A century ago, a determined and intelligent young woman left a Vicksburg sanatorium with a dream of being a caregiver.
Ahead of her time, Katie Boatright Pigg would grow into a respected nurse and a loyal community servant who spent her career in Yazoo City, leaving a lasting impression with her dedication and love.
“She was a well-known lady in town, having nursed so many people,” said Bobby Barton, Katie’s grandson. “My grandmother had the sweetest spirit and encouraging manner of anyone I ever knew in my whole life.”
Endearingly referred to as “Mama Pigg,” Katie was born on June 23, 1897 in the Freerun community. She would later graduate from the Vicksburg Sanatorium in August of 1917 when she was only 20 years old. For close to five decades, she worked as a registered nurse in both hospitals and private residences.
Katie returned to Yazoo City the same year of her graduation, when she began to work at the Lintonia Sanatorium on Campbell Avenue. She would hold that position for four years.
Katie would marry George Pigg in 1918, and a daughter Katherine arrived a few years later.
In the mid-1930s, Katie joined the staff at Kings Daughters Hospital. It was there that her career flourished, and her reputation spread as a caring and dependable nurse. When she retired in 1961 at the age of 64, he served as assistant superintendent of nurses.
In a 1972 article that appeared in The Yazoo Herald, five local doctors submitted a memorial to Katie upon her passing. Through its words, it is clear the level of respect and love the medical circle and entire community had for “Mama Pigg.”
“Mrs. Pigg lived during an age when the nurse truly nursed the patient,” the memorial reads. “During these early years, physicians’ hospital practice was limited. A physician could not see the patient often and depended so much on the nurse in caring for the patient. She was a great representative of this era in medical care.”
Katie would also be a part of the team that raised $500 to help finance the Martha Coker Nursing Home. The 40-bed facility was to be built on Ninth Street in an effort to alleviate the crowded conditions at the hospital.
Barton said his grandmother would often live with local farmers and other rural families to provide medical care when it was needed. Sometimes, she would be paid with eggs when money was hard to come by.
“She was a saint in my book,” Barton said, with a smile. “She took care of so many people.”
Katie also served as a heavy influence within her own family, leading two nieces into the medical field as well.
“We were always influenced by her, to help other people,” Barton said. “I didn’t feel led to be a nurse, but I became involved with social work. But I take pride in her career as a nurse. Nurses are the backbone of so many services that are offered.”
Katie would serve as a nurse through the Great Depression and World War II. It was challenging at times, but she remained a dependable and caring nurse.
“I am extremely proud of my grandmother,” Barton said. “She was a fine, Christian lady who was led by the Lord. She was a loving nurse who cared for everyone. I am proud of that family history.”
