Who? Clarissa Harlowe Barton, but she liked to be called Clara! Clara Barton was born on December 25th, 1821, in Oxford, Massachusetts. She was the youngest of five children. Her family tutored her to age four. Her father, who was once a captain in the war taught her about the battlefield (which before useful in her future career). Her mother taught her the regular woman necessities such as sewing and cooking. Her two sisters taught her how to read. Her brothers taught her everything else. Clara Barton was extremely shy, as a matter of fact she was so shy, she did not have any friends and when her parents sent her off to boarding school. She was so overwhelmed she immediately came back home. When Clara Barton was eleven, one of brother injured himself when repairing a roof and she took care of him for three years. This became a very significant time for Ms. Clara Barton and helped molded her future in helping others. When she got older, she began teaching and working with no wages in the needing and poorer areas. She was a fair, attentive, and caring teacher and everyone respected her. She also worked as a clerk in the U.S. Patent office.
Why is this important? Her childhood molded everything she became. In her early adult years she was active in the war by wanting to help those in it and who were affected. She would risk her life to bring supplies and support to soldiers involve in the Civil War. Ms. Clara Barton went visit Europe for rest in 1869, she was introduced to the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland. When visiting Europe she became active in woman rights and women employment.
At age 60, Ms. Clara Barton founded The American Red Cross in 1881 and she continued to led it for the next 23 years. Because of this, she opened paths to the new field of volunteer service. Clara Barton assisted with relief work for the victims of such disasters as the 1889 Johnstown Flood and the 1900 Galveston Flood. There are HUNDREDS of things Ms. Clara Barton has helped with, with this volunteer work. Flood, dam damages, wars, women reforms and the list goes on. And the amazing thing about everything she has done, she never received an income for her work. What a graceful lady! She led The American Red Cross until 1904. She died in 1912.
Sources:
http://nhdclarabarton.weebly.com/childhood.html
http://www.biography.com/people/clara-barton-9200960#early-life
https://www.nps.gov/clba/learn/kidsyouth/chron3.htm
http://www.redcross.org/about-us/history/clara-barton
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