Mehitable E. Woods facts for kids
Mehitable E. Woods (also known as "Auntie Woods") was a brave woman who helped soldiers during the American Civil War. She was also an important early settler in Jefferson County, Iowa. The Governor of Iowa, Samuel J. Kirkwood, even gave her the special title of Major because of her amazing work. She was born on September 28, 1813, and lived until 1891.
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Early Life and Learning
Mehitable E. Owen, often called "Hetty," was born in Georgia, Vermont, near Lake Champlain, on September 28, 1813. She was the youngest of seven children. Her family had a long history in America, with ancestors who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Her father also served in the War of 1812.
Mehitable didn't get much schooling. When she was young, her mother passed away. At just twelve years old, she started working to support herself. She lived with a family who belonged to the Congregational church. Later, she moved to New York City to live with her sister.
Life and Work
Her Marriages
In the early 1830s, Mehitable married Howard Cooper, but they later divorced. Around 1835, she moved to Harvard, Illinois, where she met and married Gilbert M. Fox. He was a carpenter.
In 1839, Mehitable and Gilbert moved to Fairfield, Iowa. Gilbert was a skilled builder. He helped build many homes for the first settlers, and even helped construct the first courthouse in the area. Sadly, Mr. Fox died in 1844.
Three years later, she married Parish Ellis, who was also a builder. He passed away in 1851.
In 1857, she married Joel Woods, a tailor. He later went to Colorado to mine for gold. He was so respected that he was elected to the Colorado Legislature. Tragically, he was accidentally shot and killed while hunting in Arizona.
Helping During the Civil War
Even though she was left alone, Mehitable Woods found a very important way to help others. When the American Civil War began, many soldiers were hurt or sick. Iowa soldiers were sent to a hospital in Keokuk, Iowa. Mehitable realized they needed someone to care for them like a mother. She decided to dedicate her time to helping these soldiers, especially those from Jefferson County.
With support from women back home, she did incredible work that soldiers remembered for years. On April 3, 1862, she took many supplies to the hospital in Keokuk. She stayed there for most of the summer, looking after the sick troops.
Mehitable received special passes from important generals and the United States Department of War. This allowed her to make nine trips, carrying huge amounts of supplies, from 10 to 37 tons! She traveled to many places to help soldiers.
In March 1863, she took a large shipment of supplies to Missouri. She helped the 3rd Iowa Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Iowa Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. Soon after, she made her first trip down the Mississippi River into the southern states. She traveled secretly, telling people she was going to see her "sons" in the army. Even though she had no sons of her own, she became like a mother to many Iowa soldiers, and they called her "Mother."
She traveled to many different battle areas, including:
- Little Rock, Arkansas, on March 14, 1864
- Chattanooga, Tennessee, on May 16, 1864
- Memphis, Tennessee, on November 23, 1864
- Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, in April 1865
During the Vicksburg campaign, she was twice in areas where fighting was happening, but she was not hurt. Her last trip was for the United States Sanitary Commission, which was a group that helped soldiers. She took 37 tons of supplies to New Orleans. From there, she planned to go to Baraucus Island, off the coast of Louisiana.
A sanitary officer tried to stop her, saying it was too dangerous. But Mehitable insisted on going, showing her special pass from the government. She told him that nothing would stop her. When she arrived at the island, she found that her help was greatly needed. Thousands of injured soldiers were there. Mehitable stayed for a month. On Christmas Day, she helped serve a wonderful meal of crackers, fresh butter from Iowa, and large fresh oysters from the ocean.
Later Life and Legacy
After the war, Mehitable Woods lived a quiet life. She didn't realize how much she was honored and appreciated. She became an honorary member of several groups, including the Order of the Eastern Star and the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), which was a group for Civil War veterans. The Fairfield Hose Company, a local fire department, was named in her honor. She even hosted a special dinner for its members every year.
In 1886, she was chosen to represent Iowa at the G.A.R.'s national meeting in San Francisco. Her friends also helped her get a pension of US$25 per month, which was a lot of money back then.
Mehitable Woods lived in Fairfield, Iowa, for 51 years. She passed away in 1891. There is an 11 feet (3.4 m) tall granite memorial at the Old Fairfield Cemetery in Fairfield, Iowa, where she is buried.
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Mehitable E. Woods
