Jewels from Jane - November 2
NOVEMBER 2
The steamer arrived in St. Paul during the night of November 2nd, [1851] and when the sisters awoke, their first act was to thank God that their long, tedious, voyage was ended; they went on deck and eagerly scanned the surroundings of what was to be their future home. To those who had always lived in sunny, Southern countries, the prospect looked dreary enough on that cold November morning. There were large cakes of ice floating in the river and the bluffs on both sides were covered with snow.
The Captain of the steamer notified the Bishop [Cretin] of the arrival of the sisters and, about 10 o'clock a.m., a French cleric was sent to conduct them to the house of a lady named Madam Turpin. She received the sisters very kindly, and, after they had been "dined and wined" and rested, the bishop called. He was accompanied by an ecclesiastical student, and when the mutual introductions were over, the sisters were taken to what was to be their own home – a small frame shanty overlooking the river.
This house had been the Episcopal Palace, and was then being used as a Pro-Theological Seminary. While the students were removing their effects therefrom, the sisters took possession of the vestry of the old log church, and began preparations for their evening's repast. They had much difficulty in procuring water for the tea. There was only one well in the place, and it was always kept locked. To find the custodian of the key took time and trouble. But at last, all difficulties vanquished, preparations were concluded, and contrivances resorted to, the supper was eaten in the vestry of the church. The sisters made their grand entrée into the ever-memorable shanty on Monday, November 3rd at about half past seven o'clock in the evening.
The domicile, thus taken possession of was a frame building one story high with a small shed-like addition in the rear, which was used as a kitchen. Later, when more spacious accommodations were required, another shanty was erected beside the original structure. As land was the only thing there seemed to be a plentiful supply of, the houses were spread out rather than built up. In this respect, the sisters' dwelling-place formed no exception, as there were several smaller shanties clustered around the larger one.
In the main building there were two rooms, a parlor and a refectory. The attic was the sleeping room for the community. It was so low that but one of the four sisters—Sister Philomena—could stand erect. Many an amusing story is told of the various bumps and bruises the different members of the Sisterhood received while making up their cots or arranging their toilets. The house was heated by a stove, the pipe passing through the attic and in lieu of a chimney, out through an opening in the roof. Though modern ventilators were wanting, there was no lack of fresh air.
"Notes on the Early History of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Minnesota" written by Sister Ignatius Loyola Cox in 1897 published in ACTA ET DICTA: A collection of historical data regarding the origin and growth of the Catholic Church in the Northwest, Vol. III, July 1914
Images of Bishop Cretin and the Old Log Church are attached.
NOVEMBER 2
Camp Hamilton
Lexington, KY.
Nov. 2, 1898
Rev. Mother Agatha [Guthrie]
Dear Rev. Mother,
Before going on night duty last night, Mother [Liguori McNamara] told me to write to you and tell you how we are enjoying camp life. Well, we are all very happy, and although we often think and wish for home, still we are ready to make any sacrifice to help those poor suffering boys to the very end.
It is now 2 a.m. I am sitting by the bedside of a poor fellow who is a little delirious. Every once in a while he calls out, "Oh, Sister, they are pulling me out of the bed. Oh, Sister, you won't let them kill me." I put a S. H. [Sacred Heart] badge under his pillow. He seems to be much quieter since. The other 11 are all sleeping. Some I will not hear from till 5 a.m. Then they commence about what they are to get for breakfast. They are so starved since they are sick that it is their first thought in the morning and their last at night. There is not one Catholic man in this ward, but still they all love to see the Sisters coming on duty. Sr. Bonaventure [Nolan] and myself are in different wards for the past two nights, but very close to each other. The nurse who was in this ward was discharged yesterday. The doctor was in a few minutes ago. He said it was a comfort to come where the sisters were. Everything was so quiet and he felt the patients were well taken care of. So you see, dear Rev. Mother, we are doing some good. They are talking every day of going south. The doctors in charge of the very sick ones are not at all in favor of moving them. They say if they do it will be on their own responsibility. Of course, it will be money out of some of their pockets if the men leave here. To see all the improvements, a person would think they were to live here forever. They are either building up or pulling down all the time. Some mornings when we go to bed we see houses up and when we get up, there is neither tail nor tidings of them to be seen. You would never know Sunday from any other day here. In fact, they do more on Sunday. Six Sisters of Charity left here on Sunday last. Two were discharged, 4 on furloughs. We hear that dear Sister Estella is not improving much. Ah, she was so kind to us. In fact, they are all kind. They never get a good thing from home that they do not send us part of it. A few evenings ago it was very cold. Although we were cozy in our tent when Sister Julia, a Sister of Charity, walked in with a big can of hot chocolate, cake, and a nice loaf of fresh, homemade bread. We felt the Sisters home would all be pleased to see how we enjoyed it, especially the night nurses, who had only a few minutes to take their share, and the day nurses when they came in at 7:30 p.m. enjoyed it still more. Now, dear Rev. Mother, you see we are not so badly off, after all. The sick and their nurses are well taken care of, but the poor boys who are away from home and friends have it pretty hard out in hail and rain, without getting half enough to eat. The only thing they get for breakfast is rice, bread, and black coffee. Sometimes when they tell us how they are treated, the big tears come to their eyes. Their other meals are not much better than their breakfast. I fear you will get tired of hearing about camp life. So I will bring my letter to a close by begging a remembrance in your fervent prayers. Mother and all the Sisters join in sending love to all the dear Mothers and Sisters home, and a large share for your dear self.
Your ever grateful child in S. H.
Sister Mary Delphine Dillon
Spanish-American War correspondence
