Clarissa Harlow "Clara" Barton was born on December 25, 1821 in Oxford, Massachusetts to Stephen and Sarah Barton. There, she grew up as a shy child. Barton first found her interest for medical assistance when she had to tend her brother David after an accident. At the age of fifteen, she decided to become a teacher and later opened a free school in New Jersey. After, she moved to Washington D.C. to work in the United States Patent Office as a clerk.
In 1861, Barton started to help the soldiers of the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry who had been attacked by Southerners. She gave them food, clothing, and supplies. She also helped them by writing letters for them, reading to them, and listening to their problems. Barton was never satisfied with the medical treatment they got because it was always hours or even days behind major battles. She eventually persuaded the army officials to let her volunteer to bring supplies to battlefields and army hospitals.
The war then ended after many years of fighting. Although many soldiers had returned home, Barton still got many letters from families who had missing family members that had fought in the war. Like the generous and giving person she was, Barton offered to search for the missing people. Barton set up the Office of Correspondence with Friends of the Missing Men of the United States, and operated it out of her D.C. office for four years. In that time, she found over 22,000 missing men. During this time, she participated in founding a national cemetery for the graves of the Union men who had died in the Andersonville Prison of Georgia.
Barton took time off from her work, and decided to go to Europe to rest. During her time there, she found out about the Red Cross program in Geneva, Switzerland. She read the Henry Dunant's book, who was the founder of the Red Cross. Dunant wanted there to be international agreements to treat prisoners of war fairly, called the Geneva Treaty. Barton went back to the United States, and tried to get the United States to sign the treaty. She first took it to President Rutherford B. Hayes, but he rejected it because he didn't want to interfere with other countries and make alliances. She then took it to the president after him, James Garfield. Garfield seemed willing to sign the treaty, but was assassinated. The treaty finally got signed by Chester Arthur, and the American Red Cross was born.
The American Red Cross was largely devoted to disaster relief for the first twenty years, helping out fire and flood victims across the country. They were slowly starting to help the soldiers of the United States armed forces. All throughout this, Barton maintained an interest in education, prison reform, and women's suffrage. She was often struck with depression, but as soon as a major disaster happened, she'd throw herself into helping with it. Later in life, she had to resign as American Red Cross president because of the mounting criticism about her management style, abilities, and age. Later in life, she wrote published many books about the beginning of the American Red Cross. Clara Barton died at the age of 90, on April 12, 1912 in her home in Echo, Maryland.
In 1861, Barton started to help the soldiers of the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry who had been attacked by Southerners. She gave them food, clothing, and supplies. She also helped them by writing letters for them, reading to them, and listening to their problems. Barton was never satisfied with the medical treatment they got because it was always hours or even days behind major battles. She eventually persuaded the army officials to let her volunteer to bring supplies to battlefields and army hospitals.
The war then ended after many years of fighting. Although many soldiers had returned home, Barton still got many letters from families who had missing family members that had fought in the war. Like the generous and giving person she was, Barton offered to search for the missing people. Barton set up the Office of Correspondence with Friends of the Missing Men of the United States, and operated it out of her D.C. office for four years. In that time, she found over 22,000 missing men. During this time, she participated in founding a national cemetery for the graves of the Union men who had died in the Andersonville Prison of Georgia.
Barton took time off from her work, and decided to go to Europe to rest. During her time there, she found out about the Red Cross program in Geneva, Switzerland. She read the Henry Dunant's book, who was the founder of the Red Cross. Dunant wanted there to be international agreements to treat prisoners of war fairly, called the Geneva Treaty. Barton went back to the United States, and tried to get the United States to sign the treaty. She first took it to President Rutherford B. Hayes, but he rejected it because he didn't want to interfere with other countries and make alliances. She then took it to the president after him, James Garfield. Garfield seemed willing to sign the treaty, but was assassinated. The treaty finally got signed by Chester Arthur, and the American Red Cross was born.
The American Red Cross was largely devoted to disaster relief for the first twenty years, helping out fire and flood victims across the country. They were slowly starting to help the soldiers of the United States armed forces. All throughout this, Barton maintained an interest in education, prison reform, and women's suffrage. She was often struck with depression, but as soon as a major disaster happened, she'd throw herself into helping with it. Later in life, she had to resign as American Red Cross president because of the mounting criticism about her management style, abilities, and age. Later in life, she wrote published many books about the beginning of the American Red Cross. Clara Barton died at the age of 90, on April 12, 1912 in her home in Echo, Maryland.