Angel Guardian Orphanage

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Overview

The Angel Guardian Orphanage was opened in 1865 in response to the increasing population of German Catholic orphans needing care in Chicago. The mission was created by give German Roman Catholic parishes in Chicago, which included St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s, under the leadership of Father Holzer.[1] Chicago Bishop James Duggan blessed the orphanage and assigned the management to the St. Boniface Cemetery Association.

The orphanage was located on a 40-acre campus near Devon and Ridge in West Ridge (Rogers Park), Chicago.

Initially, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ were recruited from Germany to take charge of the facility. The land was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Trumble.

The orphanage went by many names throughout its history, first known as “German Roman Catholic Orphanage of the Holy Guardian Angels at Rose Hill near Chicago.” [2]

At the turn of the century, in response to the wider social welfare debate between institutionalization and home placement, the orphanage changed after 1916 to a “cottage system” in which small groups of children shared a single living quarters and dining facility. On the Angel Guardian Orphanage Alumni Website, past residents often mention their cabin numbers.

In 1973, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services decided to be in favor of home placement over institutionalization and cut Angel Guardian’s subsidies. The orphanage ended its childcare program in 1974 and in 1975 the Misericordia Home for Special Children took over the site, subsequently renamed Misericordia Home North.

Alternative Names:

  • Angel Guardian Orphan Asylum
  • German Orphan Asylum
  • Angel Guardian German Orphanage
  • Angel Guardian School
  • Angel Guardian Catholic Orphan Asylum
  • Angel Guardian German Catholic Society
  • Catholic Orphan Asylum at Rosehill
  • Catholic Orphan Asylum in Rosehill
  • German Catholic Orphanage of the Holy Guardian Angels

Type of Institution: Orphanage

Location and Building

Street Address: 2001 W. Devon Ave.

Locality: Chicago

County: Cook

State: Illinois

Alternative Address: 6300 N. Ridge Ave.

Notes on the building (does it still exist?): On Monday, October 27, 1879, the original children’s residence and convent burned down.

In 1974, the Angel Guardian Orphanage was replaced by Misercordia. Today, most of the cottages are gone, Misericordia Heart of Mercy occupies the old grounds.

Administration Information

Date of Founding: 1865

Name, Place, or Mission Changes, or Mergers:

  • 27 Oct 1879: The original children’s residence and convent burned down.

Date of Overall Closure: 1974

Dates of Operation at This Address Under This Name with the Same Mission: 1865-1974

Successor: Misercordia Heart of Mercy

Administration:

  • 1865-: St. Boniface Cemetery Association
  • 1910: Angel Guardian German Catholic Society
  • 1923: Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ
  • 1800s-1900s: German Catholic Society
  • 1900s: Catholic Charities of Chicago

Contributors/Support:

The first few years of operation included support from the Catholic Diocese of Chicago, St. Peter’s Parish, St. Michael’s Parish, St. Joseph’s Parish, St. Francis’ Parish, St. Boniface’s Parish, St. Vincent’s Roman Catholic Aid Society, St. Alphonsus’ Liebesbund, and St. John’s Society.

Notable People

Bishop James Duggan: Bishop of Chicago who approved the establishment of the orphanage.

Mr. and Mrs. Chauncey Trumble: Original landowners of the property who sold the land to the orphanage.

Mr. and Mrs. Traufler: Original caretakers of the orphanage.

St. Boniface Cemetery Association: Managers of the orphanage beginning in 1865. Leadership included: Rev. Ferdinand Kalvelage, Rev. Peter Zimmer, F. S. Vogt, Rev. Peter Fischer, Fr. Meinhard, Anton Schager, and Michael Birchler.

Henry Weishaupt, Mary Weishaupt, and Pauline Weishaupt: Three of the first residents of the orphanage.

Superiors of Angel Guardian

  • Sister M. Hyacinth: First Mother Superior at Angel Guardian.
  • Sister Mary Paschalis: “On Saturday, June 14, 1873, Sister Mary Paschalis arrived via carriage. Due to her extreme height and girth, she was known affectionately as the “Big Sister” to both the orphans and the produce merchants on South Water Street. Sister Mary Paschalis was beloved by the children, especially the older boys who often accompanied her into the city to sell and barter excess produce from the orphanage’s farm yield.” [3]
  • “The Superiors of Angel Guardian included Sister Hyacintha (1868-1885 except 1873), Sister Blanca (1873), Sister Radegundis (1886-1889), and Sister Bartholomea (1889-1984). Sister Mary Paschalis Hesper worked at the orphanage from Saturday, June 14, 1873 until Monday, September 15, 1919, when she died from the influenza epidemic. These women of intense spirit served as mentors to the children who resided at Angel Guardian Orphanage. Many would follow in their footsteps by joining the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. Caroline Weishaupt died as a postulant. Johanna Hochherz would become the second Sr. Radegundis. Vivian Leonard would become the second Sister Paschalis.”[4]

Father A. J. Thiele: President of the orphanage’s Board of Directors after 1897.

