Photos from the Archives


Celebrating Mass in D'Evereux Hall
Bishop Richard O. Gerow, James Shaidnagle, Donald Shaidnagle



St. Mary Cathedral
Norman Studio
circa 1880
View of cathedral front and side from across the street.
Thomas H. and Joan W. Gandy Photograph Collection
Mss 3778, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections
LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, La.



Archbishop William Henry Elder (1819-1904), of Cincinnati. Lying dead on catafalque
Library of Congress



St. Mary Basilica main altar tabernacle door.




Richard Oliver Gerow, the seventh Bishop of Natchez.
Brother Florian: Wishing you, the Brothers, and the Boys of D'Evereux Hall
God's abundant blessing. I am, Sincerely yours in Christ
† RO Gerow, Bishop of Natchez.
Feb. 22, 1940

This photo was taken in the bishop's office, in the St. Mary Cathedral rectory.
Photograph compliments of Charles Partridge, a resident of D'Evereux Hall from 1941–1953.

“The Life of A Boy in D’Evereux Hall Orphanage”
By Charles A. Partridge

5.am: Wake up, go brush teeth, wash up and get ready to walk to St. Mary’s Cathedral.

6.am: Serve mass 365 days a year (rain, sleet, snow or whatever).

6.30 or 6.40: Walk back to D’Evereux to eat breakfast, usually oatmeal or cream of wheat except Sunday, then, it was cereal (like corn flakes).

[Also, served Benediction every Sunday at 5:00 p.m.]

After breakfast get ready for school--walk to school across from Cathedral Church down town. After school walk back to D’Evereux Hall change clothes from school. (2) sets of clothes: church, school and play. (1) pr. shoes. Do chores like milking cows, feeding chickens or hogs, get hay from hay loft give to cows. Furnished milk for D’Evereux Hall and St. Mary’s for girls.

Snack after school was white bread with syrup poured on it--it was good. After chores get ready for study hall and prayers.

Go to supper, after supper, play till dark, then get ready for bed after showers.

Boys did all chores, washing pots and pans and dishes. Cleaned every room and dusted furniture. Separated clothes for laundry. When laundry came back, folded and separated clothes and put in proper box with boy’s number on it. Also, worked bees with Bro. Henry and his dog, Duke. Everybody loved Duke. We also made sour-kraut from cabbage--can’t forget that smell. Also had PeeWee Football Team called “Red Raiders”. We were tough.

Bro. Henry sold tomato plants. Summer time was time for sure enough work, get garden ready, cut and put hay in hay barn with pitch fork off trailer. Milked cows, cut grass, raked leaves, painted whatever needed to be done. We went to St. Mary’s Orphanage a lot. We were like brothers and sisters. Brothers (of Sacred Heart), and Sisters (of Charity) were the back-bone of both homes--like fathers and mothers. I loved Sisters at St. Mary’s and Cathedral School as parent figure.

God was good to me. (He) kept me strong physically and also spiritually. I got my education--not only books but life itself.

People that speak evil about Priests and religious don’t know the sacrifice that they go through to help people. God Bless the Priests, Brothers and Sisters at D’Evereux Hall, St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Mary’s Basilica.

By Charles A. Partridge. (Vidalia, Louisiana.) (Composed in April 2008, for St. Mary Basilica Archives, Natchez)

More photographs from the Archives coming soon.