Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-12
BORN IN MASSACHUSETTS
NINETY-ONE YEARS AGO
Known Ali Over the World as an
Angel Of Mercy"
HER WORK DURING CIVIL WAR
Organized Bureau to Find Missing
Soldiers-Nursed Sick and
Wounded at Strasburg
and Metz.

Miss Clara Barton. founder OF the
American Red Cross Society, died at her
home in Glen Echo. Md, at O'clock this
morning. The cause of her death was
chronic pneumonia. with which she was
stricken a year ago. Her nephew, Stephen
Barton of Boston, was with her when she
died
Miss Barton had been confined to her
home. Red Cross, at Glen Echo, since
last fall, when she returned from a visit
to New England. 1t was thought her
trip was beneficial. but soon afterward
she was taken severely i'll.
She celebrated her ninetieth birthday
anniversary December -. when she re-
cived many messages of congratulation
from all parts of the world.
The body will be taken to oxford,
Mass. the old home of the family, for
burial.
Clara Barton was known the world over
as an "angel of mercy" the friend OF
stricken humanity. one of the founders
Of the American branch of the Red Cross
Society, the heroine Of peace and human
ity on many fields of battle, during pes
thence and storm, when fires devastated
and earthquakes overwhelmed, and when
the gaunt enemy, hunger, gnawed at
the vitals of suffering thousands. Her
loss will be felt throughout the length
and breadth of the world. but her splen-
did example of self-sacrifice and devotion
to humanity in its hour of need Will live
and be fruitful in nearly every country
of the globe where her ministrations have
taken her at one time or another
Her splendid service had been COM
mended by a President Of the United
States, by the citizens of a stricken town
and by the legislature OF one of the
states. She had been decorated with high
honors in many foreign lands. and the
world at large will always remember her
as one who wed to serve her fellow-man.
Born in Oxford, Mass, in 1921.
Clara Barton was born in oxford. Mass.
in 1921, and was the daughter Of Capt.
Stephen and Sally Stone Barton. her
father having served in the revolutionary
war under Gen Anthony Wayne. She re-
ceived a careful education, and when
quite a young girl founded a seminary
for girls at Elizabeth, n. j. Later she
became a clerk in the patent office in this
city, being the first woman to hold reg
ular clerical position in a government de-
partment. At the outbreak OF the rebel
lion she gave her time and energies to
caring for the sick and wounded. and led
in organizing the sanitary commission.
She served in the Army OF the Potomac.
was present at the battles of Cedar
mountain, second Bull run, Chantlly.
Antietam and Fredericksburg. the siege
of Charleston and the storming OF Fort
Wagner, the battles OF Spotsylvania and
the Wilderness and in front of Petersburg
during Buffers campaign
She aided the Andersonvile prisoners
upon their release, and after the war
ended organized at Washington the bu-
reau or records of missing soldiers. and
traced out the fate of 10000 men. In
1867 she visited Europe for the benefit of
her health, and was at Geneva when the
FrancoPrussian war opened. She Joined
at once in the work OF the Red Cross So
ciety, founded in 1864; helped TO organize
the sick and wounded at Strasburg and
Metz.
Conducted Relief at Paris.
When Strasburg capitulated and 10000.
people were rendered homeless and starv-
ing. she provided materials for 10000
garments to be made by women, who.
but for that work, would have been
without food. Entering Paris on foot.
during the days of the commune, she
distributed food and clothing to the
needy. Once. when the mob were clamor-
ing for food and had overpowered the
lodgings and spoke to them. Mon Dieu.
it is an angel." they said, and they
dispersed quietly and in order.
Upon her return to this country, In
1873. she inaugurated a movement to
obtain recognition Of the Red Cross So
ciety by the United States government.
and finally, during the administration OF
President Arthur, her labors We're re-
waded and she naturally became presi-
dent of the American branch OF the So
iety when il was founded in 1882.
In the great fires in Michigan she super
perintended the work of succoring the
afflicted. The telegraph tidings OF the
Charleston earthquake were no sooner
received than she was on her way with
supplies for the stricken city. During
the year 1883 she was at the head of
the woman's reformatory prison at Sher-
born. Mass, and woman relates that
while one day passing with her through
the wards a girl convict gazed fixedly
out from her cot at Miss Barton. What
is it?' she asked. Nothing, was the
response: II heard you coming and just
wanted to Look at you. She had charge
of the disbursement of vast sums OF
money and other aid to the sufferers in
the floods on the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers in 1884, and at Johnstown, Pa, in
1889.
In 1883 the Senate committee on foreign
relations requested her to prepare his
tory of the Red Cross Association, which
has since been published by the govern
ment She devoted her income for many
years to furthering the aims of the so-
ciety.
Was Peace Delegate.
Miss Barton was delegate to the in
ternational peace convention at Geneva
in 1884, and was special commissioner
for foreign exhibits at the New Orleans
exhibition.
At the request Of President Mckinley
in 1898 Miss Barton carried RELIEF TO
Cuba and did personal field work in the
anish-American war. She conducted
Red Cross relief work at Galveston, Tex.
after the great disaster I'm August, 1900.
She held decorations or diplomas OF
honor from Germany Qron Cross). Baden
Austria, Servia, Turkey. Armenia. Swift