General notes on the biographies:
· WRC (Woman's Relief Corps) is explained in the Introductory page.
· GAR is also explained in the Introductory page.
· Most sources are not cited in the individual biographies, but are available upon request.
· A few phrases or sentences are direct quotes from old sources.
· Please be aware that when more than one source was found, a discrepancy in dates or spelling
  was almost sure to be found. Thus no spelling or date is absolutely certain.
· If you have knowledge to share on these or any other woman in Nebraska who served in the
  Civil War, please contact Charlotte Moomey.

Louisa Ball (about 1816-1890)
Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska

Louise Ball was a Civil War nurse. "Army Nurse" is on her tombstone. In the 1889 and 1890
WRC National and Department Journals, she was on the list of Civil War Army Nurses as a
Volunteer. Her address was given as 12 N. Green St. in Grand Island.

A WRC Department Journal reported her death, and a another Journal reported that "one army nurse's grave" was decorated in Grand Island along with those of the veterans on Memorial Day 1907.

Louisa Ball died September 2, 1890 according to the tombstone inscription. She is buried in Grand Island City Cemetery, in the old GAR section. The City took over this section in 1918. A reading of the cemetery about 1979 said her stone read: Louisa Ball, Sept 2, 1890, 74 years, Army Nurse. Joseph Ball had purchased the 10-space plot. His stone read Co. D, 13th Illinois Cav. We have no dates or other information on him. The only other stone read in the plot was Sally C. Parker, July 19, 1894, age 76. Considering Louisa's age, Joseph could have been a son.

No further information is known.

Fredericka J. Cole (1835-1922)
Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska

Fredericka Cole was a Civil War army nurse. In 1912 she was the Department President of the Army Nurses' Association. She was the first president of WRC Ralings Corps #92 of Beatrice, Nebraska in 1889, and always active in it. At least two occasions, 1915 and 1920, she gave talks on her experience as army nurse at the WRC District conventions in Beatrice.

Fredericka / Fredricka J. Wortzschmidt / Wurtsmith was born November 1935 in Baumburg, Germany. She came to the US in 1842. She married Gilbert L. Cole on December 4, 1854 at Monroe, Michigan. They moved to Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin in 1857. They moved to Fremont County, Iowa in 1859, living there nearly 20 years, most of the time at Sidney. They came to Beatrice, Nebraska in 1878 when it was a small town. This was not long before their 25th wedding anniversary. Mr. Cole built their home at 809 S 6th Street (now Highway 77 and in the flood plain). The family members were nearly all musicians.

They had 10 children, 9 living: Carson V. was born May 1856; Frank W. July 1860; George M.; William S. 1863/64; Edward K.; Callie B.; Nellie W.; Alice C.; and Josie the youngest born March 1878. So the Coles had two or more small children when she went as a nurse in the Civil War. Possibly it was when he was wounded They must have had a close relative nearby to care for the children.

Her husband Gilbert L. Cole (1829-1910) enlisted Aug. 25, 1862 in Co. E, 29th Iowa Inf., was wounded about 8 months later and transferred to the Invalid Corps, later was 2nd Lt. of A, 124th USCI, discharged Nov. 6, 1865.

He had graduated from the Cincinnati Mechanical Institute in the winter of 1847-48. In Beatrice he was an architect, contractor and builder with the firm of Cole & Conlee. He designed and built the first Opera House. The following year took the contract and built Doane College at Crete. Superintended the erection of the Central School building and the Masonic Temple, and several business houses and residences. Designed and erected the Gage County veterans monument on the court house grounds. Had been on the board of education, board of supervisors, city council, and board of public works at a time when some of the permanent public improvements of the city were being made. Masonic orders, O.E.S., G.A.R., Methodist Church. Published an account of his 1852-1854 trip to Placerville, California. Member of Nebraska State Historical society, the Nebraska Territorial Pioneers association, Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and Western Association of Pioneers; the papers he read there are preserved in the records and published proceedings.

