The following is a letter from C. S. Amsden to his niece Abbie Amsden Donohue and her husband Bill
Milbank, S.D. Nov. 16, 1931
Dear Abbie & Bill.
I do not know whether I answered your last letter or not, but am wondering if you are having the same "ice cream" weather we are having down here. Flowers in bloom. Grass green as in June and everything springlike except the trees which shed their leaves some time ago. Well as it seems the annual drive for Red Cross funds is now on and perhaps you may be interested it might surprise you that you were related to the originator of the American Red Cross, Clara Barton. Clara's first cousin, Barton Huse, married mother's oldest sister Aunt Alpha Brown whom with their two daughters Mary and Flora lived at Barre, Massachusetts not far from Oxford, Massachusetts, the birthplace of Clara Barton. Many people today see Clara Barton as some young girl wearing red cross garb. But Clara's outstanding work was during the shadowing part of her life. Born in 1821 she first came into her profession when she was forty, during the Civil War where she cared for the sick and wounded, laid out the National Cemetery at Andersonville, secured the adoption of the Treaty of Genoa, and finally found the National Red Cross in 1881 when she was sixty years of age, was its first president holding the position until 1904. Eight years later 1912 she passed away at the ripe age of 91 years. I have pictures of Mary and Flora Huse taken more than sixty years ago, whom are second cousins of yours, and also second cousins of Clara Barton. I did not know whether you had the details of Clara Barton's career so I thought if not it might interest you.
Give my regards to inquiring friends.
Your uncle,
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