John Row Sr. was born in London, England, in July 1871. He later immigrated to Canada where he practised as a druggist, first in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, later in Whitewood, Saskatchewan, and finally operated a pharmacy in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Row enlisted in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in July 1915 and served overseas with the Medical Corps until his return to Canada in 1919. The collection consists of more than twenty letters covering the period from 1915 to 1919.