Margaret H. Brown

Margaret Brown (1887–1978) was a Canadian nurse, missionary, and author who worked in clinics in China. She created schools for girls and women, taught Chinese nurses, built houses, did religious missionary work, and worked for the Christian Literature Society in Shanghai. She also founded The Women’s Star magazine.

Early life Margaret Brown was born in 1887 near Tiverton in Kincardine Township, Ontario, Canada Before starting missionary work in Henan, China she had taught for four years in Canada.

Writing Margaret Brown published several books. The most notable books she published were Stories of Jesus and Mrs. Wang’s Diary. In addition, she wrote letters and articles about her work in China which eventually helped compile a greater picture of the work Canadian nurses did in China. Her writing was particularly helpful in compiling Healing Henan: Canadian Nurses at the North China Mission by Sonya Grypma. She wrote a 1,500 page account of the mission work and titled it History of the North China Mission. Eventually she was appointed to the Christian Literature Society in 1929.

Work with Chinese women Margaret Brown also did work with Chinese women during her missions. Her most notable accomplishments were opening a girls’ school in 1917 and a women's school in 1921. Mrs Wang’s Diary (1936) Heaven Knows (1938) Tian xiao de (1939) Mrs Wang’s daughter-in-law (1940) Ah Wang (1941) Pictorial Life of Paul (1951) 萬兒之母 (1953) MacGillivray of Shanghai: the life of Donald MacGillivray (1968) History of the Honan (North China) mission of the United Church of Canada