George Washington Brown papers

George Washington Brown was born at Brower’s Mill, Randolph County, NC, the son of Walter Duncan and Mary Elizabeth Guthrie Brown. He graduated from the Shiloh Academy in 1892. He studied medicine at the Kentucky School of Medicine and graduated in 1898.

He first set up medical practice in Randolph County, then moved to Raeford in 1904. He made house calls until he was seventy-seven years old and delivered hundreds of babies. He continued to see patients until his death.

Dr. Brown was instrumental in lobbying for the creation of Hoke County in 1911. He was a member of the Hoke County Board of Education 1915-1924, and chairman the last four years. He was the mayor of Raeford 1939-1943 and served two terms in the NC General Assembly 1943-1947. He was county coroner for many years.

He opened the first drug store out of necessity, rolling his own pills for his patients before then. He and two other men owned the Bank of Hoke, which closed during the depression. He owned several farms, mainly growing cotton and tobacco.

He was married to Lola Kendall Crump on 5 June 1905. They had three children: George Clarence Walter Duncan, Eleanor Guthrie and Rosa Adrienne. He is buried in Raeford, NC.