Ferrol Sams
Encyclopedia
Ferrol Aubrey Sams, Jr. (born September 26, 1922) is an American
physician
and novelist born in Fayette County
, Georgia
, U.S.A
.
in Macon, Georgia
, which he graduated from in 1942. He then attended Emory University
School of Medicine for only one semester, and then joined the United States Army Medical Corps
. After serving from 1943 to 1947 and seeing action in France, Sams returned to Emory to continue his medical studies. He received his M.D. in 1949. Both Sams and his wife, Helen, practiced medicine in Fayette County until they retired in 2006. Sams is affectionately known by his family and a few close friends as "Sambo". Sams has four children - Ferrol Aubrey Sams, III, James (Jim) Sams, Ellen (Sams) Nichol, and Fletcher Sams. Ferrol, III and Jim are both medical doctors and practice in Fayette County. Ellen is a hospital administrator where her brothers practice and Fletcher is a Fayette County Judge. While at Mercer, he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order
.
Sams' works of fiction developed from the act of writing his own memoirs of growing up in rural Fayette County, Georgia, for his posterity. His works are generally set during the Depression and feature several eccentric characters.
Sams has been the subject of several community reading programs: Run with the Horsemen was chosen as the 2006 Atlanta Reads selection, and Down Town was selected for the 2007 Gwinnett Reads by the Gwinnett County Public Library
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and novelist born in Fayette County
Fayette County, Georgia
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144. The county seat is Fayetteville....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, U.S.A
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early life and education
Sams was born to Mildred Matthews and Ferrol Aubrey Sams, Sr. The younger Sams lived in a house built by his great-grandfather. He married Helen Fletcher on July 18, 1948, who was also a physician. Sams' medical career started at Mercer UniversityMercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, which he graduated from in 1942. He then attended Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
School of Medicine for only one semester, and then joined the United States Army Medical Corps
Army Medical Department (United States)
The Army Medical Department of the U.S. Army – known as the AMEDD – comprises the Army's six medical Special Branches of officers and medical enlisted soldiers. It was established as the "Army Hospital" in July 1775 to coordinate the medical care required by the Continental Army during the...
. After serving from 1943 to 1947 and seeing action in France, Sams returned to Emory to continue his medical studies. He received his M.D. in 1949. Both Sams and his wife, Helen, practiced medicine in Fayette County until they retired in 2006. Sams is affectionately known by his family and a few close friends as "Sambo". Sams has four children - Ferrol Aubrey Sams, III, James (Jim) Sams, Ellen (Sams) Nichol, and Fletcher Sams. Ferrol, III and Jim are both medical doctors and practice in Fayette County. Ellen is a hospital administrator where her brothers practice and Fletcher is a Fayette County Judge. While at Mercer, he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order is a social fraternity and fraternal order. Kappa Alpha Order has 124 active chapters, 3 provisional chapters, and 2 commissions...
.
Literary career
Sams has written eight books, including a trilogy of works featuring Porter Osborne, Jr., a character who appears to be largely based on Sams himself. Sams writing draws heavily on southern storytelling tradition. Run With The Horsemen was Sams' first book which he published in 1982 when he was 60. In 1991, Sams was awarded the Townsend Prize for Fiction for his publication of When All the World was Young.Sams' works of fiction developed from the act of writing his own memoirs of growing up in rural Fayette County, Georgia, for his posterity. His works are generally set during the Depression and feature several eccentric characters.
Sams has been the subject of several community reading programs: Run with the Horsemen was chosen as the 2006 Atlanta Reads selection, and Down Town was selected for the 2007 Gwinnett Reads by the Gwinnett County Public Library
Gwinnett County Public Library
The Gwinnett County Public Library is located in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA, north-east of Atlanta. In FY2004 the public library system circulated over 6 million items to almost 200,000 registered borrowers.- History :...
.