Clara Barton
Nurse, educator, activist
Born: Dec. 25, 1821, in North Oxford, Massachusetts
Taught In: Bordentown, New Jersey
Died: April 12, 1912, in Glen Echo, Maryland
New Jersey Hall of Fame, Class of 2008: Historical
Clara Barton was an unlikely activist and barrier-breaker. A shy woman of modest means, she became a pioneer in the fields of free education and battlefield nursing, founded the American Red Cross, and advocated for women’s rights.
Born in a Massachusetts farming community, Barton’s patriotism and humanitarianism were inspired by her father, a local militiaman and civic leader. At age 10, she got her first taste of nursing after her brother suffered a severe head injury in a fall. At 17, she earned her first teaching certificate; for the next 11 years served as an educator around her community. She furthered her education at the Clinton Liberal Institute, a college in upstate New York, and returned to teaching in Hightstown, New Jersey.
In 1852, Barton, then 31, was approached to open a free public school in Bordentown, the first in New Jersey. The school was a success, with attendance growing to 600 students. However, after the town raised a substantial sum for a new school building, the school board voted to replace Barton with a man as principal. It was a blow to her career—and her psyche.
Barton moved to Washington, D.C., and found work as a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office. She was living in the nation’s capital when the Civil War broke out in April 1861. When the first victims arrived for treatment in Washington, Barton rushed to their aid, nursing dozens and bringing them needed clothing, food, and medical supplies. She continued her commitment to the wounded, and in 1862 was granted permission to work on the front lines—a rarity for a woman.
In the early years of the war, Barton distributed supplies, applied field dressings, and served food to wounded soldiers at major battles, including Second Bull Run, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. Coming to the aid of the wounded at Cedar Mountain in Northern Virginia, she earned the title of “Angel of the Battlefield.” In 1863, Barton moved with her brother to the Union-occupied Sea Islands of South Carolina, where she was appointed a quartermaster in the Navy.
After the war, Barton led efforts to identify the thousands of unknown soldiers who were missing in action or killed; many had been buried in unmarked graves. By the time her Office of Missing Soldiers finished its work, Barton and her assistants had identified 22,000 wartime victims.
During this period, Barton gained renown for her lecture tours about her wartime experiences. On a trip to Switzerland, she became acquainted with the leadership of the Red Cross, a humanitarian movement to provide neutral aid to those injured in combat. Returning to the States, she began her work at establishing the American Red Cross. On May 21, 1881, the society’s first meeting was held at Barton’s home in Washington. Under Barton’s leadership, the American Red Cross was soon running field operations to assist local communities across the country after floods, hurricanes, and other catastrophes. Barton would serve as the society’s president for 23 years, retiring in 1904
During her post-war travels, Barton met the suffragist Susan B. Anthony and civil-rights leader Frederick Douglass. Although not a political person, she became a devoted advocate for their causes, especially women’s rights.
Barton’s home in Maryland is a National Historic Site. Nationwide, at least 24 schools are named in her honor, including New Jersey schools in Bordentown and Cherry Hill.