Today in Wheeling History: October 5–Lydia Wilson “Mother” Holliday, Civil War nurse from Wheeling, passed away (1899).
Lydia Wilson "Mother" Holliday was born in Delaware in 1802 and moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, with her family in 1833. She was married to William R. Holliday, and they had several children. Lydia became widely known as "Mother Holliday" for her dedicated service as a nurse during the American Civil War. At nearly sixty years old, she answered President Lincoln's call for volunteers and served in various military hospitals, including those in Wheeling, Winchester, and Washington, D.C. She cared for both Union and Confederate soldiers, earning a reputation as a fearless and compassionate nurse.
Lydia's strong sense of patriotic duty led her to volunteer at Camp Carlile on Wheeling Island, where she provided essential supplies and recruited other women to serve as nurses. She later served as an army field nurse at several battles, including Winchester, Snicker’s Ford, and Cedar Creek. After the war, Lydia remained active in the community, becoming a prominent member of the Woman’s Relief Corps. She was known for making "crazy patch quilts" to raise funds for the J.W. Holliday Post, named in honor of her son.
Lydia Wilson Holliday passed away on October 5, 1899, at the age of 97. She is buried at Mt. Wood Cemetery in Wheeling.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://shorturl.at/iWGbK) (http://alturl.com/ej67c), Find a Grave (https://shorturl.at/vDFfK), Archiving Wheeling (https://shorturl.at/uHZxK), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/G0tDh)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
Lydia Wilson "Mother" Holliday was born in Delaware in 1802 and moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, with her family in 1833. She was married to William R. Holliday, and they had several children. Lydia became widely known as "Mother Holliday" for her dedicated service as a nurse during the American Civil War. At nearly sixty years old, she answered President Lincoln's call for volunteers and served in various military hospitals, including those in Wheeling, Winchester, and Washington, D.C. She cared for both Union and Confederate soldiers, earning a reputation as a fearless and compassionate nurse.
Lydia's strong sense of patriotic duty led her to volunteer at Camp Carlile on Wheeling Island, where she provided essential supplies and recruited other women to serve as nurses. She later served as an army field nurse at several battles, including Winchester, Snicker’s Ford, and Cedar Creek. After the war, Lydia remained active in the community, becoming a prominent member of the Woman’s Relief Corps. She was known for making "crazy patch quilts" to raise funds for the J.W. Holliday Post, named in honor of her son.
Lydia Wilson Holliday passed away on October 5, 1899, at the age of 97. She is buried at Mt. Wood Cemetery in Wheeling.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://shorturl.at/iWGbK) (http://alturl.com/ej67c), Find a Grave (https://shorturl.at/vDFfK), Archiving Wheeling (https://shorturl.at/uHZxK), Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/G0tDh)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
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