The Clara (Triplett) Hanks Collection includes a Missouri State Board Nurse's Registration certificate issued to Hanks. Hanks was born in 1896 in Palmyra, Missouri and served as a nurse for the Red Cross during World War I.
The United States entry into World War I brought about tremendous growth within the American Red Cross organization. Communities all across the United States organized local chapters to meet the challenges of war both on the home front and overseas. The Red Cross sent doctors and nurses to the many base hospitals it had organized for wounded servicemen in Europe. The organization also provided services to civilians at home and assisted in medical treatment during the influenza pandemic in 1918. The Red Cross military service corps included Home Service, Production Corps, Nursing Service, Motor Service and Hospital Service.
The Gardner House Museum's World War I collection also includes several photographs of Red Cross parades held in Palmyra in the summer of 1918.
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| Red Cross Parade - Palmyra, Missouri ca. 1918 |
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| Red Cross Parade - Palmyra, Missouri ca. 1918 |
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| Red Cross Parade - Palmyra, Missouri ca. 1918 |
In addition to the Red Cross related collections, the Gardner House Museum provided us with an interesting set of military records related to the service of Howard C. Bross. The documents include an induction order for Bross, which provides a description of what Bross was expected to bring to his local board and a Thanksgiving menu from Camp Funston.
The entire collection from the Gardner House Museum can be viewed here.
Sources:
Hanks, Clara Triplett Collection. Palmyra Gardner House Museum of Heritage Seekers, 417 S. Main, PO Box 284, Palmyra, MO 63461.
Bross, Howard Cleveland Collection. Palmyra Gardner House Museum of Heritage Seekers, 417 S. Main, PO Box 284, Palmyra, MO 63461.
World War I Photographs in Palmyra. Palmyra Gardner House Museum of Heritage Seekers, 417 S. Main, PO Box 284, Palmyra, MO 63461.
World War I and the American Red Cross. www.redcross.org
