Mary Brown, My Maternal Grandmother!

A brief biographical account of my maternal grandmother's legacy. A proud history.

Mary Brown, My Maternal Grandmother!

I wasn’t fortunate enough to be born before this woman passed away, but the word on the street was that she was twice as feisty as I am and had a lot more going for her.

Her Life and Legacy

1. Mother of Twelve
- Eight daughters and four sons.
- My mother, Florence Henrietta Brown Williams, was the fourth child.
- Grandmother had her when she was twenty-five years of age.
- My mother was thirty years of age when she had me.

2. Respected Giant in the Community
- Though less than 5 feet tall, she stood tall in respect and influence.

3. Midwife and Healer
- Served as a midwife when doctors and hospitals were not an option.
- Reached her patients by walking or riding in a horse-drawn wagon.

4. Born After Slavery, Yet Still Oppressed
- Treated like a servant in her small town.
- Endured hardship but served both Black and White families, delivering babies throughout Wayne County, Georgia.

5. Wisdom Without Schooling
- Had no formal education, yet was more knowledgeable than most.
- Gained on-the-job experience in many areas of life.

6. Landowner in South Georgia
- With my grandfather, I purchased three acres at $1 per acre.
- Owned land at a time when Black people rarely could—or were allowed to—own property in South Georgia.

7. Mother of a Child with Disabilities
- One of her twelve children was born with disabilities.
- Despite predictions, this daughter lived to the age of sixty-five.
- Grandmother went on to have two more children after her.

8. Witness to Generations
- Lived long enough to see some grandchildren born before her death in October 1944.

9. Family Growth
- At the time of her death, there were few grandchildren.
- By 1970, when her husband James Anderson Brown passed, there were about sixty-eight living grandchildren (not counting those who died at birth).

10. A Continuing Legacy
- Many of those sixty-eight grandchildren have since had children.
- Their children have had children.
- The legacy continues.

Her Name and Place in My Heart

Name: Mary Magdeline Washington Brown
Wife of: James Anderson Brown
Relationship: My maternal grandmother, of whom I am very proud

Date: August 31, 2025 (her birth date)
Write up by: Malinda Miles