Georgia E. L. Patton Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgia E. Lee Patton Washington
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| Born |
Georgia E. Lee Patton
April 16, 1864 |
| Died | November 8, 1900 (aged 36) |
| Alma mater | Central Tennessee College, Meharry Medical College |
| Occupation | Physician, Missionary |
| Spouse(s) |
David W. Washington
(m. 1897) |
Georgia E. Lee Patton Washington (born April 16, 1864 – died November 8, 1900) was an amazing American doctor and missionary. After finishing her education, she traveled to Liberia to help people as a medical missionary. She was also the first Black woman to become a licensed surgeon and doctor in Tennessee.
Early Life and Challenges
Georgia was born on April 16, 1864, into a family that was enslaved in the Southern United States. She had a twin sister who sadly didn't survive.
Even though she was born in Grundy County, Tennessee, her mother moved them to Coffee County, Tennessee. This nearby county became Georgia's home for many years.
Georgia's father passed away before she was born. This left her mother to care for the whole family alone. Like many enslaved people at that time, Georgia's mother was set free with nothing. This meant she faced great hardship and poverty. However, she worked very hard, from early morning until late at night. She managed to provide for all her children and send them to school when it was available.
Even with her mother's efforts, Georgia only attended school for about 26 months by the time she was seventeen. This was just a little more than two years of schooling. She wore simple, handmade clothes made by her mother. Georgia was the youngest child, so her mother often treated her with special care. She didn't have to do the washing and spinning like her older sisters. Instead, because she loved nature, she started learning to plow fields from a very young age.
Becoming a Doctor
When Georgia was sixteen, her mother passed away. This left her alone, and she had to move in with one of her older sisters. After her mother's death, Georgia was determined to get a good education.
A year later, she thought she found a way to go to college by working as a maid for a family. But her older sister didn't support this plan. Soon, Georgia had to go back to public school. The knowledge she gained there only made her want to learn even more.
One day, her sister gave her five dollars. Georgia gathered her most important belongings and traveled to Nashville, Tennessee. After buying her ticket, she had less than two dollars left. But she believed that with faith, she could overcome any problem. At the station, she met her brother, who lived in Nashville with his wife. She went to stay at his house. Her older sisters later sent her eight dollars. This money helped her pay for tuition and books for the rest of the college months.
Her brother's house was more than two miles away from the school. The weather wasn't always good, but Georgia was always the most punctual student. People sometimes made fun of her mistakes or how she acted. But this didn't stop her from chasing her dream of getting a college education.
After the school year ended, she went to Kentucky and found a place at a small school. This allowed her to continue her studies for a few more months. She quickly finished her senior course. After graduating with a literature degree, she felt she could do more. So, she decided to study medicine at the Central Tennessee College's Meharry Medical Department. A few years later, in 1893, she became the first Black woman to graduate as a licensed surgeon and doctor in Tennessee.
Medical Missionary Work
Georgia Patton was very religious and was part of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Even though the church didn't officially support her trip, and she had to pay for it herself, she decided to travel to Liberia, Africa. She went there as a medical missionary.
Patton arrived in Liberia on April 5, 1893. Another African-American missionary there had already noticed that the country needed more professional healthcare. Medicines like quinine were available, but there were no emergency doctors. Georgia became known for treating an local community. She gave advice and tonics for different illnesses like fever, enlarged spleens, or stomach problems. While she was there, she saw that anemia and dropsy (swelling) were common problems. These mainly affected the Kru people, who were the main ethnic group in Monrovia.
During her trip, Patton understood how important it was to learn about local treatments. This helped her deal with the infections and illnesses that many of her patients had. While searching for a cure for the Guinea Worm, Patton developed special methods called "strapping" and "shafting." She even shared directions for these techniques with other medical professionals.
Later Life and Legacy
After two years as a medical missionary in Liberia, Patton returned to the United States. She wanted to continue her education with a special post-graduate medical course. During her trip back, she caught tuberculosis, a common illness at the time. She never fully got her health back. She settled in Memphis, Tennessee, and started her own private medical practice. This made her the first Black female doctor in Tennessee.
On December 29, 1897, she married David W. Washington, who delivered letters. Two years later, in 1899, they had their first son, Willie Patton Washington. Sadly, he passed away just days after he was born. The couple had met because they both volunteered actively in their church and community. Patton was highly respected in her community. She donated ten dollars every month to the Freedmen's Aid Society. People often called her "Gold Lady" because she was so generous.
In the last few years of her life, Patton worked only sometimes because of her poor health. She passed away on November 8, 1900, in Memphis. This was four months after giving birth to her second child, David W. Washington Jr. He also passed away soon after his mother.
