Clara Barton was born on Christmas Day (December 25th) 1821 in North Oxford, Massachusetts.  She died on April 12th, 1912 from complications of a cold.  She had four siblings (two brothers and two sisters) and was the youngest child.  Clara’s name is actually Clarissa Harlowe Barton.  She is most famous for organizing the American Red Cross and helping others. In her early life, Clara held many jobs including as a schoolteacher, lecturer, battlefield heroine, clerk, and relief organizer. She became a teacher in Massachusetts when she was seventeen, which was common for girls at that time.  Throat ailments caused her give up her teaching career.  After that she worked in the Patent Office from 1854-1861.

Clara Barton decided not to work in the Patent Office during the Civil War, and instead volunteered to advertise for supplies to help wounded soldiers.  She delivered supplies directly to the front for two years.  She also cared for the wounded soldiers and made puddings and baked pies for them.  Clara became the superintendent of nurses with the Army of the James.  In 1865, Lincoln certified Clara to get records of missing Union soldiers. While doing that she gave lectures on her war experiences.  She also volunteered to help victims of the Franco-Prussian War.

In 1869, Clara had very bad health and went to Europe to get better.  When she went to Europe she first heard of the Red Cross in Geneva, Switzerland.  The Red Cross was established in 1864 to provide humane services to victims of war.  Clara formed the American Red Cross when she returned to the United States.  More importantly she enlarged the Red Cross mission to include peacetime disasters. 

Clara Barton was a humanitarian and was known as the “Angel of the Battlefield” for helping wounded soldiers.  She became famous for organizing the Red Cross in America.  

Sources:
Wikipedia, “Clara Barton,” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Barton), accessed 10/26/08.
Encyclopedia Americana International Edtion (1978), Volume 3, page, 283.
Spectrum Home and School Network, “Clara Barton Bio,” (http://www.incwell.com/Biographies/Barton.html), accessed 10/26/08