This information is given here to illustrate the life of a pioneer builder of a Nebraska town, and activities and interests.

Fredericka J. Wortzschmidt Cole died December 18, 1922. She is buried in Evergreen Home Cemetery, Beatrice, Nebraska.

Susan Cox (1827-1901)
Tecumseh, Johnson County, Nebraska.

Susan Cox was an army nurse. She was given recognition as such at the 1888 WRC Department Convention. In the 1889 and 1890 National and Department Journals, she was one of those listed as Army Nurses in Nebraska, as having been a Volunteer.

Susan Bomburger was born January 1, 1826, in Maryland. She married Isaac L. Cox in 1847.  He came to Nebraska in 1867, the year it became a state, and settled in Tecumseh.. They had 4 living children: Alphonso C.; Sylvia S.; Riley V. who was born 1868-69; and David W. born 1873-74.

Her husband Isaac L. Cox (1823-after 1900) was in the Civil War 1862 to 1864, in Co. G, 83rd Illinois. He had been in blacksmithing and went before 1882 into the flour, feed, and general groceries business.

At the WRC Department Convention in 1894 Mrs. Cox requested permission to secure signatures for a quilt. Both the GAR and the WRC were interested in particiipating. The proceeds to aid her in paying for her home, and the quilt, when finished, to be presented to the Soldiers' Home at Grand Island.

Susan (Bomburger) Cox died October 12, 1901. She is buried in the Tecumseh Cemetery, Tecumseh, Nebraska.

Kate Donovan (about 1830 - 1882)
Plattsmouth, Cass County, Nebraska

Kate/Catherine Donovan was an army nurse. She may have been known as "the Matron of 1st Nebraska." The Plattsmouth WRC reported that they decorated "one Hospital Nurses grave" Memorial Day 1888, and mentioned "one grave of an army nurse" Memorial Day 1899.

Catherine Keife was a native of the County Dublin, Ireland. She was born about 1830. In 1856 she married Edward Donovan "probably in New Orleans or the Chicago area." The fall of 1867 they came to Oreopolis which was one and a half miles from Plattsmouth. In 1878 they moved the house they had built to Plattsmouth..

Their 4 children were Robert, Kate (O'Grada) born 1858-59 in Illinois, George born 1861-62, and Flora C.born 1866-67. The 1880 census indicates they lived on Fulton St. in Plattsmouth. Mr. Donovan was described as a true Irish gentleman, and she as a woman of many lovable qualities.

Her husband Edward Donovan "was among the first to volunteer" enlisting April 1861 in Co. A, 1st Nebraska Infantry. After the war his regiment was sent to the northwestern frontier and was discharged July 1866 with him a Captain. In 1867 he joined the regular army, 41st Regt later fonsolidated into the 24th, on the northwestern frontier and in Texas. He resigned 1878 to be an accountant with the Burlington & Missouri River Railway Company in Plattsmouth.

Kate/Catherine (Kiefe) Donovan died in 1882. It is assumed she was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Plattsmouth, Nebraska, since her husband was buried there.

Elizabeth T. Ellenwood (died about 1916-17)
Nebraska

Elizabeth T. Ellenwood of Nebraska was one of the Army Nurse's names read at the Memorial Services at the National WRC Convention in 1917.

No further information is known.

Mrs. Ellis (died after 1894)
Nebraska

Mrs. Ellis was one of the army nurses attending the Nebraska Department WRC Convention in 1894.

No further information is known.

Elizabeth Ann Ferguson (died June 1924)
Neligh, Antelope County, Nebraska

Elizabeth Ann Ferguson of Neligh, Nebraska was one of the Army Nurses whose name was read during the Memorial Services at the National WRC Convention in 1924. Elizabeth Ferguson was President of the Neligh WRC Corps #59 in 1905.

No further information is known.

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