This is a blogging theme for the month of March which is Women's History Month. I'm a bit behind but do want to participate in the daily blogging posts. These 31 posts will be posted between my two blogs "My Trails Into the Past" and "Mam-ma's Southern Family."
March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?
My father's side of the family were all raised as Roman Catholics. His German family came from Westfalia in Germany and Posen in Poland. His Irish family came from County Tipperary and County Cork. There are a couple of men who became priests and one woman who became a nun.
My great-great grandmother, Margaret Tierney's youngest sister was Mary Martha Tierney. She was born July 7, 1858 in Napean, Ontario, the daughter of John Tierney, a farmer, and Ann Murray.(1) She was baptized Mary Martha. She entered the Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns of Ottawa) on Dec 24, 1874 at the age of 16 years, 5 months and made her profession on Dec 13, 1877.(2)
When the order formed an American branch, she joined. She taught for many years. She was also hard of hearing for years and finally became totally deaf. She read Catholic periodicals and was interested in community affairs. She followed the Way of the Cross daily.
She retired to D'Youville College where she lived until she was transferred to St. John's Hospital in Ogdensburg, NY after a heart attack in 1946. She died 21 Feb 1950.
1. St. Phillips Church, Richmond, Carleton Co, Ontario, Canada, Parish registers, 1836-1917, Mary Martha Tierney, FHL 1304679.
2. Letter from Sister Mary Charlotte Barton, archivist, Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, Yardley, PA, dated 1 Jun 2005.
Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past
March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?
My father's side of the family were all raised as Roman Catholics. His German family came from Westfalia in Germany and Posen in Poland. His Irish family came from County Tipperary and County Cork. There are a couple of men who became priests and one woman who became a nun.
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| Grey Nun, Sister St. Melanie (aka Mary Martha Tierney) |
When the order formed an American branch, she joined. She taught for many years. She was also hard of hearing for years and finally became totally deaf. She read Catholic periodicals and was interested in community affairs. She followed the Way of the Cross daily.
She retired to D'Youville College where she lived until she was transferred to St. John's Hospital in Ogdensburg, NY after a heart attack in 1946. She died 21 Feb 1950.
2. Letter from Sister Mary Charlotte Barton, archivist, Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, Yardley, PA, dated 1 Jun 2005.
Copyright © 2011 by Lisa Suzanne Gorrell, My Trails into the Past
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