The History of St. John’s Home and its Founders

As he looked about the city of Grand Rapids in the late 1880’s, Bishop Henry Richter saw hundreds of children left homeless by the epidemics of his time—diphtheria, typhus and cholera. He knew that something needed to be done for these poor children. From his pulpit, he appealed to the community to lend a hand.

John Clancy, a wealthy lumber baron and bachelor, responded to the Bishop’s pleas for help. His donation of $60,000 led to the founding of one of the earliest children’s services programs in West Michigan—St. John’s Home—and forever changed the Grand Rapids community. The building of this orphanage would bring a group of nuns to the area who would not only establish one of the largest social services agencies in the area, but profoundly affect the Catholic educational system in Grand Rapids its surrounding communities.

Come hear the story of the founding and history of St. John’s Home and the remarkable women who came to save hundreds of orphaned children and, in the process, changed an entire community.

“The History of St. John’s Home and its Founders”, Thursday, May 11, 2017, 7:30 p.m. Women’s City Club, presented by Mark Thomson

Grand Rapids Historical Society http://www.grhistory.org