Clarissa Harlowe Barton was born on December 25, 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts. When Clara was only 3, she participated school along with her brother, Stephen. At school she proved to be very skilled in reading and spelling. When Clara was 10 years old, her brother David fell from the roof of their barn and was badly injured. After all the doctors had given up trying to get him back to health, Clara continued to nurse him and he completely recovered.
Clara became a teacher at age 15. Later in her teaching career, she opened up a free public school in New Jersey, the first one to be opened in the state. The attendance grew to 603 students under Clara’s great leadership, but the school board hired a man instead of Clara to be the head of the school. Exasperated, Clarissa moved to Washington D.C. and started to work as a clerk at the US Patent Office. Clara was the first woman to have the same pay and work equal to a man’s. Later she became a temporary copyist for the US Patent Office and was probably the first woman to ever have a government job in the United States.
Clara’s father, Captain Stephen Barton, thought that it was Clara’s obligation as a Christian woman to tend to the wounded soldiers. After his death, Clara traveled back to Washington to gather the medical supplies she would need to help the injured troopers. She collected and distributed these supplies for the Union Army.
Clara felt that just giving out these supplies was not for her. She wanted to be more involved. Clarissa became an independent nurse and also cared for soldiers who were wounded at Antietam. In 1864, Union General Benjamin Butler nominated her as “lady in charge” of the hospitals set up at the front of the Army of James. Because of her work, Clara was known as “Angel of the Battlefield.”
Clara visited Europe and worked with the International Red Cross during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. At the end of the Franco-Prussian War, in 1871, Clara was awarded the Golden Cross of Baden and the Prussian Iron Cross.
After returning to America, Clara worked to start the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross Society was founded in 1881 with Clara Barton as the first president. As the leader, Clara made sure they helped victims of natural disasters as well as wars including the 1889 Johnstown Flood and the 1900 Galveston Flood. Eventually, Clara retired from the American Red Cross in 1904.
Clara never took her pay for her work for the organization. Sometimes, she would use the money to help support relief efforts. After retiring from the American Red Cross, Clara wrote a book called The Story of My Childhood, published in 1907, 4 years before her death. Clarissa Harlowe Barton died on April 12, 1912 in her house in Maryland after many great accomplishments in her life.
Clara became a teacher at age 15. Later in her teaching career, she opened up a free public school in New Jersey, the first one to be opened in the state. The attendance grew to 603 students under Clara’s great leadership, but the school board hired a man instead of Clara to be the head of the school. Exasperated, Clarissa moved to Washington D.C. and started to work as a clerk at the US Patent Office. Clara was the first woman to have the same pay and work equal to a man’s. Later she became a temporary copyist for the US Patent Office and was probably the first woman to ever have a government job in the United States.
Clara’s father, Captain Stephen Barton, thought that it was Clara’s obligation as a Christian woman to tend to the wounded soldiers. After his death, Clara traveled back to Washington to gather the medical supplies she would need to help the injured troopers. She collected and distributed these supplies for the Union Army.
Clara felt that just giving out these supplies was not for her. She wanted to be more involved. Clarissa became an independent nurse and also cared for soldiers who were wounded at Antietam. In 1864, Union General Benjamin Butler nominated her as “lady in charge” of the hospitals set up at the front of the Army of James. Because of her work, Clara was known as “Angel of the Battlefield.”
Clara visited Europe and worked with the International Red Cross during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. At the end of the Franco-Prussian War, in 1871, Clara was awarded the Golden Cross of Baden and the Prussian Iron Cross.
After returning to America, Clara worked to start the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross Society was founded in 1881 with Clara Barton as the first president. As the leader, Clara made sure they helped victims of natural disasters as well as wars including the 1889 Johnstown Flood and the 1900 Galveston Flood. Eventually, Clara retired from the American Red Cross in 1904.
Clara never took her pay for her work for the organization. Sometimes, she would use the money to help support relief efforts. After retiring from the American Red Cross, Clara wrote a book called The Story of My Childhood, published in 1907, 4 years before her death. Clarissa Harlowe Barton died on April 12, 1912 in her house in Maryland after many great accomplishments in her life.
Clara was born in Oxford, Massachusetts.
Clara died in her house in Maryland.