One hundred years ago this month Jessie Fowler Miner Jobes, my grand aunt, was among the patriotic women who entered the Army Nurses Corps (ANC) during World War I.  Jessie, born February 12, 1883 to Charles and Lydia Fowler, grew up in Fayette County, PA and married Clifford Minor in 1903.  As reported in the 1910 census, Jessie had no occupation, and at some point in those 7 years of marriage she had a daughter.  My grandmother, Marjorie Ludwick who was a sister to Jessie, related the following story:  Marjorie, their sister Addie, and their mother “went to visit Jessie and to see the new baby who was about a week old.  They stayed about 2 hours and before they left they looked in on the baby again, but in that short span she had died.  Clifford didn’t live long after that; he had some health issues that caused him to be bedfast.”  Perhaps taking care of her ill husband prepared –even inspired—Jessie to become a nurse. Continue reading →