Charlotte (Johnson) McKay
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Charlotte Elizabeth (Johnson) McKay (1818 - 1894)

Charlotte Elizabeth McKay formerly Johnson
Born in Waterford Flat, Waterford, Oxford, Maine, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died at age 75 in San Diego, San Diego, California, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 10 Apr 2023
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Biography

Charlotte (Johnson) McKay was born in Maine.
Charlotte was an Army nurse appointed by Dorothea Dix to Frederick, Maryland hospitals; served at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg; awarded the Kearny Cross by the 17th Maine Infantry.
Charlotte (Johnson) McKay was interred in California.

Charlotte was born 2 Aug 1818 in Waterford Flat, Waterford, Oxford, Maine, United States. She was the daughter of Abner Johnson and Julia Sargent.

In 1830, Charlotte was living in Sullivan, Maine with her parents and siblings.[1]

HouseholdRoleSexAge
Abner JohnsonheadM40-49
one wifeF
twosonsMunder 5
twosonsM5-9
twodaughtersF10-14
onedaughterF15-19

Charlotte married William P. McKay on 16 Aug 1854 in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine. [2] [3] They had one child, Julia Sargent who was born 14 May 1855 and died 1 Feb 1861 in South Reading, Massachusetts. [4] [5]

William died 10 Apr 1856.

In 1860, Charlotte and her daughter Julia were living in South Reading, Massachusetts, United States. Charlotte was widowed. [6]

HouseholdRoleSexAgeBirthplaceOccupation
Charlotte E McKayheadF42Mainegentlewoman
Julia S McKaydaughterF5Massachusetts

On 24 Mar 1862, Charlotte went to Frederick, Maryland where she was appointed a nurse and the army hospital under Dorothea Dix. She was immediately responsible for the care of many wounded soldiers from the first battle of Winchester. When the city was captured by the Confederate troops in September, they took over the hospital and filled it with their sick and wounded – Charlotte treated them with the same kindness and skill as she did with Union soldiers. A few days after the capture, the Confederates vacated the city.

After the battle of Antietam, Frederick's hospitals were filled to capacity, requiring Charlotte to work day and night. Next, she went to Washington, D.C., and then to Falmouth, Virginia and the Third Corps Hospital. Third Corps hospital was known as the worst corps hospital on the front. Charlotte's efforts turned it into one of the best.

At Chancellorsville, she witnessed the bloody battle while caring for the wounded covering the ground at the front. She heard of the conflict at Gettysburg and made her way there to find the hospital of her division. There she remained for nearly two months nursing for the nearly fifteen hundred wounded men. In autumn she went to the front at Warrenton, Virginia to the hospital of the Third Division, Third Corps. Later, she was in charge of one of the hospitals at Brandy Station.

Those of the 17th Maine Infantry who were under her care after the battle of Chancellorsville presented her with a Kearny Cross with the inscription, "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" on the front and on the reverse, "Presented to Mrs. C.E. McKay by the officers of the Seventeenth regiment Maine volunteers. May 1863."

All the hospital workers agreed that at no time during the war was there such suffering as during the months of May and June, 1864. Significant battles occurred frequently. At the hospitals of Fredericksburg, White House and City Point she worked diligently for the sick of the Third Division. A change in army organization of the Division motivated her to accept a position at the Cavalry Corps Hospital, where she remained for about a year. She became responsible for the special diet of the hospital. As a Christmas present, those at the Cavalry Corps Hospital gave her a beautiful, inscribed gold badge and chain, with the inscription: "Presented to Mrs. Charlotte E. McKay by the soldiers of the Cavalry Corps Hospital. Army of Potomac, in front of Petersburg. December 25, 1861."

Charlotte left the service in March, 1865, remaining in Virginia for about a year engaging with the freedmen. She nursed the sick, cared for those unable to care for themselves, provided instruction, and was a concerned and active listener.

She was an anti-suffragist. On 10 Feb 1870, she participated, with a delegation of women, in a hearing granted by the senate committee of the District of Columbia. They presented a paper against the extension of suffrage to the women of the United States, in which they argued that most women did not want the vote and because they took care of the home and children, they did not have time to stay updated on politics. They believed that the country was in no condition to try so important an experiment as granting women the vote. She became the editor of the first anti-suffrage periodical, "The True Woman".

In 1870, Charlotte was head of a household with included her mother Julia, the Oliver family and Margaret Dosson, a domestic servant. They were living in Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. (note the transcription indicates that Charlotte was 32, not 52). [7]

HouseholdRoleSexAgeBirthplaceOccupation
Charlotte E McKayheadF32Mainekeeping house
Julia S JohnsonmotherF85Massachusettsat home
Perkins OliverboarderM53Maineprovision dealer
Hannah O OliverboarderF25Massachusettsat home
Emma F OliverboarderF17Massachusettsat school
Lillie OliverboarderF13Massachusettsat school
Margaret DossonservantF19Irelanddomestic servant

Charlotte kept a journal during her nursing carrier and in 1876 she published her memoirs – "Stories of Hospital and Camp"

Charlotte passed away 10 Apr 1894 in San Diego, San Diego, California and is buried in Olivewood Cemetery in Riverside, California.[8]

Sources

  1. 1830 Census "Maine, United States records, Aug 5, 2018," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YYR-Q7?view=explore : Apr 10, 2023), image 305 of 697; United States. National Archives and Records Administration.
  2. Marriage "Maine Marriages, 1771-1907", citing FHL microfilm: 10584; Record number: 1468, FamilySearch Record: F4X4-Z31 (accessed 10 April 2023), Charlotte E Johnson marriage to William P. McKay on 16 Aug 1854 in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine, United States.
  3. Marriage "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921", citing Bangor, Penobscot, Maine, United States, multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm, FamilySearch Record: Q283-T41S (accessed 10 April 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9FP-F9Z5-4 Image number 00605, Charlotte E Johnson marriage to William P McKay on 16 Aug 1854 in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine, United States.
  4. Child Birth "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", citing FHL microfilm: 1428235, FamilySearch Record: VQXM-JMD (accessed 10 April 2023), Julia Bargent McKay born to Charlotte on 14 May 1855 in Massachusetts, United States.
  5. Child Death "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001", citing Death, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004273918, FamilySearch Record: FHL4-4SM (accessed 10 April 2023) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-9975-9J6 Image number 00383, Charlotte E in death record for daughter Julia S. McKay, 1 Feb 1861 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States.
  6. 1860 Census "United States Census, 1860", citing Page: 149; Affiliate Publication Number: M653; Affiliate Film Number: 509; FHL microfilm: 803509; Record number: 21773, FamilySearch Record: MZHX-NMZ (accessed 10 April 2023) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GBS4-9CM Image number 00556, Charlotte E Mc Kay (42) in South Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Born in Maine.
  7. 1870 Census "United States Census, 1870", citing Page: 19; Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 33; FHL microfilm: 000552131; Record number: 14021, FamilySearch Record: MDQM-FWS (accessed 10 April 2023) FamilySearch Image: S3HY-6QTQ-5X7 Image number 00361, Charlotte E McKay (32) head of household in Wakefield, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Born in Maine.
  8. Memorial Find a Grave (has image), Find A Grave: Memorial #125471924 (accessed 10 April 2023), Memorial page for Charlotte Elizabeth Johnson McKay (2 Aug 1818-10 Apr 1894), citing Olivewood Cemetery, Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA; Maintained by K.B. (contributor 47795739).
  • Monumental inscription. Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum, Altadena, California. 1894 (b. 1818) McKay, Charlotte E., Photographed by: Find A Grave contributor K.B., ID 47795739.
See also:

Acknowledgements





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