Nannette W. Stafford

Nannette Stafford (June 20, 1853 – May 2, 1933) was a doctor of medicine who was born into slavery and was one of the first women to graduate from Howard University with a degree in medicine. She continued her medical work in Europe, and in 1907, she founded and managed her own medical facility.

Early life Nannette (or as she later became known, Nancy or Nannie) Stafford was born a slave on Cumberland Island, GA on June 20, 1853. Her father, Robert Stafford, was a slaveowner, while her mother, "Juda" was one of his slaves on his plantation. She had one older sister born in 1850 named Cornelia, both girls were recorded on Robert Stafford's 1860 tax inventory list as slaves. Records indicate that Juda was Stafford's plantation nurse, who had taught herself homeopathic medicine using the plants in the surrounding area.

During the Civil War, Nannette and her sister were smuggled out of Georgia as the Confederate army increased in strength. In September 1863 the two children were snuck aboard a ship of missionaries traveling to Fernandina, Florida,

In 1864 the sisters traveled to New York City, unlike their voyage to Fernandina, this time Robert accompanied them. They then traveled to New Jersey, where Robert signed over custody of both Nannette and Cornelia to George and Eliza Webb. The Webb family were wealthy merchants as well as avid abolitionists who lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They adopted the sisters and took over their housing and educational needs. At the time, the couple lived with their adult daughter, Sarah Webb. In 1870 while living with the Webb's, Nannette was registered on the US Census for the first time at 17 years old. At that time Cornelia was listed as 19, George Webb as 70, Eliza as 74, and Sarah as 45 years old. The census noted that neither Nannette nor Cornelia had attended school within the past year. It is believed that Nannette began her medical training under the tutelage of Sarah after Eliza died in 1872. In the years that followed, Nannette sometimes took the Webb last name in various forms on official records.

Howard University was one of the first Universities to accept Black and African American students into their medical program. They also had a gender-blind policy, allowing men and women to be educated in the same classrooms and female professors to teach. Stafford attended Howard from 1876 to 1878, and graduated early in two years instead of the typical three years of training that is required. This is because Stafford was able to transfer credits she had earned while attending classes at the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. In 1878 she became one of the first Black women to earn the equivalent of a doctorate in medicine from Howard University.

Immediately after graduation Stafford went on to live and practice medicine in Osnabrück, Germany. This was short lived however, as she soon left Germany and moved to Switzerland. In 1879, she enrolled in University of Zurich for further education until May 5, 1883. From late 1884 until 1887 Stafford studied at the medical department, later becoming an assistant to multiple members of faculty. Despite her studies and progress, she was still listed in University records as a student rather than a research assistant.

While working at the university, she assisted in research concerning typhoid fever, eventually falling ill to the disease herself in 1887. As a result, Stafford would be paralyzed for many years afterwards.

In the early 20th century many in the medical field considered Stafford's treatments as "vacation therapy" and ineffectual, however Dr. Stafford was determined to treat her patients as guests and advocated for hydrotherapy in extended capacities. Today, physicians utilize these treatments in multiple ways as an alternative therapy to help patients who suffer from chronic conditions. Dr. Stafford's medical facility eventually became a private sanitarium, Karolushaus, and continued operations until 2005 when it eventually closed due to the economic downturn.

Personal life One of the most detailed physical description of Stafford is from her graduation at Howard University, written by The Washington Post:

Stafford married Gustav Arnold Gassmann, a Swiss native, in 1887. Together they had a son, Georg Arnold Gassmann, on October 28, 1888. He was born in Zurich and even though Stafford used the German spelling, it is thought that the name "Georg" is in memory of George Webber who died in 1883. Georg later became a physician who worked in London, England.

During the later part of the Civil War, the Stafford Plantation was used as a garrison for Union soldiers; this resulted in much of the building being burned down. The property was purchased by the Carnegie family in 1889 as a winter home. In 1901 the "Stafford House" was rebuilt on the remaining ruins called "The Chimneys".

In the 1920s, Stafford retired from managing her health care center in Germany and began to travel to England more frequently to visit her son Georg. She died in 1933 at her home in England at 80 years old. Her gravesite is unknown, but is thought to be somewhere in London.