Maria N. Abbey (née Young; December 17, 1816 – April 13, 1903) was a

nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. The daughter of Aaron Young, Maria N. Abbey was born and educated in

Geneva, New York Geneva is a City (New York), city in Ontario County, New York, Ontario and Seneca County, New York, Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is at the northern end of Seneca Lake (New York), Seneca Lake; all land port ...

. She and her husband moved to

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, in 1845. In Mary G. Holland's collection of letters from Civil War nurses, titled, ''Our Army Nurses: Stories from Women in the Civil War'', Abbey recounts her experience as a wartime nurse. She was called to the service after hearing Reverend H. W. Beecher speak at Plymouth Church of the duty of women to help during the war. She heard this sermon in April 1861, the Sunday after the battle at

Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a sea fort built on an artificial island protecting Charleston, South Carolina from naval invasion. Its origin dates to the War of 1812 when the British invaded Washington by sea. It was still incomplete in 1861 when the Battl ...

, and enlisted with six other women by the first day of May. These women were some of the first to respond to the call for nurses. Her service began at Union Hospital at Georgetown. Immediately, Abbey noticed the lack of structure and organization of the hospital, largely due to the immense need for help. Ultimately, the hospital environment proved to be too much physical and emotional stress for Abbey, who left September 3, 1861. This did not stop Abbey from aiding the war effort. Abbey opened her own home to be used as a private hospital for two years, maintained by herself. The house continued to operate as a hospital even after Abbey moved. She reportedly never expected payment for her services. In her later years, Abbey was chaplain for the Ladies' Relief Corps, an auxiliary to the McPherson-Doane Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. Activities in Abbey's personal life included singing in church choirs. Abbey died in Brooklyn on April 13, 1903, and was buried in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

References

Women in the American Civil War American Civil War nurses American women nurses 1816 births 1903 deaths {{US-med-bio-stub People from Geneva, New York