Is anyone familiar with this facility? Is it an orphanage? I believe I may have found my great grandfather's sister living there in 1910 . . .the family was Episcopal, not Catholic.

Thanks,

Melissa

I checked page 370 of the out-of-print book titled, Adoption Agencies, Orphanages and Maternity Homes--An Historical Directory, and it lists Convent of the Good Shepherd in Memphis, founded in 1875.

In 1922 it housed 207 delinquent teenage girls. I have a feeling it did not admit girls who were not Catholic, but I'm not sure.

Institutions of similar name occur in many cities, operated by three Catholic orders of nuns. The name Good Shepherd was used for a few Protestant institutions, but not in Tennessee, as far as I know.

I believe the girls were committed to the House by a court order, but I do not recall anyone saying they had done such research in a court index.

Reg Niles

Thank you for the information. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Melissa

Hi Melissa,
Just happened to come across this message while looking up Convent of the Good Shepard in Memphis.
I was actually at this facility in 1962. There were two sides to the structure. Onc side was under lock and key for the girls that had been placed there by the courts for breaking one law or the other. The other side was for wards of the court that had committed no crimes, but due to broken families or the lack thereof needed a place to live and go to school.
You did not have to be Catholic to be there.
Please e-mail if you have any further questioins.

Patricia

I am familiar with it. My grandmother was there in 1919 as a "teacher". While there she met Mrs. Green of the Mississippi Children's home and turned over my mother and her sister to be adopted. The convent on occasion took some of the orphan girls from Mississippi into their care when there was no room for them in the MS. childrens home.
The convent has a large listing in the census of 1920 and probably other years. I located it by using Sister for the first name and Memphis TN. You might find your relative listed there.

Thank you for the reply. She is there in 1910, but married by 1915. I am submitting a request to the Diocese to see if they can locate any information on here.

Hi Patricia,

I saw your message on here and have a few questions. My grandmother and her siblings were placed in a catholic orphanage in Memphis when their father died. This was in 1920. Is the orphanage still standing? Do you know where I can get their records from? Their father died suddenly and their mother was institutionalized after that. The children were sent to Memphis because there were no orphanages in Arkansas. Plus their mom's brother lived in memphis. Any help would be great.....
Thanks, Laura

For melissahogan52:

It is Sept. 4, 2009 and I just found my great aunt Kate in the Convent of the Good Shepard in the 1910 census, the same year that your great grandfather's sister was there. My Great aunt was 25 years old but listed as an inmate among the names of many teenage girls. Did you hear back from the Diocese? I would really like to learn more if possible. Thanks.

JohnRatliff3

My grandmother and her sister were put here in early 1930's after their mother died and their father could not take care of them. They lived in the convent for 10 years. I am trying to find out any information about the school, such as pictures, school records and anything available. My grandmother has very vivid memories of life there.

I'm looking up my family history and have found the 1920's census from the Home of the Good Shepherd. I've noticed most are listed as INMATE, however, my family is not. What does that mean? It says his job was "general helper on place." All the others on the page say "none" for job.