Ada Celeste Sweet

Ada Celeste Sweet (born 23 February 1853) was an American reformer and humanitarian from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed her United States agent for paying pensions in Chicago, the first position as disbursing officer ever given to a woman by the US government. She established a strict system of civil service reform, which made her unpopular with politicians. In addition to being the founder of the ambulance system for the Chicago police, she found time to do literary and philanthropic work, and to labor for governmental reforms.

Ada Celeste Sweet was born in , 23 February 1853. Her father was Benjamin J. Sweet, a successful lawyer and later, a Wisconsin State senator. Her mother, née Lovisa L. Denslow, was a daughter of Elihu Denslow, and from the same place in New York as the Sweet family. There were several siblings including in 1854, Lawrence Wheelock; in 1858, Minnie; in 1865, Martha Winfred; and Benjamin Jeffrey, in 1871.

When the American Civil War began, her father entered the Union Army as Major of the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Afterwards, as Colonel of the 21st Infantry Regiment, he was wounded at Battle of Perryville. Later, he took command of Camp Douglas in Chicago as Colonel of the Eighth United States Veteran Reserve Corps.

Sweet spent her summers in Wisconsin and her winters in a convent school in Chicago. After the war, General Sweet settled on a farm 20 miles from Chicago and opened a law office in the city. Sweet, the oldest of the children, aided her father in his business. She was carefully educated and soon developed marked business talents.

In 1868, General Sweet received from President Grant the appointment as pension agent in Chicago. Ms. Sweet entered the office, learned the details of the business, and carried on the work for years. In 1872, General Sweet was made first deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and moved to Washington, D.C. Ms. Sweet accompanied him as his private secretary. He died on New Year's Day, 1874, leaving an estate too small to provide for his family.

...
Wikipedia