Barton, Clara (1821-1912) Also known as: Barton, Clarissa Harlowe

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Anna Howard Shaw to Jane Addams, August 16, 1912

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Birth Date

1821-12-25

Death Date

1912-04-12

Birthplace

North Oxford, MA

Biographical Text

Clara Barton was a nurse and the founder of the American Red Cross. Barton was a self-taught nurse, starting at a young age when she nursed her brother after he fell from a barn roof. She first worked as a schoolteacher for twelve years, and then studied at the Clinton Liberal Institute. In 1852, she opened a free school in Bordentown, New Jersey, the first of its kind in the state. Barton served as principal of the school until being demoted due to a belief that a woman could not serve in such a position, later leaving the school entirely. Barton became a clerk in the US Patent Office, becoming the first woman to receive a federal clerkship. During the Civil War, Barton served as a nurse on the front lines, aiding both Union and Confederate soldiers. After the war, she ran the Office of Missing Soldiers, identifying soldiers missing or killed in action. In 1868, she closed this office and traveled to Europe due to being mentally and physically exhausted. While in Switzerland, she learned of the Red Cross, inspiring her to found the American Red Cross. Barton served as the first president of the American Red Cross. In 1904 she resigned as president after criticism of her leadership style, and she went on to found the National First Aid Society.

Barton died in 1912.