Local History Presentation – Pauline Freeman, MD: The Life & Career of Danville’s “Unique Lady Doctor”
Date: 08/20/2025
Time: 06:30 pm-07:30 pm
Location: Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, Multipurpose Room, 201 N. Mulberry St., Mount Vernon, OH
Organizer: Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County
Cost: Free
Contact and more info:
mvknoxpubliclibrary@gmail.com
https://www.knox.net
About the event:
There was a time—not so very long ago—when a female doctor in a rural community was unusual enough to warrant notice.
This was all the more true when that female doctor was a notoriously brusque chain-smoker who delivered highly-skilled medical care but punctuated it with colorful language, candor, and tough love.
And if that female doctor had circumnavigated the globe as a teenager, been widowed twice by
her late 20s, trapped exotic animals in Indonesia and imported them to the United States, and spent the occasional day in court defending herself, she would seem like someone interesting enough to learn more about.
So come join local historian and retired teacher David Greer as he introduces us to the life of Pauline Freeman, MD. Freeman practiced medicine in Danville for nearly forty years and—although she passed away decades ago—many of her former patients still remember her fondly. She was the kind of person who made an impression.
Mr. Greer has a good deal of material to present but is especially interested in inviting those who remember Dr. Freeman (or even just heard stories about her secondhand) to come and share them. Everyone else is welcome to just listen and enjoy the anecdotes.