From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

George, S. H.

(born: 1878  -  died: 1936) S. H. George, born in Kentucky, was considered a wealthy physician, politician, and business man in Paducah, KY. His mother died when he was three years old, and he was forced to earn his own way at an early age. George was a school teacher for several years and later graduated from Walden University (TN) and Meharry Medical College. He returned to Paducah and opened his medical practice and is listed as living in Paducah in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census.

His wife, Nettie McClaine (1889-1935), was born in Decatur County, TN. Nettie was a trained nurse. The couple shared their home with Nettie's mother, Susan Jobe Hoskin, according to the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. Dr. George was involved in several businesses, including a skating rink. August 1909, during the Emancipation Day celebration, Dr. George charged Daniel Hopwood with trying to pass a bad dollar at the Paducah Colored Skating Rink, located at 10th and Broadway; the rink was in financial trouble in 1909. The counterfeiting case against Hopwood was dismissed from the Paducah courts due to insufficient evidence.

Several years later, Dr. George was a Kentucky delegate to the Republican National Convention. His first term was in 1920; the Kentucky Republican State Convention had been undecided as to which African American would be a delegate-at-large, and after a four-hour discussion, Dr. George was selected. Also in 1920, Dr. George was co-owner of the newly incorporated Home Drug Company in Paducah, along with  John W. Egester and C. M. Bolden. That same year, Dr. George was owner and manager of the Hiawatha Theater, a picture house at 432 S. 7th Street in Paducah. He paid $10,000 for the business.

In 1927, in Washington D.C., Dr. S. H. George was re-elected Grand Esteemed Leading Knight of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order Of Elks of the World (IBPOEW). He was also a Mason, Odd Fellow, Pythian, Court of Calanthe member, and vice president of the Pythian Mutual Industrial Association of Kentucky. In 1928, he was again a Republican National Convention delegate.

Dr. S. H. George died June 23, 1936; see his death notice on p. 155 in An Economic Detour, by M. S. Stuart. Dr. George was a founding member, stockholder, and 21-year elected member of the board of directors of the Mammoth Life and Accident Insurance Company.

For more see "Pick Kentucky delegates," New York Times, 3/04/1920, p. 17; "No conviction in counterfeiting cases," The Paducah Evening Sun, 8/17/1909, p. 3; "S. H. George..." on p. 16 in NARD Journal, v. 30, 1920; African American Theater Buildings, by E. L. Smith; "J. F. Wilson re-elected head of Negro Elks," The New York Times, 8/26/1927, p. 14; and 'S. H. George' in The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race, edited by C. Richardson [available online at Internet Archive].

Kentucky County & Region

Read about McCracken County, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Kentucky Place (Town or City)

Read about Paducah, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Outside Kentucky Place Name

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Cite This NKAA Entry:

“George, S. H.,” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database, accessed March 29, 2024, https://ukscrc001.net/nkaa/items/show/2329.

Last modified: 2020-07-22 19:47:48