Juliet G. (Blanchard) (Robbins) Howe (1825-1904)
York, York County, Nebraska
Juliet G. Howe was a volunteer
Civil War nurse. She was referred to as army nurse manytimes
in the WRC Department journals, and was on the 1889 and 1890
WRC Nationallists. As Juliet Robbins, widow, age 38, she enlisted
at Boston August 1862 and served till being discharged in September
1865. If she went in through the Sanitary Commission,they did
have a formal enlistment and a formal discharge. She served in
hospitals at Point Lookout, Maryland, and Columbus and Union
Hospitals at Washington DC. In later years she received a pension.
The folowing is taken from her biography in the 1904 WRC Journal:
Juliet G. Blanchard was born July 12, 1825, in Charlestown, Massachusetts. under the shadow of Bunker Hill Monument. Her father was a merchant in comfortable circumstances. There were 4 boys and 4 girls in the family. She received the best education that the public schools of that time afforded."
She married Mr. __ Robbins, who died in 1858. "Mrs. Robbins was a Christian and lightened her sorrows by ministering to the sick and needy ones of her neighborhood."
On August 3rd, 1862, Mrs. Robbins went to Boston and enrolled herself as an ArmyNurse. She was then 37. She was immediately sent to the Hospital at Point Lookout, Maryland, and commenced her duties by ministering to the wants of the sick andwounded soldiers, who were brought there from the battlefields, bending over the dyingboys who took her supporting arm and soothing voice for their mother's or sister's,dressing terrible wounds, administering nourishing food, and writing letters to loved ones. She was transferred to Columbus and Union Hospitals at Washington, D.C. where she endeared herself to the suffering soldiers who called her 'Mother Robbins.'
She served her country in this capacity for 3 years and 1 month, being Honorably Discharged September 19th, 1865. Quick to see the exigencies of a situation, and wise to meet them, understanding both how to direct and how to obey; her bravery and self-reliance were balanced by her generosity and warm heartedness.
On leaving the service she returned to Charlestown, Mass., and resided with hermother until she came west in 1870 and married Sidney Howe [1818-1906], a veteranwho served in Co. F, 65th Ill Inf. They settled in Nebraska in 1875.
Her life has been devoted to the alieviation of suffering, and she has been an untiring worker in our Order until she became crippled 5 years ago by a severe fall, breaking her hip. She is now 78, and for her services to her country she receives a pension. He rhusband is 86, is totally blind and deaf. He also receives a pension, showing that our Government is not ungrateful to those who rallied to her aid in her hour of peril.
'Aunt Juliet' and 'Uncle Sidney' have given their hearts and hands to God and theirCountry and are calmly awaiting the summons home.
Sidney A. Howe (1818-1906) homesteaded in Section 18, Twp 12, Range 1 W. Thiswould be in Stewart Township, the northwesternmost township in York County,Nebraska. In the 1887 City Directory, his address was 803 East 7th Street, York. In the1895 GAR post roster his occupation was listed as contractor. In the 1900 census the household consisted of Sidney retired, Juliet, a nephew [great-nephew?] Frank Howard age 24, a servant woman and and a boarder, on 7th Street in York.
Juliet G. Howe was a charter member and first president of the Robert Anderson WRC Corps No. 5 which was instituted November 1883, before there was a WRC Department of Nebraska. Meetings were held twice a month. She was corps President 1883, 1884, 1886 and 1889. At the first Department Convention April 1884 she was elected Department Chaplain and Delegate to the National Convention, the same in 1885, and again a Delegate to National in 1890. Through 1899 she was at every Department Convention, except 1898 when she was visiting in Boston. She seemed to be especially well-regarded. The WRC Department Journals tended to call her "our army nurse," and between the words "our" and "army nurse" was often an adjective such as"old" "honored" "aged" venerable" "much loved" "most worthy" "beloved." In later years the Convention would send greetings to her, and voted in 1904 to publish a short sketch of her life with her photograph in the Journal. They also voted to send her a remembrance,which turned out to be a silver cup, saucer and spoon, the cup being engraved "Presented to Juliet G. Howe by the 21st Annual Convention, Dept. Neb. W.R.C. May, 1904:" OnWRC Day September 1897 at the GAR Reunion at Lincoln she had been introduced but did not wish to speak, saying that in her day girls were never taught the art of public speaking; "Her grey hair and motherly face captured all hearts, however."
Juliet G. Howe died December 19, 1904. She is buried inGreenwood Cemetery, York, Nebraska.
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Sources:
- WRC Department Annual Convention Journals: 1884 1st, pages 9, 12. 1885 2nd, page5. 1886 3rd, pages 46, 80. 1887 4th, page 101. 1888 5th, page 11. 1889 6th, page 5. 1890 7th, pages 4,67,72. 1891 8th, page 4. 1892 9th, pages 6, 55, 84. 1893 10th, pages67,99. 1894 11th, page 4. 1898 15th, page 99. 1899 15th, page 34. 1901 18th, page51. 1902 19th, page 28. 1903 20th, page 37. 1904 21st, pages 89, 91, 92, 93. 190522nd, page 34, 56, Part 2, page 2.
- WRC National Annual Convention Journals: 1889 7th, page 137. 1890 8th, page 164. Spelled Julia and Juliette, respectively.
- Nebraska Adjutant General GAR Civil War Veterans Buried in Nebraska, filmed by theNebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln; microfilm: on Sidney A. Howe.
- GAR and WRC records in York County on the Nebraska GenWeb on the internet.
- York Directory 1887, at the York County Historical Association, also on NEGenWeb.
- York County Homesteaders, compiled by Rose Marie Hulse, published by Nebraska State Genealogical Society. This little book in the York City Library,
- The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, September 17, 1897, as produced for NebraskaGenWeb Project, Civil War page.
- Census: 1900.
- Greenwood Cemetery.