George Washington Watts
Encyclopedia
George Washington Watts was an American manufacturer, financier and philanthropist. Alongside James B. Duke
, he co-founded the American Tobacco Company
, as well as Watts Hospital
, the first hospital in Durham, North Carolina
, which prompted the establishment of Duke University
.
George W. Watts was the son of Gerard Snowden Watts and Ann Elizabeth Wolvington. He received his early education in private schools in Baltimore
and graduated from the University of Maryland
in 1871 with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation, Watts joined his father's tobacco commission business in Baltimore. Becoming associated with Washington Duke
of Durham, North Carolina in 1878, he helped organize and incorporate W. Duke Sons and Company, a tobacco business in which he became a stockholder and secretary and treasurer. In 1890 Watts helped to organize the American Tobacco Co. and in 1892 the Erwin Cotton Mills Company. Watts became on of the largest textile mills in the US Interested in the total welfare of his employees, Watts built libraries, parks, and playgrounds for them. He also built and endowed Watts Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Among his other business involvement, Watts was president of the Pearl Cotton Mill at Durham, North Carolina, the Home Savings Bank and Trust, vice-president of the Locke Cotton Mills of Concord, North Carolina
, a director of the Seaboard Air Line, the Durham and Southern Railway Company, the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company, the Southern Cotton Oil Company, and the Fidelity Bank and Durham Loan & Trust Company, which he co-founded with his son-in-law, John Sprunt Hill
. Watts was elected the first president of the Commonwealth Club of Durham, which made possible the transportation facilities required to make that city a prosperous and commercial center. Watts married twice: in 1875 to Laura V. Beall, who bore him one child, Annie Louise Watts; and in 1917 to Sara Virginia Ecker.
, to educate students in conjunction with clinical services provided at Watts Hospital.
Now part of the Duke University Health System
, Watts SON has been housed at Durham Regional Hospital
since 1976.
James Buchanan Duke
James Buchanan Duke was a U.S. tobacco and electric power industrialist best known for his involvement with Duke University.-Personal life:...
, he co-founded the American Tobacco Company
American Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
, as well as Watts Hospital
Watts Hospital
Watts Hospital, located in Durham, North Carolina was the city's first hospital, operating between 1895 and 1976.The hospital opened in 1895, funded entirely by George W. Watts, as a private, 22-bed, modern hospital dedicated to the care of Durham's white citizens and offered free care to those...
, the first hospital in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, which prompted the establishment of Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
.
Biography
Born in Cumberland, MarylandCumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
George W. Watts was the son of Gerard Snowden Watts and Ann Elizabeth Wolvington. He received his early education in private schools in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and graduated from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
in 1871 with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation, Watts joined his father's tobacco commission business in Baltimore. Becoming associated with Washington Duke
Washington Duke
George Washington Duke was an American tobacco industrialist and philanthropist.-Biography:Duke was born in Orange County, North Carolina , to Taylor Duke and Dicey Jones...
of Durham, North Carolina in 1878, he helped organize and incorporate W. Duke Sons and Company, a tobacco business in which he became a stockholder and secretary and treasurer. In 1890 Watts helped to organize the American Tobacco Co. and in 1892 the Erwin Cotton Mills Company. Watts became on of the largest textile mills in the US Interested in the total welfare of his employees, Watts built libraries, parks, and playgrounds for them. He also built and endowed Watts Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Among his other business involvement, Watts was president of the Pearl Cotton Mill at Durham, North Carolina, the Home Savings Bank and Trust, vice-president of the Locke Cotton Mills of Concord, North Carolina
Concord, North Carolina
Concord is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. According to Census 2010, the city has a current population of 79,066. It is the largest city in Cabarrus County and is the county seat. In terms of population, the city of Concord is the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area...
, a director of the Seaboard Air Line, the Durham and Southern Railway Company, the Virginia-Carolina Chemical Company, the Southern Cotton Oil Company, and the Fidelity Bank and Durham Loan & Trust Company, which he co-founded with his son-in-law, John Sprunt Hill
John Sprunt Hill
John Sprunt Hill was a North Carolina lawyer, banker and philanthropist who played a fundamental role in the civic and social development of Durham, North Carolina, the expansion of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the development of rural credit unions in North Carolina during...
. Watts was elected the first president of the Commonwealth Club of Durham, which made possible the transportation facilities required to make that city a prosperous and commercial center. Watts married twice: in 1875 to Laura V. Beall, who bore him one child, Annie Louise Watts; and in 1917 to Sara Virginia Ecker.
Duke University
By 1922, Watts Hospital's quality of care and its philanthropic mission to provide healthcare to the working poor was so well-regarded that James B. Duke and North Carolina Governor Cameron Morrison proposed the creation of the state's first four-year medical college, Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, to educate students in conjunction with clinical services provided at Watts Hospital.
Watts School of Nursing
In addition to founding the clinical hospital, George Watts also established the Watts Hospital Training School for Nurses at the hospital, in 1895. Renamed the Watts School of Nursing (Watts SON) in 1976, the school's first graduate, Ethel Clay, received her nursing degree in 1897.Now part of the Duke University Health System
Duke University Health System
The Duke University Health System, combines the Duke University School of Medicine, the Duke University School of Nursing, the Duke Clinic, and the member hospitals into a system of research, clinical care, and education.-Duke University Hospital:...
, Watts SON has been housed at Durham Regional Hospital
Durham Regional Hospital
Durham Regional Hospital , located in northern Durham, North Carolina is a general-services hospital that has been part of the Duke University Health System since 1998...
since 1976.