Rebecca Lane Pennypacker Price (September 8, 1837 – May 17, 1919) was a nurse who served in 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 ...

, and was the penultimate president of the National Association of Army Nurses of the Civil War in 1914.

Early life

Rebecca Lane Pennypacker was born in

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania Phoenixville is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek (Schuylkill River tributary), French Creek an ...

, the daughter of Mathias Showalter Pennypacker and Elizabeth Buckwalter Pennypacker. Her mother was a hospital matron during the American Civil War. Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker was her first cousin; General Galusha Pennypacker was another cousin.

Career

Rebecca L. Price was a leader of the Phoenixville Union Relief Society at the beginning the American Civil War, organizing sewists and knitters, running donation drives, and delivering supplies to troops. She was given a travel pass by Pennsylvania's governor Andrew Gregg Curtin to facilitate her work. She volunteered as a nurse at hospitals in Virginia,

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

and

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. She rode a cattle car to offer compassionate care to badly wounded soldiers and replenish clothing, bandages, food, and other provisions after the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

. Later in life, Price was a manager of the Baptist Institute for Christian Workers in Philadelphia. She remained active with the Civil War nursing organizations, and in 1914 and 1915 was the president of the National Association of Army Nurses of the Civil War. As president, she spoke to a gathering of Civil War veterans on the 50th anniversary of the war's end in 1915, saying "We can do much to lead the rising generation to see horrors of war rather than its glories that they may give their lives to preserve these blessings through peace. Peace is what we want, and not war."

Personal life

Rebecca Lane Pennypacker married Edwin Price in 1859. They had two children, a son, George E. Price (1874–1951), and a daughter, Cora Price (later Bowen) (1869–1961). Rebecca L. Price was widowed in 1914 and died in 1919, aged 81 years, at her home in

Pottstown, Pennsylvania Pottstown is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts (Pennsylvanian), John Potts. The old name was abando ...

. In 2015, the Phoenixville Historical Society marked

Armed Forces Day An Armed Forces Day, alongside its Military branch, branch-specific variants often referred to as Army or Soldier's Day, Navy or Sailor's Day, and Air Force or Aviator's Day, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the Military, armed forces, o ...

with an event honoring Rebecca Lane Pennypacker Price's contributions as a nurse in the American Civil War.Eric Devlin
"Phoenixville Civil War Nurse to be Honored at Ceremony"
''The Mercury'' (May 13, 2015).

References

External links

* * Norman Gasbarro
"Rebecca Pennybacker Price: Civil War Nurse"
''Civil War Blog'' (January 30, 2015). {{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Rebecca Lane Pennypacker 1837 births 1919 deaths American Civil War nurses American women nurses People from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania National Association of Army Nurses of the Civil War