and renovated it with her own hands, when nine men lay dead with the disease. Through the battles at Vicksburg, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and Chattanooga Mrs. Bickerdyke nursed friend and foe alike, and when, in 1864, Sherman started on his memorable March to the Sea, always devoted to the Army of the Tennessee, "Mother" Bickerdyke, as the soldiers used to call her, accompanied the 100,000 men who marched away. Resaca, Kingston, New Hope, Cassville, Allatoona, Dallas and Kenesaw Mountain furnished her with 13.000 of those brave men as subjects for her care. When Sherman cut his base of supplies, Airs. Bickerdyke went to the North and collected immense sanitary stores for the soldiers. When Sherman entered Savannah, she sailed for the South, to take care of the liberated Union prisoners at Wilmington. At Beaufort, Averysboro and Kentonville she pursued her mission, and at the request of General Logan and the 15th Army Corps she marched into Alexandria with the army. At the final review in Washington Mrs. Bickerdyke, mounted upon a saddle-horse, dressed in a simple calico dress and sun-bonnet, accompanied the troops. This dress and bonnet were sold as relics of the war for $100. Since the rebellion Mrs. Bickerdyke has spent her life in procuring homes and pensions for the "boys." She resides with her son, Prof. Bickerdyke, in Russell, Kansas.
BIERCE, Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth, journalist, born in Sweden, Maine, in 1838. Her maiden name was Holden, one well-known in New England. While a school-girl, her essays and poems attracted attention, many of them finding place in the columns of eastern journals. Her early education was received in New England. Removing to
SARAH ELIZABETH BIERCE.
Michigan, she was graduated in 1860 from Kalamazoo College. During the next six years she taught in both public and private schools. While engaged in school work, she wrote numerous plays, which were first used at entertainments given by her pupils and afterwards published, from the time of her marriage, in 1866, to her husband's death, in 1881, Mrs. Bierce wrote little for the press. In 1885 she accepted a permanent position in connection with the Cleveland "Plain Dealer," contributing stories, sketches and special articles to the Sunday issue. Her stories and sketches of home life and pioneer incidents were especially popular. While most inclined to fiction, she has written numerous letters of travel. Her descriptions of life and scenery in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah were unusually entertaining. She has given much time to the investigation of certain phases of the working-woman problem, and has also written special articles on art subjects. She is a member of the Ohio Woman's Press Association and is at present (1892) corresponding secretary of that body In 1891 she was chosen delegate to the International League of Press Clubs, formed in Pittsburgh. Mrs. Bierce is, perhaps, most widely known outside of Ohio through her efficient management of the woman's literary and journalistic department of the Ohio Centennial, held in Columbus in 1888. Through her efforts was secured a full representation of the literary women of Ohio, past and present, editors, journalists, authors and poets, scattered far and wide, sending the fruits of their work to the exposition of their native State. She has a family consisting of a daughter and two sons.
BELLE G. BIGELOW.
BIGELOW, Mrs. Belle G., woman suffragist and prohibitionist, born on a farm in Gilead, Mich., 16th February, 1851. Her education was confined to the district school. She has been from early childhood an omnivorous reader. Her mother died when Belle was ten years old. At the age of eighteen she began to teach. In 1869 she was married to George R. Bigelow, of Ravenna,
