Margaret of New Orleans : Short Biography

Margaret Gaffney aka Gaffey (1813-1882) of Tully South in Carrigallen Co Leitrim is best known as The Angel of the Delta, The Bread Lady of New Orleans, The Celebrated Margaret, Margaret of Tully, Margaret of New Orleans, Mother Margaret, "Our Margaret" and more. She was a remarkable woman of unsurpassed charity, who was considered by people of all creeds to have been a living saint.

Her father was a small farmer and possibly a tailor. Following 'the year without a summer' in 1816 and the 'the year of the malty flour' in 1817, the family decided to emigrate.

In 1818, Margaret, age 5, emigrated to America with her parents and two of her 6 siblings. Her three eldest siblings were to remain temporarily with their uncle, Matthew O'Rourke (Tully), until such time as they could be sent for. The final parting was so distressing that the children being left behind had to be drawn aside by friends. It is reported that before they left they knelt to receive the curate's blessing.

Due to severe storms, the sea journey is believed to have taken nearly 6 months during which almost all their luggage was lost. Provisions became so scarce that each passenger was allowed just one cracker a day. Eventually, they reached New Brunswick, where they were able to take on food before arriving at their final destination at Baltimore. Their baby, Kathleen, did not long survive the trip.

Margaret's father found employment as a carter on the docks at Baltimore.  He sent money to his brother-in-law, Matthew O'Rourke, for the upkeep of his three children and had almost saved enough to send for them by 1822, when the Yellow Fever epidemic struck Baltimore.  Within days of each other, both of Margaret's parents had died and all their household belongings were quickly burned to prevent the spread of the fever. Margaret then aged 9, found herself suddenly both homeless, orphaned and alone with her brother having disappeared shortly afterwards. A kindly Welsh woman discovered their plight and took Margaret in. She later went into domestic service as a washerwoman and later a peddler.

In 1835, Margaret met and married Charles Haughery and soon afterwards moved from Baltimore to New Orleans. After their first baby, Frances was born, Charles went on a voyage to Ireland and died shortly after arriving. Within months, their baby girl also fell ill and died. Margaret, age 23, finding herself without a family for the second time, exclaimed: 'My God! Thou hast broken every tie: Thou hast stripped me of all-Again I am all alone'. 

Margaret was working in the laundry of the St Charles Hotel at this time but left this position she left in order to help the Sisters of Charity establish the first catholic Orphan Asylum in New Orleans. Her first job was the collection of food from any available source but her remarkable business acumen and energy soon saw her promoted as manager of the institution. Her efforts to find a way of providing milk for the orphans resulted in a profitable dairy that sold cream and butter. This enabled her to secure a permanent home for the orphanage. 

The 1853 Yellow-Fever epidemic in New Orleans called for a new project, an Infant Asylum that she called the Baby House. She took over a bakery which became so successful not only was it feeding all the asylums in New Orleans but exported fancy crackers and biscuits as well. Margaret's Steam and Mechanical Bakery was the first of its kind in the South. Even the destruction of the US Civil War had no impact on its business. 

In the winter of 1857, Thomas Gaffney (d.1877) of Carrigallen visited his sister in New Orleans. It was the only time they had met since she left Ireland's shores in 1818. 

The value of what Margaret gave to charity was estimated to be in the region of $600,000. In spite of this, she was reputed to have never owned more than two dresses at any one time, and plain at that.  Her hallmark Quaker bonnet, she wore at all times. 

When Margaret, age 69, found herself incurably ill, she was cared for by the Sisters of Charity. Pope Pius IX sent his blessing by way of a special crucifix. She died after some months in February 1882 and her embalmed body was laid out in state. The New Orleans newspapers were edged in black to mark her passing. On the day of her funeral the streets, sidewalks, balconies and windows were thronged with mourners. Orphans from all the city's asylums were present, along with the Mississippi fire brigade (of which Margaret was an honorary member) and nuns of numerous orders, as well as close friends and admirers. Among the pallbearers, were the governor, the mayor and some of the city's wealthiest men even the New Orleans Stock Exchange suspended proceedings as the funeral cortege passed. 

Margaret left all her wealth to charities with the exception of the bakery, which she bequeathed to her foster son, Bernard Klotz. Margaret signed her will with an 'X', a poignant reminder of her humble beginnings.

A memorial cottage now stands on her birthplace in Tully. 

For a full history of this remarkable champion of the poor and destitute read: "Carrigallen Parish-A History" by Raymond Hackett & Michael Reilly.