Ascension County Louisiana Archives Photo Place.....St.Vincent House - A History - 1918
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Mary K. Creamer marykcreamer.00@gmail.com September 18, 2022, 9:17 pm


Source: The Donaldsonville Chief. (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current,
January 26, 1918, Page 3

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History of the Foundation of St. Vincent's House, Donaldsonville, La. - (Written 
by Sister Gonzaga, 1844.) - In order to satisfy the inquisitive and curious of 
our posterity who may wish to know by whom and in what manner the establishment 
was commenced, the following memorandum will show:

On New Year's day, 1843, at 5:30 in the morning, six of us, viz: Sister 
Lorretto, S. Mary Gonzaga, S. Paschal, S. Sevina, S. Theonelle and S. Adelaide, 
landed in Donaldsonville. We took breakfast and dinner at Mlle. Leveque's; in 
the afternoon took possession of our house, which resembled an old barn. It 
consisted of four small rooms which were to serve for parlor, dormitory, school-
rooms and community room. Two of these were taken for the school, and I leave 
you, dear reader, to imagine how closely we were packed when we had three beds. 
For a table we used to put a board on the tops of two chairs that we might see 
at night; you must know we had to borrow a table to use at meal times. When we 
came to the house we found in it six bedsteads and beds, twelve pairs sheets, 
six cover-lids, nine pairs pillow cases, one pair blankets which we used 
alternately until we got more. Everything else, my friends, that you find here 
has been procured since. We abounded in poverty, I assure you, and had o work 
hard. We had tin plates and iron spoons for several months, and had to drink 
well water which many a time had live things in it. Our knives and forks, too, 
we were obliged to handle without handles and many a time could not get a bit of 
meat to cut with them. The ground was so muddy that on Sundays we frequently 
changed shoes five and six times. Do not accuse me of exaggeration; it is a fact 
that our kitchen and refectory were so uncomfortable we even got our feet wet 
going to meals. Occasionally, too, we had a shower from the roof which would 
sprinkle our heads and backs a little. Another thing you should know is that our 
refectory was very dark. We had [ink smudge] window and if we wished to see [ink 
smudge] our bread and meat went [ink smudge] to keep the door open. Now, you 
must know, this was not very pleasant in rainy weather, so we sometimes shut the 
door and lighted a lamp. This was frequently necessary to do at breakfast and 
dinner as well as at supper. In going through the yard we often sunk in the mud 
over shoe-tops, and to remedy this our Sisters made a brick walk from the house 
all the way back.

Supplemental History. (Written in December, 1891) - For more commodious lodgings 
the beds of several Sisters were after a while removed to the garret, which they 
occupied nearly five years; this apartment had a small square board window at 
each end which admitted neither light nor air, but this was remedied by the open 
cracks that extended along the eaves, the whole length of the house, and the 
openings in the shingle roof above admitted both air and sunlight. To prevent 
being deluged by the rain, rags were stuffed in the openings placed underneath. 
In summer time the bed posts were not warm, but hot to the touch. In winter the 
wind had full sweep through the whole length of the dormitory. Here it is 
truthful and just to remark that none of the Sisters were ever heard to complain 
or comment on the positions. A period of thirty years afterwards, two of them 
speaking together of the past, particularly of the lodging in the garret, they 
acknowledged to each other for the first time that many nights their limbs were 
stiff and ached from the cold which scarcely permitted sleep to close their 
eyes. Their washstand was a rough bench, their wash-room the open yard, with the 
canopy of heaven for a covering. Their fare almost vied with that of Mother 
Seaton's frugal table: heavy sour home-made bread, boiled beef which made soup 
and served for a dish of meat for dinner, the remains served up cold for next 
morning's breakfast - to render it more palatable it was sometimes seasoned with 
salt and vinegar to the palpable detriment of weak digestive organs. Once a week 
regularly good Sister Regis sent a box containing fresh bakers' bread, a round 
of fresh beef meat, a bottle of sweet milk. Every Saturday or Sunday morning 
Capt. Streck's boat was joyfully expected and the box received with jubilation, 
accompanied by many a "God bless dear Sister Regis." In the meantime school was 
opened in the two class-rooms. Thirty pupils had been waiting the arrival of the 
Sisters. The French being the language of the people there was dis-satisfaction 
at that language not being thoroughly taught, and several pupils withdrew before 
the end of the first quarter; and some inquisitive person began to inquire, 
saying: "What have these women come for? Is it to take in sewing?" However, new 
efforts were made, energies roused. Two new spacious school rooms were built. 
Several examinations of pupils made before the public gave such satisfaction 
that in due time the number increased to sixty, to eighty, to a hundred. Public 
school funds were offered and received up to the period of the war, without any 
interferences (sic) with the classes on the part of the trustees. The Bishop in 
the meantime was anxious that postulants (sic) should be received and young 
Sisters formed for the use of his diocese, for which purpose a large brick 
building was commenced on the adjoining lot. Nine acres of land had been deeded 
to the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent's de Paul for charitable purposes. To 
give an impulse to the undertaking, it was called Hospital. The Bishop's view 
was to give the young Sisters an opportunity of being trained to the duty of 
nursing the sick, at the same time to enlist the sympathy of the state and 
people in favor of a charitable establishment, thereby to draw appropriations 
and contributions to aid the contemplated work. Sums to a certain amount were 
collected from various quarters, however not sufficient to finish the building, 
and the Bishop himself made the last advances to complete it, $3000. In 
December, 1849, the keys were given to the Sisters' hands, with directions to 
enter the house, to their great dismay. They delayed, not daring to take 
possession, for fear that patients would be brought into the hospital with no 
accommodation but its bare walls - for they had neither bedsteads, beds nor 
bedding, nor nourishment, or medicines for the sick.

