TERRE HAUTE — Although orphans’ homes are now a thing of the past in today’s society, they played an important role in earlier centuries. Vigo County once had three orphanages, two of which received high praises during their years of operation for being models of high standards and quality care.
In 1872, the Sisters of Providence opened a hospital on the north side of town and called it Providence Hospital. The building was funded by a generous donation from philanthropist Chauncey Rose. This large, gothic facility was situated on the east side of 13th Street between 5th and 6th avenues. Providence Hospital never really caught on in the community, and was in operation for only two years. The bishop then acquired the hospital building from the Sisters and it was converted to an orphanage for girls which opened in 1876. One-hundred seventy-six girls were brought to the new facility from Vincennes, and the home was called St. Ann Orphan’s Home. It continued operating until early 1919, when it was permanently closed and the residents were transferred to Indianapolis. St. Ann’s Orphan’s Home consistently had more than 100 residents during its years of operation.
Chauncey Rose also played a major role founding Vigo County’s second orphanage, the Rose Orphan’s Home, which was in operation in Terre Haute from 1884 to 1949. This institution was conceptualized in 1873 when the Vigo County Orphan Home Board was formed, backed by Mr. Rose. When he died in 1877, before the home was actually built, the name was changed to honor him. Located on the northeast corner of 25th Street and Wabash Avenue, the Rose Orphan’s Home was called “one of the top 10 children’s institutions in the U.S.” in 1910, and was identified as “the nation’s finest” in 1929. It housed up to 150 children. When the Rose Home ceased operation in 1949, its residents were transferred to the Glenn Home.
The Glenn Home, which was located in the Lost Creek Township town of East Glenn, was also known as the Vigo County Home for Dependent Children. It operated from 1903 to 1979. It was built on the “cottage plan,” in which different buildings serving different ages were scattered across a campus. In 1915 it was said of the institution that “nothing of this class is superior in the state.” The home was partially self-supporting, with the girls making the residents’ clothing, as well as participating in other domestic activities, and the boys working on the farm that was part of the property. Glenn Home was the only one of the institutions that took infants. Its census ranged from around 175 to 60 children, but it averaged 100 residents at any one time. During certain years, the institution practiced racial segregation, and there are two buildings on the premises that once served as cottages for black children.
For genealogists, finding an ancestor or relative who was placed in an orphanage can be a challenge. A local woman, herself an adoptee, has spent the past three years building some impressive Web sites to honor Vigo County’s three orphanages and their past residents. Jennifer Krockenberger has built sites that tell the history of each institution, feature a variety of pictures and photos, offer a place for former residents to post queries or reminisce, and provide links to the federal censuses for each institution. Visit these fascinating sites at stannsorphanshome.
homestead.com, roseorphans
home.homestead.com, and glennhome.homestead.com.
Krockenberger also has a site at z9.invisionfree.com/THChildrens Homes/index.php?act=idx, which serves as a message board for the orphanage Web sites.
Next week will continue with more information on the orphanages and will feature information on the upcoming tribute to the Glenn Home children’s cemetery.
History
Genealogy: Orphanages play important role in history
- History
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: This little-known compromise may have saved the union
When the Constitution was signed in September of 1787 and sent to the Congress that then existed under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was instructed to send that Constitution to the states to be ratified … or not. The message to the states was clear: Accept the Constitution or reject it, but don’t try to change it.
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Traveling Civil War exhibit makes history personal
Civil War history will come alive for visitors to the Sullivan County Public Library who experience “Faces of the Civil War,” a traveling exhibition created and managed by the Indiana Historical Society.
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GENEALOGY: Virginia Historical Society takes on ambitious project
Over the past few months, the Virginia Historical Society has launched an ambitious project to scrutinize more than 8 million 17th, 18th, and 19th century documents in order to identify the enslaved population of those times.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: The Legacy of ‘The Old Silkworm House’
In 1837, and for several years thereafter, a gray sandstone obelisk was installed next to a one-story frame residence at the northwest corner of Sixth and Eagle streets.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: A blast from valentines past
Valentine’s Day — it brings to mind simple paper valentines and the elaborate, fancy store-bought cards with multiple verses and glittery covers.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: Flu outbreak forces Schulte closed
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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Original copy of 13th Amendment at Lincoln Library & Museum
A fully signed and recently restored copy of the Congressional resolution for a 13th Amendment to the Constitution, the official act that would abolish slavery in the United States, will be on display in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum’s Treasures Gallery.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Freedom of religion — beliefs and actions
Because religious faith is, arguably, the quintessential example of our right to privacy, to say nothing of its prominent place in our First Amendment, throughout our history court cases involving the free exercise of religion have been handled with great trepidation and with particular care. One of the milestone “free exercise” religion cases, Davis v. Beason, was decided by the Supreme Court this week (Feb. 3) in 1890.
