Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-09-06
SISTERS OF CHARITY.

gives the following interesting account OF
the Alexandra Sisters of Charity:
'The memory of Mother Seton's Sisters
of Charity, whose little black bonnets
were familiar objects on the Alexandria
streets in the decade from 1880 to l04O,
is fading out; and it is labor of love on
the part of the God child of one of them
to tell to the younger generation the
story Oftbeir useful life here.
"About 1880 the brick church facing
Royal street, by which Father Joseph
Fairclough had replaced the frame chapel
bought from the Methodist facing the
alley, was completed, and the pastor had
small but comfortable home. Just
then came Father John Smith, ). j.,
who with indomitable energy strove to
expand Catholic activities. He sought
at once to establish Catholic schools and
an orphan asylum under the shadow OF
the church.
fortunately, real estatein the church
neichborhood was then available for the
purpose. A vacant lot on the northwest
corner of Duke and Royal streets, now
Lambert garden, was bought as a site
for the male school, and Bushby's house
on the southwest corner of Fairfax and
Duke streets for the female school. This
house. which still stands, comes down
from the period of the revolution. 1t
was built by William Bushby, who once
owned all the ground on the north side
of Duke, from Royal to Fairfax streets.
On his death his widow moved to Wash
ington. and in 1917 sold Bushby's cor
ner to Jonathan Roberts for 81, 800.
1t proved poor property for Roberts, and
became scarcely more than q rookery
when Rev. James Hickey, of Emmetts-
burg, Md, bought it in 1882 for 81 200
for the Sisters of Charity of st. Joseph. The
Sisters came to Alexandria on a popular
tide. The liberals among non-Catholics
gave them a warmreception. The Howard
Association got up concerts for their bene-
fit. The Masons of Alexandria Washing
ton Lodge rendered them free their lodge
room to held a fair, which was one OF
the events of the day, and for a week the
lodge room was occupied by the sisters
and their helpers. The old building
was remodeled and fitted for their pur-
pose. and frame school house built on
Fairfax street at the south end OF their
lot The best people sent their daugh-
ters to be under their tuition and every
thing promised success. Meanwhile, in
1893, the Jesuits built the old St. Johns
Academy at the northwest corner Of
Duke and Royal streets, and sent teachers
there and both schools fourished for
awhile.
"But Catholic success awakened the
fervid opposition of bigotry. A Protes-
tant orphan asylum was established and
means taken to cut off attendance at the
Catholic schools. The sisters found
opportunities for wider usefulness
elsewhere, and in 1910 left Alexandria.
DR.. F. J. Murphy purchased their pro-
perty and converted their convent into
dwelling, where he lived until few
wears before his death. 1t was long his
hope to bring back the Sisters and es-
tablish ahospital there, but the hope was
in vain. The male school, too, went
down, and in 1916 the school-house stood
uutenanted except by rats. Then Brother
r. L. Carne, now of Newport News
Council, took the work Of renewing St.
Johns Academy, and made it one of the
institutions of the city, but that, too has
passed away.
"Falher Smith and The Sisters have
been long beyond the grave. He died
of ship fever while ministering to the
immigrants at New York. Sister Mary
Agnes poured out her mortal life a. the
feet of her Master, aiding and consoling
the dying ofyellow fever at New Orleans.
Graves far apart on earth shine to heaven
with one radiance"