St Michael Home for Chilren Alumni 1952-1975

[Jean A HALDEMAN]

I was at St Michaels from 1963 to 1967 M y brother Billy and my sister Mary were also there. Sister Margaret took care of the girls and she was nasty I worked in the nursery with Sister Alphonsus who was Irish I'd like to find little Margie Engles she was in the toddler section

[GaryE]

My brothers and I were there from 57-65. I have written a few pages about the place and life as I remember it. If the blog will let me post that much, I will do so.

[Blue Gomez]

Diane Bruckmann wrote:

My mother worked in the kitchen at St Michael's from about 1955 till the place closed down sometime in the 70's.
My brother & sister's and I were there all year round, although we didn't live there, it felt like we did.
There is a list of a few St. Michael's alumni's in Classmates.com . I went to school there from 55-63. I went to Camp Columbus a couple of times.
I have some pictures, old as they are, I can look for them and send them on to whoever wants them...you can contact me at [e-mail]

My name is Blue Gomez formerly known as Dimas Gomez I was in the home from 1960-1972. I was friends Sam, Ampara, Marcello Irrizarry. I also know may others. Please email [e-mail]

[Benka and Vuris]

My husband, John Vuris, is seeking information regarding his aunt who as an infant was placed in an orphanage in January 1919 and possibly adopted. My husband's maternal grandfather, Stif or Stephen Benka, came from Slovakia in the early 1907. He married Ursula Kovacs and between 1908 and 1919 six children were born to them. Ursula died in late 1919 following the birth of her last child, Mary Benka. The six children were counted twice in the 1920 census: once in their home with their widowed father and 12 days later in St. Michael's Orphan Asylum in Mercer, Hopewell Township, New Jersey, Both Stephen and Ursula are buried at Saints Phillip and James Cemetery in Phillipsburg, Warren County, New Jersey.

The six children were: John, age 11; Anna, age 10; Catherine, age 7; George, age 4; Stephen, age 2; and Mary, age 1 month. Anna was my husband's mother. We know the fate of all of the children except for baby Mary. My husband recalls his mother saying she had tried to find her sister but never could locate her. I have not found her in the 1930 census nor any other sources. The quest has become important as we research breast cancer in the family. None of the first five children are alive at this time. Although Mary may not be alive now, it is possible there are offspring. We strongly suspect and very much hope that Mary was adopted early and has had a fulfilling life. 

Is there anyway we can pursue learning Mary's whereabouts since she was placed in St. Michael's Orphan Asylum? The internet indicates the facility closed years ago and I don't know who to contact. Any guidance will be much appreciated.

Mildred and John Vuris

[Walter]

Joan Coffman wrote:

My sister and I were orphans at St Michael's in the 1960's and would be happy to discuss our experiences.

I was in St.Michael from 1952 to 1955.
Thwere me my older bother harvery and my broth bill.
Here is my email [e-mail]
Walter

[Walter]

Robert Brewer wrote:

I went to St. Michael's from 1953 to 1962. I thank the people who put their email addresses in so we can talk to people outside the Facebook system.

Hello Robert.

I was in St.Michael from 1952 to 1954. I like to meet other guys from there. Here is my e.mail [e-mail]
Walter

[patricia erbetta]

does any body know me

[patricia erbetta]

contact me at [e-mail]

[Dennis Michael Martin]

Times has raced by since I last looked at this issue. Great to see people arising tothe difficult memories we've shared in varing ways. Things are relatively good for me at the moment except I contracted Prostate cancer in 2008. almost at the 5 year survior mark and going strong. St Michael's was a good training ground for dealing with adversity. I am very interested in communicating with each individual that wishes to compile a group memory to publish in a book. write to me at: [e-mail] Thanks for the memories and future efforts to produce a compliation of our years at St Michael's Home for Children. Best Regards to all Dennis

[Kenneth Davis]

