History of the Ursulines in New Orleans facts for kids
The Ursulines are a group of nuns who have played a big part in the history of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Back in 1726, King Louis XV of France decided that three Ursuline nuns from Rouen should travel to New Orleans. Their mission was to start a hospital for sick people who were poor. They also aimed to provide education for young girls from wealthy families.
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The Ursulines Arrive in New Orleans
Fourteen nuns began the long journey to New Orleans. This was at the request of Governor Étienne Perier. We know the names of seven of these brave women:
- Sister Saint-Augustin (Marie Tranchepain), who was the mother superior.
- Sister Angélique (Marie le Boullanger).
- Dame Jude. All three were from Rouen.
- Mother François-Xavier from le Havre.
- Madame Cavelier from Elbeuf.
There were also two sisters who were new to the order, called postulants. Their names were Sister le Massif from Tours and Marie-Madeleine Hachard from Rouen. Two other nuns came from Ploërmel and one from Hennebont in Brittany.
Marie-Madeleine Hachard wrote letters to her father in Rouen. In these letters, she described their journey and their arrival in New Orleans. These letters were published in 1728. The trip was supposed to take three months but lasted five months instead. They arrived in New Orleans in July 1727. At first, they stayed in one of the city's larger houses.
What the Ursulines Did in New Orleans
The Ursuline sisters believed that educating women was very important. They thought it would help create a good and fair society. Because of this, they greatly influenced culture and learning in New Orleans. They gave girls and women an excellent education.
Founding the Ursuline Academy
In 1727, the Ursulines started the Ursuline Academy. This was the first boarding school in Louisiana. It educated many Catholic girls and women from important families in Central and South American countries. During the War of 1812, the Ursulines changed their classrooms into places to care for the sick. They helped wounded soldiers from both the British and American armies. Today, the Ursuline Academy is one of three academies supported by the Ursuline Sisters. The Ursulines also opened the first music school in New Orleans.
Healthcare and Community Service
The Ursulines also started an orphanage in their convent. They also opened one of the first hospitals in New Orleans. They worked in healthcare, treating illnesses like malaria and yellow fever. They even helped enslaved people who were sick. The hospital usually had between thirty and forty patients, many of whom were soldiers. The very first pharmacist in the United States was an Ursuline nun. Her name was Sister Francis Xavier. She worked in New Orleans in the early 1700s.
The Ursuline Convent Buildings
In 1734, their first building was finished. It was a three-story building made of wood and plaster. However, the wood did not last long in the hot and humid climate of south Louisiana. It started to fall apart just twelve years after it was built.
New Convent Buildings
In 1745, plans were made for a new building. It was built next to the old one. The first convent was taken down as the new one was built. Some of the materials from the old building were used again. This second building was completed in 1751. It is still standing today. In 1966, it was named a National Historic Landmark.
In 1823, the nuns moved to a new Ursuline Convent in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. They gave their old building in the French Quarter to the city's bishop. Later, in the 1910s, the convent property in the 9th Ward was sold to the city. This land was used to build part of the Industrial Canal. The nuns then moved to even newer buildings on Nashville Avenue in Uptown New Orleans. They are still located there today.
Images for kids
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This staircase in the second Ursuline Convent, in the French Quarter, was saved from the first building.
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The Old Ursuline Convent in the French Quarter when it was the Archbishop's Palace.
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Part of the third Ursuline Convent complex, in the 9th Ward, around the early 1900s.
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The fourth Ursuline Convent, located in Uptown New Orleans.
