, there was none which in so small and seemingly barren a
district proved so efficient or accomplished so much as the "Soldiers'
Aid Society of Northern Ohio."

This extraordinary efficiency was due almost wholly to the wonderful
energy and business ability of its officers. The society which at first
bore the name of The Soldiers' Aid Society of Cleveland, was composed
wholly of ladies, and was organized on the 20th day of April, 1861, five
days after the President's proclamation calling for troops. Its officers
were (exclusive of vice-presidents who were changed once or twice and
who were not specially active) Mrs. B. Rouse, President, Miss Mary Clark
Brayton, Secretary, Miss Ellen F. Terry, Treasurer. These ladies
continued their devotion to their work not only through the war, but
with a slight change in their organization, to enable them to do more
for the crippled and disabled soldier, and to collect without fee or
reward the bounties, back pay and pensions coming to the defenders of
the country, has remained in existence and actively employed up to the
present time.

No constitution or by-laws were ever adopted, and beyond a verbal
pledge to work for the soldiers while the war should last, and a fee of
twenty-five cents monthly, no form of membership was prescribed and no
written word held the society together to its latest day. Its sole
cohesive power was the bond of a common and undying patriotism.

In October, 1861, it was offered to the United States Sanitary
Commission, as one of its receiving and disbursing branches, and the
following month its name was changed to The Soldiers' Aid Society of
Northern Ohio. Its territory was very small and not remarkable for
wealth. It had auxiliaries in eighteen counties of Northeastern Ohio,
(Toledo and its vicinity being connected with the Cincinnati Branch, and
the counties farther west with Chicago), and a few tributaries in the
counties of Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania, which bordered on
Ohio, of which that at Meadville, Pennsylvania, was the only
considerable one.

In this region, Cleveland was the only considerable city, and the
population of the territory though largely agricultural was not
possessed of any considerable wealth, nor was the soil remarkably
fertile.

In November, 1861, the society had one hundred and twenty auxiliaries. A
year later the number of these had increased to four hundred and fifty,
and subsequently an aggregate of five hundred