The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-05-19

Mrs. Wittenmyer, ike the majority OF
our great national characters, women as
well as men, is of Ohio birth, having been
born at Sandy Springs, Adams county.
Her father was Simon Turner, descended
from an old English family OF that name.
Her paternal grandfather, James Turner,
was in the war OF 1912. On her mothers
side her ancestors were Irish, of titled,
iptluentiAl family, La the Colonial war
between England and France, aud in the
Revolutionary var, her several maternal
grandfatheT5 werC greatly distinguished.
Her grandfather, Simeon Smith, was an
officer under Gen. Harrison in the war of
1912.
In 1sl7 Mrs. Witteumyer was married
to a merchant OF Jacksonville. o., and re-
moved to X Kaukuk, Iowa, in 1850. She was
the mother of five children, all of whom
died in infancy but one, with whom she
resides at SanatoRa, Pa. At Keokuk she
engaged IN church and charity work, and
opened "A free school at her own expense,
before public schools were started. When
The war broke out she became Iows's vol
unteer agent to distribute supplies TO the
army, and was the first sanitary agent for
The state, appointed bv Governor Kirk
wood. A pass from Secretary Stanton
reads as follows:
VI. 10 especially enjoiDed upon oil Off
GERS to airocd ner every facility in carry
Jog out der ca irritable purpose, II being
afuwu lb4E shs u worthy of great rcspect.n
(srgu,d) EDWIN Al, STANTON,
Secpy OF War.
Prs,i ent Lincoln afterwards equipped
n,c with tbi5 cudorss ment:
LIT this lady have transportation to
ny Of the armies, and any privileges
wlIie there, not obj cted to by command
ers Of the armies respectively.
(SiRned) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
throughout the entire war Mrs. WiTten.
myer was constantly ia the field, minis
ri IN a. al oil "A INtr IN A, h,a
pital and the battle field She was under
fire at Ptttsburg Linding, and has heard
the bullets whi2 arouDu her hundred
times. She was under the guns at Vicks-
burg every day during thU siege, when shot
and shell were flying and minnie balls
filed the air with the music of death,
When warned of her danger her reply was
~ am safe, He covers mo with his feathers
and hides me with the shadow of his
wings.N
She was personally acquainted with all
the leading Generals or the army and a
special friend of General Grant, and ac-
companied him and Mrs. Grant on the
boat of observation that went down the
Mississippi TO witness eight wooden gun.
boats and eight wooden steamers run the
blockade at Vicksburg.
While in the service Mrs. Wittemyer
introduced a reform in hospital cookery,
known as the Special Diet System, which
was made part OF the United States
Army system, aud which saved the lives
of thousands of soldiers who were too i'll
to recover on coarse army fare.
In 1863 Mrs. Witenmyer started
th Soldiers, Orphans Home in Iowa.
the first in ,he union. She was the first
President of the Womsn's Christian Tenn
perance Union, serving five years without
- salary. Beginning without dollar in
the treasury she won the influence of the
churches and her efforts were crowned
with success,
Mrs. Wittenmyer established the Chris
tian Woman in Philadelphia and was its
editor for eleven years. She now is asso-
ciate editor of Home and Country, New
York, edits Relief Corps column Oh the
New York Tribune and is frequent con-
tributor TO the National Tribune and other
leading periodicals.
AS an author she has taken high rank.
Her "Womeu of The Reformation" is a
standard work and her hymns are found
in numerous collections.
In Relief Corps work Mrs. Wittenmyer
has been leader, first serving as National
Chaplain then as National President and
later as National Counselor. She compil-
ed the Red Book, made up of official de-
oiSiouB aud now the recognized code OF
laws of the order. She 10 Chairman of the
Board of Directors OF the National Relief
Corps Home, Madison, Ohio, and for the
past two or three monihs has been spend
the interests of Army Nurse pension legis-
lation. The establishment of the Ken
lucky Soldiers Home is largely due to her
efforts.
AS an orator Mrs. Whittenmyer is
intense and persuasive. She has lectured
to multitudes at hundreds Of camp fires on
her personal experiences in the war.
which she tells with thrilling psthhs aud
dramatic fire. Though she has lived the
life of dozen ordinary woman she ID still
active, untiring and full of vieor. This
she attributes to her fine health and her
perfect nervous and vital organization.
She never knows fatigue add is a good
example of a sound mind in a sound body.
In personal appearance Mrs. Whitten-
myer is of medium size, with regular
features, placid expression, blue eyes and
very white hair. She is very popular
among the veterans wherever she goes,
and is always extended an ovation at
every soldiers gathering at which she is