Religion Collections in Libraries and Archives: A Guide to Resources in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia Table of Contents - Preface/Acknowledgements - Abbreviations Lists of Entries: District of Columbia - Maryland - Virginia

Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul
Archives, Saint Joseph's Provincial House (ASJPH)

Access Policies

The Archives is closed weekends and holidays. All photocopying is done by the staff at a charge of 20 cents per copy. No more than five consecutive pages may be copied. Fees apply for some searches, photocopies, mailing and handling.

Reference Policy:

The Archives of the Daughters of Charity requires all research requests in writing. References may be required

Borrowing Privileges:

The Daughters of Charity is not a lending library.

Networks/Consortia:

None

Background Note:

The Company of Daughters of Charity St. Vincent de Paul was founded in France in 1633. The Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph's was founded by Elizabeth Seton in Emmitsburg, MD in 1809. In 1850, the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph’s joined the Paris-based Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul.  The Archives at St. Joseph’s Provincial House [ASJPH] collection includes information on the Seton family and the works of the Sisters since its origin.

Description of Collections

Books and monographs:

Approximately 900 volumes concerning the history of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul including its leaders and ministry throughout the years.

There is a title/author/subject card catalog available for this collection.

Periodicals and newspapers:

Periodicals are integrated into the archival mission box collection. See manuscript section for linear feet. Newspapers are not saved, but are copied on acid-free paper and filed with their respective mission.

The collections are indexed; each box has an inventory; some materials are in the card catalog. The collection and finding aids are being computerized.

Archives, manuscripts, correspondence, and oral histories:

This collection measures approximately 1,248 linear feet, with inclusive dates from 1809 to the present. Materials include brochures, pamphlets, letters, diaries, newspaper articles, and Provincial Annals of the Sisters of Charity of St.Joseph’s (1809-1849); the Daughters of Charity, province of the United States, (1850-1909); Eastern (Emmitsburg) Province (1910-1968); and Emmitsburg (Southeast) Province, (1969-present). Subjects covered include leaders in the community; community history; histories of relations with councils, the pope and the diocese; church policy documents; the charity and nursing work of the community with ethnic groups, for those in distress because of natural disasters or epidemics, and in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II.

Paintings, photographs, slides, and prints:

Photographs and slides are often available in the archival mission collection organized with the mission itself.

Subject Headings

Bibliography

Dugan, Aloysia, D.C. "Archives of the Daughters of Charity, Emmitsburg Province." Vincentian Heritage Vol. 6, no. 1 (1985). Pp. 87-125.  See also the Vincentian Studies Institute of the United States (http://vsi.depaul.edu/).