Margaret Haughery - Laundress and Orphan Asylum Work

Laundress and Orphan Asylum Work

As immigrant young widow woman in New Orleans, Margaret first found work in the laundry of the St. Charles Hotel.

From those humble beginnings she went on to establish herself as a remarkable businesswoman and "angel of mercy" who merged her hard work, business talents and philanthropic goals.

In the beginning, all day, from morning until evening, she ironed clothes in a laundry. Every day, as she worked by the window she saw motherless children from the orphan asylum nearby, working and playing about. After a while, great plagues of sickness fell upon the city, and so many mothers and fathers died that there were more orphans than the asylum could care for. Margaret stepped in.

While still working as a laundress, she went to Sisters of Charity who ran the asylum and told them she was giving them part of her wages, and she intended to work for them, besides. Early on she became acquainted with worked closely with a nun named Sister Regis.

At that time in New Orleans, the Sisters of Charity under the guidance of Sister Regis managed the Poydras Orphan Asylum (established by Julien de Lallande Poydras). Margaret was deeply moved by the plight of the orphan children offered her assistance. Margaret eventually left her position at the hotel in order to help with the orphans. She became employed in the orphan asylum and when the orphans were without food she bought it for them from her earnings. Her first job was the collection of food from any available source.

Margaret an effective and resourceful money raiser in soliciting funds for the orphans. She was so successful that several other facilities were opened. She was rewarded for her efforts with a position in the administration of the orphanages.

Margaret and the nuns worked together for many years helping neglected orphans and widows in the city. Although a Catholic, Margaret made certain that all her charity work was opened to people of all religions and backgrounds.