Barton, Clara. Founder and organizer of National Red Cross in United States, president 1881-1904. Born in Oxford, MA, 1821. Graduate of Clinton Liberal Institute, New York. Taught school ten years; organized system of public schools, Bordentown, NJ. During Civil War did relief work on battlefields, and organized search for missing men (for the carrying on of which work Congress voted $15,000). Laid out grounds for the national cemetery, Andersonville, 1865. Associated with International Red Cross of Geneva, and worked through entire Franco-Prussian War, 1870-71. Distributed relief in Strassburg, Belfort, Montpellier, Paris, 1871. Secured adoption of Treaty of Geneva, 1882. First president American Red Cross (official); appointed to represent United States in all international conferences: Geneva, 1884; Carlsruhe, 1887; Rome, 1892; Vienna, 1897; Petrograd, 1903. Inaugurated American amendment of Red Cross to provide relief for great calamities. Distributed relief Johnstown flood, 1889; Russian famine, 1892; Armenian massacre, 1896. At request of president of United States, carried relief to Cuba 1898; did personal field work, Spanish-American War; conducted Red Cross relief at Galveston, TX, after great disaster in August, 1900. President National First Aid Association, 1905-12. Held decorations or diplomas of honor from Germany, Baden, Austria, Serbia, Turkey, Armenia, Switzerland, Spain, Russia, and Belgium. Author: "History Minor," "History of the Red Cross in Peace and War," "Story of Red Cross." Died 1912.

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