Annie Wittenmyer

Annie Turner Wittenmyer (August 26, 1827 – February 2, 1900) was an American charitable organization leader, known for social reform, relief work, and her writing. She served as the first National President of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), seventh National President of the Woman's Relief Corps (WRC), and also served as president of the Non-Partisan National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. In 2007, Wittenmyer was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame.

Early life and education

Sarah "Annie" Turner was born in Sandy Springs, Adams County, Ohio on the 26th of August, 1827, to John G. Turner and Elizabeth (Smith) Turner. At the age of twelve, Annie published her first poem and was regularly published in many different papers. Showing great talent in literature. She attended a seminary for girls. She married merchant William Wittenmyer at age 20. In 1850, they moved to Keokuk, Iowa, and she started a Sunday School and a tuition-free school for underprivileged children in 1853. She also developed a Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) congregation from these children and wrote several hymns. Three of her four children died before reaching adulthood. Between 1860 and 1864, Annie divorced her husband on the grounds of abandonment.

Civil War

When the American Civil War began in April 1861 and reports of suffering soldiers reached the home front, Wittenmyer responded by traveling to military hospitals and describing the horrible conditions she witnessed, prompting local support. When the Keokuk Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society began in May 1861, she became its "Corresponding Secretary" with the responsibility to maintain contact with sister organizations around the state. In 1862, Wittenmyer became the first woman mentioned by name in an Iowa legislative document when she was appointed as a Sanitary Agent for the Iowa State Sanitary Commission. In 1863, she began advocating for war orphans, helping to create several new Iowa orphanages, including the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home, which was later, in 1948, renamed the Annie Wittenmyer Home. After she encountered public and prolonged disagreements between the Keokuk Ladies Aid Society and the Iowa Army Sanitary Commission, she resigned her local relief work in 1864 to work with the United States Christian Commission in developing their special diet kitchens for Civil War hospitals.