Contains the personal correspondence, diaries, and other materials pertaining to the life and times of Sister Ellen Murphy, a Catholic nun and educator.

Murphy, Ellen (1916-2004)

Sister Ellen Murphy was born on February 16, 1916, at the Murphy homestead near Niagara, North Dakota, in Agnes Township, Grand Forks County; the second child of Charles J. and Helen Normand Murphy. She attended her first year of school at the Dominican Convent School in Grafton, North Dakota, entering in September, 1922. Sister Ellen attended various schools, graduating from the eighth grade in May 1930, from a one-room rural school in District 102 of Agnes Township. In June, 1934, she received her high school diploma from St. James Academy, Grand Forks, North Dakota.

On September 8 of that year, Sister Ellen entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a candidate for the Sisterhood, she attended the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, Minnesota. Sister Ellen received her religious vows on March 19, 1937, at St. Joseph's Novitiate in St. Paul, Minnesota. Sister Ellen attended several colleges and universities including the University of Notre Dame, the University of North Dakota and DePaul University in Chicago. Her primary field of study was elementary education, religion and literature. Sister Ellen contributed to these fields by writing educational articles, poetry and short stories, many of which have been published. She taught at several schools, including St. Michael's Catholic School in Grand Forks, as well as teaching catechism in Thompson, North Dakota.

She died April 16, 2004 at Bethany Convent, St. Paul, Minnesota

Literary - Poetry
Religion - Catholic Church
Women's History