Cordelia Harvey

Cordelia Adelaide Harvey (December 27, 1824 – February 27, 1895) is best known for her advocacy for Wisconsin Union soldiers as an American Civil War nurse. Following her involvement in the war, she took on the challenge of finding homes for children of fallen soldiers. The last letter Cordelia received from her husband, dated two days before his death, he wrote, "Yesterday was the day of my life. Thank God for the impulse that brought me here. I am well, and have done more good by coming, than I can well tell you." Cordelia received the devastating news while aiding a destitute family in Madison. The Harvey Hospital in Madison had treated over 630 patients by the time the war ended.

Once the war ended, Harvey took it upon herself to find homes for the children who lost fathers on the battlefield. When the Harvey hospital closed in 1865, she decided it was perfectly suited for a children's home. She convinced the government to purchase the building for $10,000. Through private donations, she furnished and operated the home, opening its doors on January 10, 1866.