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GENEALOGY: SoCal Genealogical Jamboree coming up in June
The Southern California Genealogical Society announces its 43rd Annual Jamboree, to be staged for three days on June 8-10, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel in Burbank, Calif.
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LOOKING BACK: 2002: Disco Ernie featured on Maury
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Flashing the mayor's badge
This mayoral badge was presented to the Vigo County Historical Society by Elizabeth K. Schultz, the granddaughter of Samuel E. Beecher Sr., who served as mayor of Terre Haute from 1936 to 1940.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Deadly tornado devastates York in 1907
John T. Staff loved water and, particularly, the Wabash River.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Notorious Western desperado Ellsworth Wyatt captured in Clay County
In October 1892, Terre Haute police received a circular from the State of Kansas containing a description of Ellsworth Wyatt and offering a $1,200 reward for his capture.
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LOOKING BACK: 2002: ISU students honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: News letter filled with wonderful local news
We recently received five bound volumes of copies of the “Terre Haute Onizette,” the Owen-Illinois Glass Company news letter for the Terre Haute Plant.
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GENEALOGY: Peyton, Downey, Fifer queries and a plea for help from Scotland
This week, we have several queries.
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Extension plans seminar on land use
The Purdue Extension Land Use Team is hosting a video seminar titled “Welcome to the Plan Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals” from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Kennedy, Camelot, and other myths
This week (Jan. 20) in 1961, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as our 35th president, and his tragic death by assassination notwithstanding, his was a mediocre presidency that, undeservedly, became the stuff of legend — in part because of his assassination.
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Actor to portray Lincoln at dinner for historical society
A special program, “And Lincoln Wrote,” is coming to Harlan Hall in Marshall, Ill., with a featured presentation by Dick Benach as Abraham Lincoln and Chuck Hand as the publisher of the Prairie Beacon.
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GENEALOGY: Celebrate MLK Day with the Indiana Historical Society
On Monday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Indiana Historical Society will offer free admission to celebrate Martin Luther King Day.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Light Guards savor military and social experiences
Never during the Civil War was there a time when the City of Terre Haute was in danger of hosting an armed conflict involving one or more armies.
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LOOKING BACK: 1962: 87 high school hoops teams compete in 47th annual Wabash Valley Tournament
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: A bottle of clove oil at the pharmacy
The Historical Treasure for today is a bottle of Clove Oil.
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LOOKING BACK: 1987: St. Mary’s Parish congregation celebrates 150th anniversary
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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HISTORICAL TREASURE: Fire up the jukebox for a great night
The jukebox existed long before Glenn Miller’s “Juke Box Saturday Night” swing version.
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GENEALOGY: 1752 is one memorable year for genealogists
The year 1752 is one to remember if you have ancestors who lived in areas controlled by Great Britain; and this includes the American colonies.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Terre Haute teenager arrested in Cincinnati brothel
A newspaper headline in the Terre Haute Gazette on Jan. 3, 1895, grabbed your attention: “A Terre Haute Girl Goes to Cincinnati to Lead a Life of Shame.”
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BRUCE'S HISTORY LESSON: Ford’s five dollar days increase productivity
This week (Jan. 5) in 1914, Henry Ford, the head of the Ford Motor Company, stunned the business world by announcing that, henceforth, Ford employees would not only share in the car company’s profits, they also would be paid the unheard of sum of $5 a day. That doubled their previous wage.
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HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Some events not given adequate attention
On May 25, 2011, a large white oak tree — one of the 2,000 or so numbered trees on 324 platted lots in “Edgewood Grove Beautiful” subdivision — fell on our residence.
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LOOKING BACK: Carty, Skelly, Oxford celebrate with first baby of the year in 1962, 1987, 2002
Dorothy Jerse looks back at local history from 10, 25 and 50 years ago as reported in the Tribune and Tribune-Star.
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