Intake Information and Requirements

Intake Gender/Sex: Female, Male

Intake Age: 1910: 2 to 12 years

Intake Ethnicity/Race: German

Intake Religion: Catholic

Records and Resources

Institutional Records Online

Baptisms

Communions

  • Communions 1901-1911 at FamilySearch.org
  • Communions 1917-1924 with index at FamilySearch.org (Note: written in Latin)
    • The original record book that FamilySearch has on microfilm/digitized went from 1917-1947. It is likely that the Archdiocese of Chicago Archives and Records Center has the remaining years that are not digitized.
  • From 1865-1881 see St. Henry’s Church, Chicago

Confirmations

  • Baptisms, Deaths, Confirmations 1880-1912 at FamilySearch.org (starts at image 26 of 49) (Note: written in Latin)
  • Communions, Confirmations 1881-1912 at FamilySearch.org (starts at image 55 of 96) (Note: written in Latin)
  • Confirmations 1916-1925 with index at FamilySearch.org (starts at image 4 of 110) (Note: written in Latin)
    • The original record book that FamilySearch has on microfilm/digitized went from 1916-1943. It is likely that the Archdiocese of Chicago Archives and Records Center has the remaining years that are not digitized.
  • From 1865-1881 see St. Henry’s Church, Chicago

Deaths

Burial Records

  • Burial Records from 7 February 1881 to 16 October 1912 are found in Communions, Confirmations 1881-1912 at FamilySearch.org (Pages 90-115, starts at image 73 of 96) Note: written in Latin)
  • From 1865-1881 see St. Henry’s Church, Chicago

Repositories and Archives

Archdiocese of Chicago Archives and Records Center

Since Angel Guardian Orphanage was run by the Catholic Church, most of the institution’s records are kept by the Chicago Archdiocese in their Archives and Records Center.

According to their finding aid, the Angel Guardian Orphanage Papers collection includes 30 boxes dating from 1 January 1865 through 31 December 1978. There are no restrictions for access. The full finding is is found here: https://archives.archchicago.org/documents/1004501/1006361/Angel+Guardian+Orphanage+Papers.pdf/225682b5-3ee6-456d-85ec-921cced5bac0

The collection includes Correspondence, Historical records and ephemera, Legal documents, Administrative papers, the Constitution and By-Laws, Annual Reports, Newsletters, Visitors’ Logs, Damage reports, Press Releases, Promotional Kits, School Handbooks, Property Inventory Reports, Deeds/Titles/Property Documents, Architectural Drawings/Contracts/etc., Minutes, Newspapers and Clippings, Various Publications, School Records and Yearbooks, Financial Records, and additional Artifacts.

They also have a collection of Angel Guardian Orphanage Photos which is comprised of 13 boxes. The full finding aid is found here: https://archives.archchicago.org/documents/1004501/1006361/Angel+Guardian+Orphanage+Photographs.pdf/a675a43b-cb49-41c8-9846-810306e9b5a0.

Information about requesting records on specific residents in the orphanage can be found on their website: https://archives.archchicago.org/request-a-record.

Rogers Park Historical Society

Collection A026 at the Rogers Park Historical Society. https://www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=A026.

Chicago History Museum

“Angel Guardian Orphanage photograph collection, [ca. 1940-1970],” Chicago History Museum. https://explore.chicagocollections.org/marcxml/chicagohistory/30/6q1tb3h/.

Institution’s Publications

Diamond Jubilee, Angel Guardian Orphanage, 1865-1940. 1940. Chicago: Angel Guardian Orphanage Press.

A History of Angel Guardian Orphanage: One Hundred Years of Service to Girls and Boys, 1865-1965. Chicago: (unknown publisher). 208 pages.

Katholischer Jugendfreund (Catholic Young People’s Friend). Chicago: Angel Guardian Orphanage.

Other Publications

Di Leo, Sal. 1999. Did I Ever Thank You, Sister. Sal’s Book Inc.

Ellis, Joe. Life at Angel Guardian Orphanage in the 50’s – pictures mostly provided by Sr. Edward, PHJC. https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/stories/life-at-angel-guardian-orphanage-6628777.

Miller, Mary Hermanda. 1964. Educational Program of the Angel Guardian Orphanage. Chicago: DePaul University Press.

Social Media/Websites

“Angel Guardian Orphanage Alumni” on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063724264784.

Angel Guardian Orphanage Alumni Website. http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/.

Sources

Allison, Mary Agatha. 1933. “A Study of the Catholic Institutions for Dependent Children in the Archdiocese of Chicago Emphasizing Vocational Education.” Chicago: Loyola University Chicago. https://ecommons.luc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1028&context=luc_theses.

Angel Guardian Orphanage Alumni Website. http://www.angelguardianorphanage.com/.

Embrey, Teri. 2008. “Angel Guardian Orphanage from 1866 to 1900.” Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society. https://www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=Angel_Guardian_Orphanage.

Pfeffer, Paula F. 2005. “Angel Guardian Orphanage.” Found in Encyclopedia of Chicago. http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/50.html.

“The Story of US Orphanages: Illinois.” Former Children’s Homes. Accessed on 23 July 2022. http://www.formerchildrenshomes.org.uk/illinois.html.

United States Bureau of the Census. 1913. Benevolent Institutions 1910. 1913. Washington, D. C.: Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. https://books.google.com/books?id=fmgGAQAAIAAJ.

[1] Embrey, Teri. 2008. “Angel Guardian Orphanage from 1866 to 1900.” Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society. https://www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=Angel_Guardian_Orphanage.

[2] Embrey, Teri. 2008. “Angel Guardian Orphanage from 1866 to 1900.” Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society. https://www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=Angel_Guardian_Orphanage.

[3] Embrey, Teri. 2008. “Angel Guardian Orphanage from 1866 to 1900.” Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society. https://www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=Angel_Guardian_Orphanage.

[4] Embrey, Teri. 2008. “Angel Guardian Orphanage from 1866 to 1900.” Rogers Park West Ridge Historical Society. https://www.rpwrhs.org/w/index.php?title=Angel_Guardian_Orphanage.

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