I along with my sisters Joan and Tracy along with my younger brother Barry were there in the late sixties until our father remarried and was able to come get us back at one point when I was in about the sixth to 10th grades a young lady and her brother lived up the street from us their names were Harry and his sister Gina they were at st mikes with else please I am willing to talk about st mikes

[patricia erbetta]

my time in their was bad need to talk to somebody that knew me [e-mail][befor married patricia erbetta]

[patricia erbetta]

how do you get records were @why and how you got out of their please em me@ptknight@live,com

[Beverly dittrich]

Pat, You can get all your records from St. Michaels from the Catholic Charities on Clinton St in Trenton or from Camden, N.J. My brothers, walter, Harvey and Billy were in there from Jan 1951 to 1955. We only escaped because my father got out of prison and my mother sobered up for 10 min. So the State of N.J, the Catholic Org. handed us back to ma and pa kettle from hell. What is your story. remember we were all inmates of St. M. so we understand your feeling, yes even all these yrs later. The wounds may heal but they never really go away. we are here to support you. Beverly Andersson (Dittrich)

[Dennis Michael Martin]

Greetings ALL, it appears that the property where St Michael's home was located; has been annexed into a open spaces grant land; which I believe is an interesting development. I have an idea- Perhaps we could petiion that a monument be designed and constructed on the site in memory of all the children that lived there for all those years. It was a very important place to many people even to this day......share your thoughts please. Thanks for reading and considering the possibilities.

[Dennis Michael Martin]

another update; My wife Kimberly sold 2 white swans to the open lands project a few years ago. My life is quite different from then.....We own 2.76 acres with swans on a nice sized pond in berks county pennsylvavia, with three giant dogs (2 white shepards and 1 Black lab mixed with shepard) next update I'll provide the name of the organization that initiated this open spaces; it has something to do with the 'Johnson' legacy in Princeton.

[Rod Cavanaugh]

My grandfather, William Cavanaugh, lived at the home from 1898-1901 and I'm looking for the home's records to identify my grandfather's parents. My grandfather was not an orphan and was later taken from the home by his mother. Does anyone know whether the Dioceses still has the records somewhere? Or perhaps a local library has them? Any help would be much appreciated.
I use this email for this research: [e-mail].

[kim]

Today I attended an awesome St Michaels Reunion..of sorts...with my mother, Patricia Furlong Kane and her cousin Barbara Jean Weisneck. It was a very interesting and informative day. I learned alot and appreciated hearing everyones stories, seeing people reunite...sharing information and touring the grounds. It was so nice to meet so many of you. There were talks of making this an annual event...I hope so!

[Gene Carr]

My 2 brothers, my sister and myself were there from 1953 to 1957. I remember a large rocking horse and the dreadful food. I also remember watching Rin Tin Tin on Friday nights. Lot's of nightmares from those years. One time the NY Yankees visited and gave us all autographed balls which we lost in the field..contact me if you are writing a book as I have lots to contribute. [e-mail]

[friend of hope]

Hello. Ive come across this blog and im just woundering if any of you that might have been at st michaels in the early 70's remember a chaplin stationed there for a couple months named fr terence mcalinden aka fr mac? Alligations of sexual abuse were made and found credible by several victims .one from late 60's when mcalinden was in sayerville and 1 in early 80's while cyo director and 1 mid 80's while cyo director.

[John]

I was there for a few years before it was closed down.
I don't remeber his name right now, but he was Franciscan Monk, he wore a brown gown with white ropes around his waist. I remember when Sister Eileen wasn't there, he would watch us. Inparticular, we would all sit around the corner of the room and watch TV, he would always have a kid on his lap and his hands down their pants. I always wondered what happen to him, especially with all the problems the Catholic Diocese is having with rape cases. I wouldn't be surprised by now thatif someone has brought a case against him or he might be in jail or who knows where????
It was Huss, Huss and a free for all at that time, who knows what others have done there. It was a BIG dirty secret!!!!!!!!!!