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Surgeon And Soldier

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       Arthur M. Brown was born in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1867. His grandmother was one of that city's early public school teachers, and his parents made sure that he received a good education.

       At age 24, Brown first opened his medical practice in Bessemer, Alabama, later moving to Cleveland, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois before establishing himself as a surgeon in Birmingham, Alabama in 1894. Dr. Brown was involved in a variety of civic activities, including service as chairman of the Alabama Prison Improvement Board. His wife, Nellie, also served her community as a case worker for the Children's Aid Society.

       When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, Brown organized a company of infantrymen and offered the group's service to the Alabama governor. Although his group was not activated, Brown was commissioned a First Lieutenant and served as a surgeon in Santiago, Cuba throughout the war.

       Upon his return to Birmingham, Alabama his medical practice flourished. In 1906, black architect Wallace Rayfield designed a gracious residence in Smithfield for Dr. Brown and his family.
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