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On Christmas Day, 1821, Clarissa Harlowe Barton was born. The place was North Oxford, Massachusetts.
Barton had two older sisters and two older brothers. Ten years separated them in age. As a child, Barton had few children her own age to play with. The family dog, Button, was often her only playmate.
When Clara Barton was 11, her brother David suffered a serious injury. Barton helped nurse him back to health. Caring for David gave Barton a sense of purpose. After he recovered, Barton nursed several families during a smallpox epidemic. Then she herself got sick. Her helping heart and determination were developing and starting to show.
