The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-19
MOTHER BICKERDYKE DAY.
This is Her 8oth Birthday-Skstch of
Famous Woman

Topeka old soldiers are not celebrating
Mother Bickerdyke Day For some
reason the occasion was overlooked by
the G. A R. posts Bills were distributed
announcing a picnic at Vinewood park in
honor of the occasion but the members of
the C. A R. posts know nothing about it
and they did not participate. Besides
Vfuewood park can now only be reached
by wagons There are many celebrations
of the day all over the state
Mary A. CBaID Bickerdyke, whose soth
birthday is celebrated by the old SOL
diers Of Kansas today, is descended
from the Pilgrim fathers and the knick-
erbockers. She born in Knox county,
Ohio, July 10, 1917 When Is years of
age she went to OberIin college, where
she spent nearly four years, after which
she did hospital work in Cincinnati for
several years under the training of the
celebrated Dr. Mussey. On April %,
1871, she married Robert Bau,a wtdower
with several children Two SONS bless
ed their union In 1858 she was left
a widow and was then residing in
GaIeSburg, Ill She went to the front
as a nurse in the Union army early in
1861, and only ended her service when
the last of Illinois troops were muster
ed out in 1856 These five years cover
4 service almost superhUman in bless
ing and devotion as a nurse, but are
only the beginning of her work for the
Union soldier. After the war was over
and ''oId glory GOated free from the
great lakes to the gulf, thousands Of
the men who had followed the flag to
ths final victory now faced a condition
where defeat was almost certain. There
were no places for them in city life.
Chicago was full of discharged soldiers
who were on the charity of the city.
They were anxious to go west Mother
BiCkerdyke secured a loan of so. 600 for
the use of the veterans who would go TO
Kansas under her chaperOnaga- The
c, 3. & Q. railway guaranteed trans
pOrta ton for two years to those who
would come, and General Sherman as
sured her of his hearty cooperation,
saying he would condemn all the teams
and wagons she needed for her soldier
boys from the surplus of government
stock. a great many came west with
her. So Mother BIckerdyke has much
to do with Kansas being the soldier
state it is. When the dreadful In
dian raid of 1868 destroyed the crops
and laid so many homes in western
Kansas in ashes, MOthar Bickerdyke
went to Washington, D. C, and secured
an order from the war department for
government ratfons for 500 people for
ten months until crops could be raised.
She also appealed to the state govern
nlent, which Appropriated a large sum
fer the purchase of seed corn and po-
tatoes. Mrs. Tom Anderson. now de-
ceased, was her faithful assistant in
presenting the matter to the state leg
isIature. In 1874, when the grassh0p-
pers laid waste the land, Mother Bick-
erdyke made ten trips TO Illinois solicit
Over 200 car loads of food, clothing and
grain were shipped TO Kansas and dis
tribUted under her personal supervis-
ion At last the muscles of iron and
nerves of finest steeT' gave way and
Mother BickerdyL1e went TO California
for rest She had q royal welcome, for
her soldiers were scattered all through
the state. When strength returned
she took a place in the United States
mint in San Francisco. She had a
leave of absence from the mint to at
tend the great state reunion in Topeka
in 1885. She returned TO Kansas in
1887 and has resided here ever since.
Mother BickerdyIze was an accredited
pension attorney. and has been tustru-
mental in securing pensions for over
800 army nurses and for scores of vet
Grams. In 1882 the records in the pen
sion department showed an annual
payment of 1865, 600 on pensions she had
secured Though physically unable to
carry on the work any longer, her sym
pathies for the Union soldier and his
dependent ones are as keen as ever, and
her will as strong to do The Woman's
Relief corp Of Kansas. which is pledged
to this seIf-same work very fittingIy
has named the institution it is to open
al Ellsworth the Mother Bickerdyke
Home and Hospital