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Loretto Archives documents slave ownership

Posted on February 27, 2026, by Loretto Community

An old will from the 1860s showing a reverend leaving property to enslaved persons.
The Rev. David A Deparq’s will shows he left property, including enslaved persons, to Loretto. He died in 1864.
Photo: Loretto Archives
An old will from the 1860s showing a reverend leaving property to enslaved persons.
The Rev. David A Deparq’s will shows he left property, including enslaved persons, to Loretto. He died in 1864.
Photo: Loretto Archives
A document of the 1860 slave census for Marion County Kentucky that lists enslaved persons from the age of 6-80 at Loretto Academy.
The 1860 slave census for Marion County, Ky., lists enslaved persons from the age of 6 to 80 at Loretto Academy, Loretto Motherhouse.
Photo: Loretto Archives
A typed yellowed document from the 1960s that says "Sister Virginia McAtee brought two slaves to Florrissant, Jack and Ellen, whose names will be kindly remembered by older generations of pupils. In the primitive days Jack was man of all work, overseer, messenger, and trusted friend, but he is most familiar in his guise of the convent "fidler." On Thursdays, the holiday, the pupils always had a dance, and old Jack was the entire orchestra. From Dowmings' Chronicles of Loretto. p. 60. From Biography Book - Sister Virginia McAtee died 1857/3/21 at Florissant."
Virginia McAtee SL brought enslaved persons to Loretto’s convent in Florissant, Mo. She died in 1857.
Photo: Loretto Archives

Click to read all of the articles in the winter 2026 issue of Loretto Magazine.

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Loretto welcomes you

Learn more or plan a visit to the Motherhouse!

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