Jewels from Jane, Oct. 31

St. Joseph Male Orphan Asylum
October 31st 1880 (?)
St. Louis, Mo.

Dear Rev. Mother Agatha [Guthrie],

This is just a mere sketch of what I would like to relate to you about the past years of my religious life.
Sr. M. Aloysius [Fitzsimmons]

"Sister M. Aloysius Fitzsimmons was received by Rev. Mother Celestine [Pommerel] in the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Carondelet, Mo. in the first branch of the order in America, March 17th, 1839. The same year July 2nd received the Holy Habit of the order from Rev. Father Ven Bon in the humble log house where I spent so many happy days. My companion, Mary Kelley [Nally?], in religion Sr. M. Francis. There were with me in the novitiate Sr. Mary Joseph Dillon, Sr. Antoinette [Kincaid], Sr. Adel...

"Mother St. John [Founier] was the first superioress in St. Louis, she had charge of the colored school [opened Feb. 5, 1845 on Third and Poplar Streets]. The sisters that were there were Sr. M. Protia [St. Protais Deboille], Sr. M. Joseph, Sr. M. Antoinette, Sr. Teresa [Struckhoff], & Sr. Aloysius had her turn there, we then got the asylum & was paid by the Archbishop. After 4 years hard work, Mother St. John went to Philadelpia."


Handwritten note in Motherhouse file