Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise, Emmitsburg, MD
The Archives of the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise, came about when four provinces of the Daughters merged in 2011. Each of the provinces had their own collections, and the current archives consolidated each of the former provinces into a new repository space. We opened to researchers in 2013 and have specialty in the history of women’s education, the Civil War, and American medical history, as well as genealogists looking for sister and lay family members. We are located in Emmitsburg, Maryland on the campus of the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton.
The items below are the submissions selected by the Daughters of Charity, Province of St. Louise archivist for the History of the Sisters of Charity Federation Communities in Objects collaborative exhibit:
The trunk was a symbol of the Daughters of Charity and their ability and willingness to travel to where they are needed. The trunk was meant to be a semi-lightweight and convenient way to pack up all the clothing, habits, and necessities of life, while encouraging a sense of personal moderation amongst individual sisters. This trunk, in very good condition, belonged to Sister Alice Matthews, and still has the shipping information as she began her ministry at Providence Hospital in Washington, DC.
In 1832, cholera ravaged the city of Philadelphia. The Daughters of Charity accepted the invitation to nurse in the city, the Almshouse, and the General Hospital to care for the victims of the dread disease. Two Daughters died during their service during this service.
Over 100 years later, the memory of the Daughters bravery in the face of a brutal epidemic remained strong. The Order of the Alhambra, a Catholic fraternal order, erected a plaque in Philadelphia General Hospital in memorial of the Daughters’ service.
Click on the image to learn more about each object's significance.
