Bob Kann Coming to the North Shore Library

On Tuesday, from 6:30- 7:30 p.m., the will present a program in honor of a special lady from Wisconsin history, Cordelia Harvey.  Local author, Bob Kann, has written a fascinating new biography of Cordelia Harvey and will share what he has learned.   His book has been published by the Wisconsin Historical Society and will soon be a PBS special.

She was like so many other Wisconsin women at the time – growing up in a small town and working as a school teacher.  Unremarkable really.

But the man Cordelia married, Louis P. Harvey, went from also being a school teacher to being elected as Governor of Wisconsin in 1861.  Both husband and wife were soon involved with the troops sent from Wisconsin into battle during the Civil War.

The very next year, Governor Harvey made an emotional and compassionate trip to visit hospitals in the South where sick and wounded men from Wisconsin regiments were located.  The trip was going well until his foot slipped while transferring boats and Governor Harvey fell into the water and drowned.

As Cordelia recovered from her grief, she was inspired to carry on the work of her husband.  What she accomplished was truly remarkable!

As her husband had done before her, Cordelia visited hospitals and found them crowded, poorly organized and hampered by incompetent surgeons.  Some hospitals serving the troops were so crowded that a person could hardly pass between the cots.  What she saw, however, was not the cots, but rather husbands and brothers, fathers and sons.  She advocated for better care, gave hope to the sick and comfort to the dying.

On one of her trips, she went to Washington and pled her case for change to President Lincoln.  She was persuasive and persistent and finally convinced him to give permission to establish a hospital in Wisconsin for convalescent soldiers.  Due to her work, three hospitals were finally established in Wisconsin – one in Madison, one in Milwaukee and one in Prairie du Chien.  No wonder she was called the “Wisconsin Angel”.

As we celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, come join us for the evening to reflect on the efforts of one of Wisconsin’s special women.  This program is appropriate for interested children as well as adults.