Dear One,
The power of one simple life dedicated to the Lord and filled with love can have a profound effect on the world around them, and for generations to come. When Steve and I visited N’Awlins (New Orleans) on a house church planting outreach he took me to several of the locations mentioned in the article. One thing that struck me as I encountered this saint was how sister Margaret walked in the genius anointing, the word of wisdom, to overcome everything that faced her and to bless ultimately Steve’s life…and yours and mine. Such a life is one to be emulated…
Love you! KRP
THE POWER OF ONE SIMPLE LIFE – MARGARET HAUGHERY
Perhaps you are familiar with me teaching the scriptures. This is a departure from that in that this story needs telling and because it means a lot to me and my family. Large portions of the story will be quoted from various sources and credited at the end.
Margaret Haughery (pronounced as HAW -a- ree) was born in 1813 as Margaret Gaffney, the 5th of 6 children to William and Margaret Gaffney, on a small farm in County Leitrim, Ireland. After 2 straight years of bad weather…
“In 1818, William and his wife, Margaret, made the difficult decision to immigrate to the U.S., where they hoped to be able to build a better life. They did not have enough money to bring all their children, so young Margaret’s three older siblings were left behind until their parents could raise enough money for their trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Margaret never saw them again.”
“Margaret was only five years old when she arrived in Baltimore, Maryland. Unfortunately, her challenges were just beginning. Her parents struggled to make enough money to feed their family. In 1822, a yellow fever epidemic killed her parents and sister. There is no record of what happened to her brother. At nine years old, Margaret was an orphan in a country of strangers. A neighbor took in Margaret but expected her to work to earn her keep. This early training prepared Margaret to enter the workforce as a domestic servant. Margaret worked in homes around Baltimore until 1835, when she married Charles Haughery.” 1
A month later, they sailed ‘west’ to seek their fortune. Landing in New Orleans, Louisiana where they had a daughter, Frances. Soon Charles grew ill and by doctor’s orders, he sailed to Ireland for the ‘medicinal’ effects of sea air. He died soon after arriving. A few months later, baby Frances died also. Once again Margaret grieved the loss of her second family in an area of strangers.
Let’s break from Margaret’s story to consider her situation at this point. By 23 years old, she has been:
- Orphaned of both parents.
- Lost all 5 siblings.
- Widowed.
- Lost her only child.
- Alone is a strange country.
- Uneducated – she never learned to read or write.
- In the pre-civil war southern US, where slavery was legal and practiced.
- Irish in New Orleans. They were looked down on and despised for taking jobs from the native-born citizens. Irish jokes were regularly in the newspapers.
- A woman. About 100 years later women could vote. In the 1830’s to 80’s they were treated as second- or third-class citizens, lacking male legal standing.
- She was not favored with an attractive appearance. Later in life, here’s a photo.
Not to over emphasize the importance of women’s appearance, but many a disadvantaged woman with an alluring presence are able to overcome their deficits through captivating men. Margaret didn’t even have that advantage.
Today, a person suffering just one of these catastrophes would probably experience depression. Enduring three of these calamities, the 21st century person would descend into despair. Five or more of these afflictions could understandably tempt the afflicted with suicide. What did Margaret do? Stand in front of a locomotive? Jump off a steamboat?
It is reported that she prayed, “My God! Thou hast broken every tie: Thou hast stripped me of all. Again, I am alone.” 2
Look at that prayer. She mentions God in the first three phrases and herself in the first, third and fourth. She kept God in her heart in a respectful way despite her wretched situation. Do you remember what Job’s wife said after his calamity, “Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God and die.” Job’s wife was ready for suicide while shaking her fist at God for their situation. In contrast, Margaret tried to understand “God’s hand” in her calamity. Even though she thought God was responsible for all her catastrophes, she wondered what God wanted next. AMAZING!
Now I don’t hold to Margaret’s ideas that God “took” her parents, siblings, husband, and daughter. The Bible clearly declares who wields death as a sword.
Heb. 2:14b
he also himself shared the same so that through death he could make ineffective the one who holds the power of death, that is, the Devil.
The true God didn’t kill Margaret’s family, yellow fever did – and God was not behind it, Satan was. Despite her misguided theology, she didn’t allow herself to blame God and exclude Him in her life like Job’s wife suggested. She looked to continue in God’s will instead of being overwhelmed in pain. Astounding!
