of that society in 1879, and in September of the same year was elected its President.