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Sometime in 1813, Margaret O’Rourke Gaffney was born in Ireland into a poor Catholic family, headed by her father, William, and mother Margaret. When she was five years old, however, her parents emigrated to the United States with some of their children – including Margaret – and lived in Baltimore, Maryland. When Margaret was only nine years old, though, an epidemic of yellow fever struck Baltimore. Margaret’s parents died in the epidemic, leaving Margaret an orphan.
A young Irish widow, Mrs. Richards, adopted Margaret, and Margaret lived with her. As a young adult, Margaret got married to Charles Haughery. To get away from the cold of the north, Margaret and Charles moved to New Orleans and arrived there on November 20, 1835. Together, they had child named Frances. Charles decided to visit Ireland, but he died on that journey, and then her child died. Suddenly, she found herself all alone in the world once again. Margaret was 23 years old.
From her background, Margaret knew the value of hard work. As a newly widowed woman, Margaret worked all day long in a laundry ironing clothes. As she worked, she would often gaze out of the window and see children from a nearby orphanage playing in the streets.
When a cholera epidemic struck New Orleans, many parents died. Soon, there were so many orphaned children in the city that the orphanages could hardly keep up. Margaret, though poor, decided she needed to do what she could for the orphans. Therefore, she went to the Sisters of Charity and gave her time and talent to them. Not only did she give some of her wages to the Sisters’ work, she also worked for them.
Soon, Margaret had saved enough money to buy two cows, and then she began delivering milk with a little cart she had bought. Because she was such an excellent businesswoman, although she had never learned to read and write, she was able to buy more cows and build a new orphanage.
In time, Margaret was able to buy a bakery. Then, instead of being known as “the milk woman,” she became known as “the bread woman.”
When the Civil War came, Margaret continued giving to orphanages, driving her bread cart, and giving food to hungry soldiers and the poor. She even built a steam factory to bake her bread. By this time, everyone in New Orleans knew of this amazing woman, and she always had a kind word to any person who came to seek her advice, be they rich or poor.
When Margaret died on February 9, 1882, the people of New Orleans learned that despite Margaret’s humble beginnings, and the fact that during her life she continually found herself giving money to orphanages, she was able to save $30,000, which she left to orphanages in her will.
The people of New Orleans decided to make a statue of her. Many believe it was the first publicly funded statue of a woman in the United States.
Margaret Haughery was an inspiration to people of her time, but it is an inspiration to people today. Margaret lived what St. Paul was telling the early Christians – to encourage one another and help one another.
