His son, Edwin Dafoe, became managing editor of the Free Press and his grandson, John Dafoe, became the editor of The Montreal Star and later editorial page editor of the  Winnipeg Free Press.
Edwin Dafoe, the son of the original individual, succeeded him as the managing editor of the Free Press. His grandson, John Dafoe, went on to hold prominent positions at The Montreal Star and the Winnipeg Free Press, including serving as editorial page editor.