“Despite her tragedies, or because of them, Margaret was determined to do something in her life to help the plight of widows and orphans — something she understood very well. The Sisters of Charity under the guidance of Sister Regis Barrett managed the Poydras Orphan Asylum (established by Julien de Lallande Poydras). Margaret would donate any extra money from her work at the laundry of the St Charles Hotel to the orphans.” 1
She also volunteered there and became good friends with Sister Regis, whom she credited with helping her through her grief. She purchased 2 cows with her savings to give the orphans fresh milk. She acquired a cart and sold surplus milk to the French Quarter (downtown) businesses. She also collected left-over food from the hotels and restaurants, and other donations for the orphans. At times she was the sole source of the orphan’s food. Soon she quit doing laundry at the hotel and worked full time at the orphanage.
Businesswoman Extraordinaire
“Haughery expanded her dairy clientele by using a milk cart, and within two years increased her herd to forty cows. She personally maintained the operation of the milk cart and enlarged the product range to include cream and butter. On her tours, she also solicited goods and donations for the children, filling her cart with donations as she emptied it of its cargo of milk. She reinvested part of her earnings in her dairy business but also provided low-interest loans to other businesses.”
“Over several years, Margaret had made numerous loans to the D’Aquin Bakery. The loans were collateralized by stock in the bakery, and in 1859 she became the majority owner of the nearly bankrupt business. She quit the dairy business to concentrate on the failing bakery and saved the bakery from bankruptcy, turning it into a successful business enterprise. She expanded both product line and clientele, selling bread, cakes, crackers, cookies, flour, and even macaroni. Moreover, she convinced many shipping merchants to allow her to supply the bread for their vessels, and as a result, her reputation began to spread across the United States. She invented a method of packaging crackers that made it possible to ship them “fresh” to other cities. When Margaret’s bakery began to package crackers, she shipped them on those vessels that she already supplied with her bread products. During this entire time she never neglected the orphanages, supplying them with bread at cost. She also gave free bread to any who claimed to be in need.”
“Margaret personally oversaw all aspects of her business, employing forty men whose occupations ranged from clerk to errand boy, but refusing to employ department heads. As her business grew, she investigated and invested in the latest improvements, and thus, hers became the first bakery in the South to operate machinery by steam. This efficient operation allowed her to expand even more until she had built the largest bakery in the United States. Her flour depot was capable of manufacturing 800 barrels of flour for sale per day in addition to what she needed to make her own bread products.” 3
The Civil War
“The Civil War had a profound effect on New Orleans and greatly increased the number of orphans and people in need. Margaret made efforts to lessen the hardships by helping those who suffered from the wartime food shortage. To the hungry citizens of occupied New Orleans, Haughery gave wagonloads of bread and flour, fresh from her bakery.”
When, in 1862, the Union Army occupied New Orleans and put it under martial law, the Commander, Union General Benjamin Franklin Butler, set up barriers and curfews. No one was to pass these barriers or be outside past the curfew. Margaret continued to distribute food and milk to the needy beyond the barriers. General Butler admonished her to stay behind the lines and that she would be shot or hanged if she crossed them again. She asked the general if it was President Abraham Lincoln’s will to starve the poor? General Butler replied, “You are not to go through the picket lines without my permission; is that clear?” “Quite clear,” answered Margaret. To which Butler responded, “You have my permission.” 1
Life in New Orleans
“After the Civil War, during the Reconstruction Period she earned enough to build the big steam factory for her bread. By this time everybody in the city knew her. The children all over the city loved her; the businessmen were proud of her; the poor people all came to her for advice. She used to sit at the open door of her office, in a calico gown and little shawl, and give a good word to everybody, rich or poor. Fashion-gowned women, bankers, tradesmen and merchants sought Margaret’s counsel.
Seated in the doorway of the bakery in the heart of the city, she became an integral part of its life; for, besides the poor who came to her continually, she was consulted by the people of all ranks about their business affairs, her wisdom having become proverbial. “Our Margaret,” the people of New Orleans called her. The locals said she was masculine in energy and courage but gifted with the gentlest and kindest manners.” 1
Death
At 69 years old Margaret grew ill and died Feb. 9th, 1882. She was laid in state at St Vincent’s Orphanage. Her death was announced in the newspapers as if it were a state calamity. The archbishop presided over the funeral. The mayor led the procession, and two lieutenant governors were pall bearers. The New Orleans stock market closed at noon.
