Dr. Josephine E. Newell

Her father’s family had seven generations of doctors, so it was only natural that Josephine E. Newell wanted to keep the family tradition going. She grew up in Vance County where she attended school in Henderson, but took special testing and earned a chemical engineering degree at the age of 16 from University of South Carolina. She then attended the University of Maryland School of Medicine where she earned a medical degree at age 21. Dr. Newell returned to North Carolina for her residency at Rex Hospital in Raleigh. She began her practice in Bailey in 1951 and treated patients for the next 23 years. Dr. Newell was involved in numerous state health care projects. She worked with Breast-Cancer Detection at Duke University and was the Medical Director of the NC Comprehensive Health Benefit Plan. She also gave free medical care to the Free Will Baptist Orphanage in Middlesex. She is one of the founders of the County Doctor Museum in Bailey. She along with other founders had two doctor’s offices moved to Bailey and began a museum that focuses on rural health care. She was present of the board of directors for the museum for 20 years from 1967-1987. Dr. Newell is also a published author. Her medical mystery, By Whose Hand, was published in 1989.

Inducted into Hall of Fame 2012
Deceased