Julia Catherine Stimson RRC (1881 - 1948)

Born 26 May 1881 in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Died 29 Sep 1948 at age 67 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York, United States

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Biography

Julia Stimson RRC is Notable.

Julia Catherine Stimson is a Notable:^[1]

• Superintendent of the Army Nurse Corps during WWI
• First woman to attain the rank of Major in the US Army
• Awarded the US Distinguished Service Medal awarded by General John J. Pershing
• Awarded the Royal Red Cross (RRC - post-nominal letters)
• Retired from the US Army in 1937; however, returned at the start of WWII as chief of Nursing Council on National Defense
• Promoted to full colonel in 1948
• 1928-1944-President of the American Nurses Association (ANA)
• Inducted into the ANA Hall of Fame in 1976

Julia Catherine Stimson was born May 26, 1881 in Worcester, Massachusetts.^[2][3] Her parents were Rev. Henry A. Stimson^[2] and Alice Bartlett.^[4] Her father's role as a minister moved the family to New York while Julia was still young. There, she attended Brearley School for Girls. Following graduation there, she attended Vassar College, beginning at age 16 and graduating in 1901. Several of her sisters also graduated from the college. Julia's hopes were to become a physician, but her family discouraged her, thinking the profession more appropriate for men. Later, though, her younger sister would change their minds and become a surgeon. Julia instead pursued a career in nursing, eventually earning a graduate degree in sociology while living in St. Louis.^[4]

Julia enrolled in the New York Hospital training school and graduated from there in 1908. She was supervisor of the Harlem Hospital from 1908 to 1911. She held a series of positions including head of social service at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri, superintendent of the Training School for Nurses at Barnes Hospital, and then the same role at St. Louis Children's Hospital.^[4]

Julia volunteered for the US Army Nurses Corps in 1917. Her unit was sent to Rouen, France to care for the wounded on the front lines.^[4] After the war, Julia was appointed Superintendent of the Army Nurses Corp.^[4] In 1920, she was promoted to the rank of Major, the first woman to achieve that rank in the US Army.^[2][4][5] She was the recipient of the United States Distinguished Service Medal and the Royal Red Cross.^[5] Julia retired from her military service in 1937.^[5] She was President of the American Nursing Association from 1938 to 1944.^[5] The outset of World War II found her drawn back into the military, serving as chief of the Nursing Council on National Defense. She was promoted to colonel in 1948.^[5] She was inducted into the American Nursing Association's Hall of Fame in 1976.^[5]

Julia died September 29, 1948 in Poughkeepsie, New York.^[3][5] Julia was cremated and her ashes were scattered in the woods near Briarcliff Manor, New York.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Catherine_Stimson
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJG-P6X5 : 16 March 2018), Julia C Stimson, 1923; citing Passport Application, District Of Columbia, United States, source certificate #246720, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925, Roll 2174, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WW2R-VB2M : 26 October 2019), Julia Catherine Stimson, 14 Apr 1943; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5} "Nurses in World War I: The Courage of Julia Catharine Stimson, History Is Now Magazine.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7} Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 30 October 2020), memorial page for COL Julia Catherine Stimson (26 May 1881–30 Sep 1948), Find A Grave: Memorial #119045645, ; Maintained by Peterborough K (contributor 46537737) Cremated, Ashes were scattered in woods near Briarcliff Manor, New York.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSKM-NWT : accessed 30 October 2020), Julia Stimson in household of Henry Stimson, Borough of Manhattan, Election District 3 New York City Ward 21, New York County, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 516, sheet 6B, family 99, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,105.
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNLK-MY5 : accessed 30 October 2020), Julia C Stimson, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing ED 69, sheet 2A, line 35, family 28, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 206; FHL microfilm 1,820,206.
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMKT-DNF : accessed 30 October 2020), Julia C Stimson in household of Catherine F Dodd, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 170, sheet 4B, line 82, family 75, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 296; FHL microfilm 2,340,031.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7S4-G4D : 28 July 2019), Julia C Stimson, Briarcliff Manor, Ossining Town, Westchester, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 60-253, sheet 5A, line 38, family 106, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 2805.