They laid the huge bunch of keys at the foot of the altar in their little 
oratory, begging our Lord to please keep them for they did not know what to do 
with them. After several week's deliberation, a second invitation from the 
Bishop decided their entrance, which was performed silently in the dark of the 
evening, the first week of January, 1850. They had been installed three weeks 
before it was known in the neighborhood. A Sister had gone to New Orleans and 
made known their wants to kind charitable persons, who were not slow in 
generously contributing. She returned with ample provisions of furniture. The 
apartments were soon fitted up, the pharmacy furnished, the range and kitchen 
utensils put in order, and the mess-room got in order and readiness. There was 
no income for the maintenance of the hospital, except $1000, which was given 
yearly by the state legislature until the period of the war. Up to that time 
there had been received 1327 patients, among whom were 99 deaths, many with the 
sacraments of the church and several baptized. The inhabitants did not encourage 
the receiving of sick, no individuals giving assistance. The hospital closed at 
the beginning of the war, 1861. Already in December the chapel ornaments had 
arrived from Paris, without the Sister's knowledge, the magnificent donation of 
Mme. N. Landry, whose devotion to St. Vincent had prompted her to make a promise 
of one day ornamenting an altar in his honor. She took advantage of this 
opportunity to prove her fidelity. She had already accomplished a first promise, 
that of naming her first son Vincent, but he dying in his baptismal innocence, 
left incomplete the latter part of the promise, which was that of giving him to 
the congregation. She generously resigned herself to the will of God and 
consoled herself by the hope that St. Vincent would adopt in his stead another 
member of her family. The result proves that our Lord has rewarded two-fold her 
confidence, and drawn two of her own into the family of St. Vincent - her eldest 
and her youngest daughters. On the 29th of January the first mass in the chapel 
was said by Rev. Father Gandolfo, a Guistinian, the house being blessed by Rev. 
Father Gandolfo a few days previous. During the period from 1846 to 1850 a 
number of postulants (sic) had entered, several of whom had received the brown 
habit, which was then the novices' costume. Some of the number had gone on 
mission, others at Father Maller's first visit, after the adoption of the French 
rules, were directed to go to the Central House, St. Joseph's, to finish in the 
Seminary. By the departure of the young Sisters several apartments were left 
unoccupied. At the suggestion of several of the Sisters it was resolved to fill 
up the vacant rooms by thirteen female orphans, in honor of our Lord and His 
twelve apostles. No sooner agreed upon than accomplished good Sister Regis soon 
found us the number from the best of her crowded house. From their entrance 
dated the bountiful supplies of Providence, making true the Divine promise of 
taking care of His little ones. Very soon the number increased to twenty, to 
twenty-five. Bakers had been directed to furnish bread, the butchers to send the 
yearly supply of meat; clothing was sent from various quarters, planters 
supplied sugar and molasses, potatoes, corn, etc. Room was now wanting, that is, 
a play room, wash room and infirmary. Good Mme. Narcisse perceived the want; one 
morning when leaving the house she presented her hand, and left in that of the 
Sister's a roll of bank notes, $800, for the required necessity. No thanks were 
permitted to be expressed. She said to the Sister: "Say nothing, this is my bank 
for eternity," upon which she was called a few short years after and from which, 
no doubt, she has received both principal and interest. She died in 1859.