“Margaret’s will was filed for probate on the following Monday. In her will she left everything to charities, without distinction of religion, for widows, orphans, and the elderly. She left all her wealth to charities with the exception of the bakery, which she bequeathed to her foster son, Bernard Klotz.
When Margaret died and her will was read, the people found that, with all her giving, she had still saved a great deal of money, and she left every cent of it to the different orphan asylums of the city; each one of them was given something. Whether the orphanages were for white children or black, for Jews, Catholics, or Protestants, made no difference; for Margaret always said, “They are all orphans alike.” Margaret’s will was signed with a cross instead of a name as she never learned to read or write. Her signature was a poignant reminder of her humble beginnings, great business successes and mark on humanity, despite her inability to read or write.” 1
Over the course of her life, she gave away roughly $600,000, an exorbitant amount for that time. Recall that years before, the Louisiana Purchase garnered 1/3 of the continental US for $15 million! And that monetary amount omits her time and effort which was vast and uniquely valuable.
Margaret Statue
“The people of New Orleans said, “She was a mother to the motherless; she was a friend to those who had no friends; she had wisdom greater than schools can teach; we will not let her memory go from us.” So the idea of erecting a public monument to Margaret in the city arose spontaneously.”
“The monument was unveiled on 9 July 1884, two years after her death, by children from every orphanage in the city. The statue cost $6,000 which was donated in nickels and dimes – “No large sums would be accepted.” The statue bears one word only, her name, Margaret. The statue of her was sculpted to resemble how she looked, sitting in her own office door, or driving in her own little cart.”
“The little park in which Margaret’s statue is erected is officially named Margaret Place. It has often been stated that this is the first public monument erected to a woman in the United States. It is the statue of a woman, sitting in a low chair or the era, with her arms around a child, who leans against her. Margaret wears thick shoes, a simple gingham dress, with her perennial shawl draped around her shoulders, and a bonnet; she is stout and short, and her face is a square-chinned Irish face; but her eyes look at you like your mother’s.” 1 (See the statue on the last page.)
Margaret helped build 4 orphanages in New Orleans and contributed to others. One of those is special to this writer. Why?
“Around the mid-19th century, yellow fever was again rampant. The yellow scourge swept New Orleans. The epidemic of 1853 rendered thousands of children homeless. Margaret visited the homes of the sick Protestants, Catholics and Jews, blacks and whites alike, the Louisiana Creole people, New Orleanian “Americans” and immigrants. Such were the numbers of orphans she encountered that she embarked on a new project in the form of (as she called it) a baby house. All her profits were channeled into this new endeavor, which soon took form in the shape of the imposing St. Vincent Infant Asylum at Race and Magazine streets, which opened in 1862. It took sixteen years to clear the debt, a burden shouldered mainly by Margaret.”
Early Picture
In the 1940’s and 50’s.
Today
This orphanage took in hundreds of orphans over its century and a half of service, before its sale and transition to a hotel a few years back. Here’s some old orphan photos. (The photos are old, not the orphans.)
In 1954, St. Vincent got its most notorious orphan. Reportedly there were no psychiatrists or parole officers available, so I slipped through the cracks. It took 6 months to find a couple oblivious to the trouble coming, to sign the “NO Warrantees – Don’t Even Ask!” waiver. Robert and Lorraine Ladieu were the ones inflicted with me. The best folks ever!
I’m the one, 7th from the right, behind the front girl with 2 shoes up. Just kidding!
Did you ever wonder where Graphic haircuts started? Here’s me (in front) and my friend Teddy (in the striped shirt) playing a prank on Billy (in the barber chair). Teddy distracted the nun, and I ran around his flank and kicked her in the shin. The electric razor shook all over and graphic haircuts were born! Billy and the nun got a Nobel prize. Teddy and I got 3 hours in the slammer! Of course I’m kidding! It was way more than 3 hours! (Again kidding)
When I go to New Orleans, I usually stop by a floral shop and pick up 2 bouquets – one for my parents’ grave site and one for my great, great step grandma, Margaret. She never gave in to injustice or despair. She used her adversity from losing parents, siblings, her husband, and her only child to bless thousands more… and still counting. We speak of turning lemons into lemonade. Margaret turned a case of rotten, putrid lemons into a lemonade factory that saved hundreds of the most vulnerable and refreshed a love-parched world. May we learn from her remarkable example.
1 Wikipedia “Margaret Haughery”
2 Hackett, Raymond and Reilly, Michael. “Carrigallen Parish-A History”, 1996
3 64 Parishes by LAURA D. KELLEY