Clarissa (Clara) Harlowe Barton, born December 25, 1821 in North Oxford, Massachusetts, was the youngest of five children of Stephen and Sarah Stone Barton. Clara's father, Captain Stephen Barton (1774-1862), was a successful businessman, captain in the local army, and government official in Oxford, Massachusetts. Through his memorable stories of the Indian War in Ohio and Michigan, he taught him the importance of maintaining an army equipped with weapons, food, clothing, and medical supplies. Clara's mother, Sarah Stone Barton (1783-1851), was a liberated woman known for her volatile character. Growing up, Clara remained close to her sister Sarah Barton Vassall (1811-1874), who was also a schoolteacher. One of Clara's brothers, Captain David Barton (1808-1888), served as deputy quartermaster of the Union Army during the Civil War. He taught Clara to ride a horse, and he became Clara's first patient after suffering a serious injury in a farm accident at a young age. His older brother, Stephen Barton (1806-1865), was a businessman in Oxford and Bartonsville, North Carolina. Stephen taught Clara mathematics when she was still a little girl. Clara's older sister, Dorothea (Dolly) Barton (1804-1846), was remembered as a bright young woman who wanted to continue her education. As a little girl, she first found her calling when she took care of her brother David after an accident. . He was helping build a barn when he overturned and fell to the ground. Doctors came to help him, but his condition did not improve. Eleven-year-old Clara became David's nurse, administering his medications and even applying and removing leeches when doctors suggested it might help. Clara stayed home after school for two years to take care of her brother...... middle of paper ......and after her: schools, streets, community centers, associations and even homeless shelters. At ninety, she contracted an airborne disease called tuberculosis. She remained bedridden for a month until she died on April 12, 1912 at her home in Glen Echo, Maryland, and was buried in the Barton family cemetery in Oxford, Massachusetts. Works Cited Stevenson, Augusta and Frank Giacoia. Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross. New York: Aladdin, 1986. Print. Prokos, Anna. Clara Barton: Angel of the Battlefield. New York: Collins, 2008. PrintVermilya, Daniel. “Clara Barton in the Civil War: Facts, Timeline and History.” Education-Portal.com. Np, and Web. March 18, 2014. United States. National Park Service. “Chronology of Clara Barton 1870-1912.” National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, March 3, 2014. Web. March 18. 2014