Barbara "Mary Lucy" Dosh (September 15, 1839 – December 29, 1861) was a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

sister A sister is a woman or a girl who shares parents or a parent with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to ref ...

in the order of the

Sisters of Nazareth The Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth, until recently known as the Poor Sisters of Nazareth, are a Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholic wikt:apostolic, apostolic congregation of religious sisters of pontifical right, based in London, Engl ...

. She was a volunteer

nurse Nursing is a health care profession that "integrates the art and science of caring and focuses on the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and human functioning; prevention of illness and injury; facilitation of healing; and alle ...

Western Kentucky Western Kentucky is the western portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It generally includes part or all of several more widely recognized regions of the state. ;Always included * The Jackson Purchase, the state's westernmost generally recogniz ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, caring for both Union troops and Confederate

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

, and died in the course of duty from

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often th ...

. In 2012, the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

passed a resolution honoring Dosh's nursing care given to both Union and Confederate soldiers.

Early life and education

Barbara Dosh was born in

Luzerne County Luzerne County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is Northeaste ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, on September 15, 1839. She was orphaned at age 11 and she and her sister went to live in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

, with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Dosh's talent for music was recognized by Mother Catherine Spalding of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and she went to St. Vincent in

Union County, Kentucky Union County is a county in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,668. Its county seat is Morganfield. The county was created effective January 15, 1811. The county is located on the east bank of the Ohio ...

, to study music. Dosh decided to join the order of the Sisters of Nazareth and took the name Sister Mary Lucy Dosh. She went to

Paducah, Kentucky Paducah ( ) is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in the Upland South, and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. The most populous city in the Jackson Purchase region, it is located in the Southeastern Unit ...

, to teach music at St Mary's Academy in McCracken County. .

American Civil War

In 1861 Dosh volunteered as a

during the

. She cared for both Union troops and Confederate prisoners of war at the Paducah Baptist Church.

Death and legacy

While serving as a nurse, Dosh died of

on December 29, 1861, a few months into the Civil War. Her casket was carried on the U.S. gunboat ''Peacock'' up the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

Uniontown, Kentucky Uniontown is a home rule-class city in Union County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 929 at the 2020 census. The John T. Myers Locks and Dam, once known as Uniontown Locks and Dam, is located downriver 3½ miles. History The n ...

, under an order of truce with an escort of six Union soldiers and six Confederate soldiers. She was buried in the St. Vincent Academy cemetery. In December, 2012 the

passed a resolution honoring Dosh's nursing care given to both Union and Confederate soldiers.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dosh, Mary Lucy 1839 births 1861 deaths People from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War 19th-century American Roman Catholic nuns Sisters of Charity Federation in the Vincentian-Setonian Tradition People from Union County, Kentucky People of Kentucky in the American Civil War Deaths from typhoid fever in the United States Infectious disease deaths in Kentucky American Civil War nurses American women nurses Catholics from Pennsylvania Catholics from Kentucky Civilians killed in the American Civil War