Clara Barton
Natalie Owens and Sabaa Akram
Early Life
Clarissa "Clara" Barton was born on Christmas Day, 1821 in the state of Massachusetts. She was the youngest daughter of Stephen and Sara Barton. Barton attended school at the age of three and proved to be very skilled at reading and spelling. Her education continued at home with her brothers.
Contribution to the Civil War
Barton's presence during the Civil War was mainly in the medical field. She was one of the first to volunteer to be a nurse in the war. Since she left being a hospital nurse to go aid soldiers, she brought with her supply wagons which aided the Union in many battles. She would travel all across Union lands to aid ill soldiers.
Life after the Civil War
Barton continued to be an inspiration after the Civil War by helping locate missing soldiers, joining Susan B. Anthony in the women's suffrage movement, and becoming the American representative for the Red Cross. She died on April 12, 1912 at the age of 90. In Glen Echo, Maryland, there is a historic site dedicated to Clara Barton and her life accomplishments.
Fun Fact
- Clara Barton ratified the Red Cross Treaty in 1864.
- She was very skilled in horseback riding.
- She preferred dashes of bold colors, especially red, on her clothing. "It's my color," she once said.
- She performed her first nursing task on her brother David when he fell off a roof.
- She was born on Christmas Day.