The Life of Mary Bickerdyke and the Construction of the Mother Bickerdyke Monument

Mary Ann "Mother" Bickerdyke (1817-1901) was a field nurse for Union soldiers during the American Civil War. She was born in Knox County, Ohio on July 19, 1817 to Hiram and Annie (Rodgers) Ball. Later in life, she moved to Galesburg, Illinois and , finally, to Bunker Hill, Kansas where she died at the age of 84. She was married to Robert Bickerdyke in 1847, and together they had three children, two of whom lived to adulthood. Her husband died in 1859, making her a widow at 42. She never remarried. During the Civil War, she was a prominent field nurse who tended to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, and was responsible for setting up more than 300 field hospitals during her service throughout the entire war, from 1861 to 1865. Soldiers referred to her as "Mother Bickerdyke" due to her immensely caring nature. She was revered among soldiers from across the country, as she participated on the battlefield as a nurse in 19 separate battles. After the war, she retired to Galesburg, Illinois. Due to her residence in the city, she remains a prominent historical figure in Galesburg's past. She later moved to Bunker Hill, Kansas, to live with her son until she died in 1901.Discussion of creating a monument in Galesburg began immediately following her death. Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson was commissioned as the sculptor, and it was completed in 1904 and placed in the lawn of the Knox County Courthouse.