 
The addition, a frame building, was soon put up. It is just to mention here the 
names of other distinguished benefactors: Mrs. Winchester, Mrs. Pedesclaux, Mr. 
Andrews, Mr. McCall, Mr. Robinson. The two last mentioned were Protestants, and 
some Jews were generous. The state legislature granted yearly $500, 
appropriating $1600 until the second year of the war. After the bombardment and 
burning of the town, during which the house was protected and singularly 
preserved, the orphans were placed with various families. it may be proper with 
various families. It may be proper to insert here several incidents indicating a 
marked protection over the house and the inmates. An order had been issued to 
put fire to the buildings that stood between the Federal fort and the 
Confederate army. These buildings were the church and priest's house and the 
orphan asylum. The reason of the order given was "military necessity." Notice 
was given to the Sisters early in the afternoon to evacuate. They left for Mrs. 
Winchester's house, a distance of nine miles, taking with them their necessary 
clothing and books; two had the courage to remain and watch through the night, 
hoping against hope, that something might occur to save the house. Early in the 
morning the first announcement was the death of the commanding officer, which 
had suspended all intended operations. The sergeant who had been ordered to lead 
his men and apply the torch refused to obey; was commanded a second time; he 
remonstrated; the commanding officer then pointed his revolver, the soldier, 
anticipating the event, discharged his at the officer, which proved fatal. The 
poor soldier was arrested and in the course of the week sentenced to be shot. He 
was an Irishman by the name of Scott. The priest prepared him for death and 
accompanied him to the execution.

During the bombardment, lasting several hours, all the women and children 
remaining in the town took refuge in the Sisters' house. For greater safety all 
assembled in the middle passage, before a stand upon which stood a statue of the 
Blessed Virgin, two vases of flowers and a small lamp. All the doors and windows 
in the direction of the cannon were closed except one door at the end of the 
passage, perhaps ninety feet from the stand around which all were praying, and 
in opposite direction from the cannon. In the midst of their fervent prayers a 
bomb exploded in the yard in front of the open door. A ball the size of a walnut 
entered the door, whizzed through the passage just over the heads of many 
assembled, fell at the foot of the stand whereon stood the statue - harmless, 
except the jar, which caused the little finger of the Blessed Mother to fall 
off, and upset the lamp and two vases. All present acknowledged a special 
preservation. In another interval a terrible crash was heard in the apartment 
back of them - a class room. A cannon-ball had struck the window shutter, 
shattering it and the sash to pieces; such was its apparent force, had it gone 
forward it must have pierced the door leading into the passage immediately back 
of the Sisters and orphans kneeling before the statue of the Blessed Mother. As 
soon as practicable the posts were wonderful to view. The exploded shell had 
rebounded and fell a few feet from the window in a flower pot. The shock was so 
great that the covers of the desks were wrenched from the hinges and all the 
pictures were thrown shattered to pieces on the floor.

After the war, owing to the impoverished state of the country the legislature 
could no longer contribute to the support of the asylum, consequently we were 
compelled to admit boarders, (1863), since which time the institute has 
continued to be in a flourishing condition.

Our institute is most beautifully situated, seventy-five miles from New Orleans, 
on the right bank of the Mississippi river, at the head of the beautiful Bayou 
Lafourche, which stream extends a hundred miles to the Gulf of Mexico, thus 
affording easy communication by river and rail, steamers daily arriving from 
above and below, the Texas & Pacific railway passing in the rear of our grounds. 
The location of the institute is particularly picturesque, beautiful and 
healthy. The capacious buildings stand back from the street, in the midst of a 
lovely flower garden. The front avenue, lined with orange, is hedged by ever-
blooming roses whose delicious perfume delights the visitor. The emerald lawns 
covered with soft rich clover are skirted by the broad-leaved century plant, 
while the ever-green oak, the lordly pine, the rich, stately magnolia and dark 
cedar but add to the grandeur of the scene. Amidst the varied foliage gleam the 
white statues of Our Lady and St. Joseph. The back yards and spacious play 
grounds, thickly shaded by the wide spreading pecan and persimmon, afford the 
pure image of the Holy Angel, guardian of the play ground, cannot fail to 
impress the hearts of the pupils with the thought of the presence of God. In the 
distance may be seen the evergreen pasture with the sleek cows lazily grazing; 
the kitchen garden of waying (sic) green full of promise, and the orchard of 
peaches, pears and plums, plantains and grapes; amidst the trees we catch the 
gleam of a white figure and cannot fail to reverence Our Lady of the Fields.


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