The Sisters of Providence and the Civil War: a presentation in Sullivan

Sister Henrietta MacKenzie served as a nurse during the Civil War.

“Cloistered by the majestic forest, the Convent and the Academy at St. Mary-of-the-Woods in 1860 would seem to have been too remote, too securely enclosed, to hear the rumblings of the approaching national disturbance. Echoes of trouble, however, reached even to this secluded spot,” wrote Sister Mary Theodosia Mug in her 1931 monograph of the Civil War, “Lest We Forget: The Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods in Civil War Service.”

And those rumblings would eventually lead the Sisters of Providence to serve the Union as sister-nurses in Indianapolis and Vincennes, Ind.

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 105 E. Jackson Street, Sullivan, Ind., Connie McCammon, a communications staff member in the Office of Congregational Advancement of the Sisters of Providence, will present “Lest We Forget: The Civil War Service of the Sisters of Providence.” Connie will share the story of Mother Mary Cecilia Bailly and the courageous sisters who answered a call to service during a turbulent time in the nation’s history.

Connie will also include information about the Wabash Valley Civil War Sesquicentennial Project, a special collection of Wabash Valley Visions & Voices (WV3). Other partners include Indiana State University’s Cunningham Memorial Library, the Vigo County Public Library, the Vigo County Historical Society, the Sullivan County Public Library, the Sullivan County Historical Society and the Sullivan County Clerk’s and Recorder’s Offices.

The public is invited to attend this presentation. For more information about the service of the Sisters of Providence during the Civil War, check out the Congregation’s children’s website, WoodsUp.com.

Learn more about Sister Henrietta MacKenzie, who is pictured above.

Discovering treasures

Do you enjoy immersing yourself in history? Do you love looking at old photographs? When you drive, do you enjoy getting away from the main highway and investigating old country roads? Do you visit antique shops hoping to find a treasure? You aren’t alone! And thanks to Wabash Valley Visions & Voices you can enjoy history from the comfort of your home!

Thirty-five organizations in the Wabash Valley are partners in this digital memory project. Open up the collections of any of the partners and you’ll be surprised at what you’ll discover. Take this 1920 Clinton Directory published by Clark-Elwell Co. of Champaign, Ill. What a treasure! Not only is it a directory of residents, but also businesses, churches, organizations and local governmental entities.

Check out this directory more closely by clicking here.