Davidson County TN Archives Biographies.....Currey, George Washington 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com October 26, 2005, 2:35 pm

Author: Will T. Hale

   GEORGE WASHINGTON CURREY, M. D. Among the skilful and able physicians and

surgeons that have honored the medical profession of Nashville, special mention

should be made in this volume of the late Dr. George Washington Currey, whose

many years of varied practice in hospitals, on the field of battle, and in city

and country, made his medical experience and proficiency much above the average.

A native of Nashville, he was born on Meridian Hill, where his father, Robert

Brownlee Currey, lived for many years.



   Coming to Nashville, Tennessee, when young, Robert Brownlee Currey became

prominent in early life in public affairs, serving not only as postmaster, but

for twenty years filling the mayor's chair and had the honor of receiving

General LaFayette when he was the guest of this city in 1825. A successful

business man, he acquired considerable city as well as farming property. He died

at his home on Meridian Hill at the age of seventy-five years, his body being

laid to rest in the old City cemetery. He married Jane Grey Owen, who was a

lineal descendant of Goronwey Owen, the Welsh prince and poet. She too lived to

the age of seventy-five years.



   Brought up and educated in the city of his birth, George Washington Currey

was graduated from both the literary and the medical departments of the

University of Nashville, and immediately began the practice of his profession in

Nashville. In 1860 he removed to Memphis, this state, and at the breaking out of

the war between the states was made surgeon of the Southern Mothers Hospital,

and filled the position ably until the capture of Memphis by the enemy. Dr.

Currey then went with the army to Georgia, and for a time was stationed at

Ringgold, in charge of hospitals, all of which were later ordered to Newman,

where he remained until the close of the conflict. Returning then to Nashville,

the doctor was here successfully engaged in his professional labors until his

death, at the age of sixty-three years, on January 25, 1885.



   Dr. Currey married Emily Donelson Martin, who was born in Tennessee, a

daughter of James Glasgow Martin, who was of early Virginia ancestry, and a

pioneer settler of Nashville. Mr. Martin owned and operated a farm which was

situated but one and one-half miles from the Hermitage, in a once famous

neighborhood. He carried on general farming with slave labor, residing on the

old homestead until his death, at the age of sixty-five years.



   Mrs. Emily Donelson Currey's mother was Catherine Donelson, a daughter of

John Donelson who married Mary Purnell, of Snow Hill, Maryland, and who were

bride and groom on the flat boat "Adventure" when the father of John Donelson,

the elder Lieut. Col. John Donelson made the famous voyage from the Watauga

settlement down the Tennessee river up the Ohio and Cumberland, .bringing the

settlers to the French Salt Lick, now the city of Nashville, in 1780.



   Mrs. Currey's grandfather was a brother of Mrs. Gen. Andrew Jackson, her

mother, Mrs. Jackson's niece. Mrs. Currey was reared within a mile of the

"Hermitage" and was often a visitor there. Mrs. Currey survived her husband but

a few years, passing away at the age of sixty-eight years. She reared a large

family of children, viz.: Dr. Martin C., Mrs. Mary C. Dorris, Robert B. Currey,

Andrew Donelson Currey, and George Ringgold Currey, now of Birmingham, Alabama.

A daughter, Miss Jennie Currey, a talented singer, died at the age of nineteen

years, and two children died in infancy.



Additional Comments:
From:



A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in

commerce, industry and modern activities

by Will T. Hale

Chicago:  Lewis Pub. Co.,  1913



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