Today in 1891, 17-year-old SF Magdalen Asylum alum May Gardner was in serious trouble for helping May Hayward traffic girls to a brothel in Guatemala. Sex trafficking is a horrific crime, but I doubt Gardner had complete agency in this situation. pic.twitter.com/Ci1ff5hWR6
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) March 14, 2023
Mary and Joseph married in 1897, and their daughter, Celia, was born that year. They had seven more children and lived long lives. Joseph died in 1960 at 88; Mary died in 1968 at 85. They're buried together in Chico Cemetery. pic.twitter.com/hqNn7srqcJ
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) March 12, 2023
Today in 1897, enterprising 16-year-old Leoni Davolles was in the San Francisco Magdalen Asylum after allegedly selling all of the furnitur in her mother's Glen Park home and using the proceeds to buy booze. pic.twitter.com/J9PdhjfO5C
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) March 10, 2023
Today in 1891, 16-year-old Maggie Edwards was in the DF Magdalen Asylum after running away from home and getting tangled up with a man named George Smith, who took her to San Jose and put her to work in a brothel. I wonder why she ran away in the first place. pic.twitter.com/kFG6gCpYMx
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) March 9, 2023
Today in 1899, the manager of the San Francisco Magdalen Asylum was arrested after nobody turned up at court for a hearing on the release of one of the inmates, Mary Wyckoff. Unfortunately, I have no idea what happened after this. pic.twitter.com/AZkPI5QA1P
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) March 4, 2023
Today in 1891, "very wayward" local teen Mollie Joseph was in the SF Magdalen Asylum after being found in a brothel with a young sailor, John Ring, originally from Australia. Mollie got jailed; John got a free trip home. This sound fair to any of you? pic.twitter.com/UMNQTs3nOU
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) March 3, 2023
The ending is my favorite part. Clara said she "ain't the kind of girl" to stick to one man, and that, after her sentencing to the Mag, she would be "badder'n ever, now." I sincerely hope so.
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 27, 2023
Poking around on Ancestry, I found a Rose Gatto (née Chelini) who lived in SF and died in 1945, buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. This is her, in a photo likely from the early 1900s. pic.twitter.com/NMO5hFuVXY
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 26, 2023
Today in 1898, 16yo Kitty Connolley was behind the barred windows at SF's Magdalen Asylum after being arrested in a brothel. Mamie Lenihan, also 16, was with her, for the crime of being in the Thalia, a dance hall and saloon on the Barbary Coast. I'm sure this made SF much safer. pic.twitter.com/RhNtob2yIy
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 25, 2023
Today in 1872, a young local girl (unnamed, for once) was out of the SF Magdalen Asylum after her step-mother had her arrested and sent there under false pretenses. And had stolen her clothes while she was imprisoned. Sometimes evil stepmothers DO exist. pic.twitter.com/500VJLrhX3
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 23, 2023
Today in 1896, 16-year-old Annie Brady, the daughter of an ex-cop no less, was in the SF Magdalen Asylum for working in brothels, not once, but twice. Maybe she liked the work and the independent income, OK? But even now, SF is trying to mess with sex workers' livelihoods. pic.twitter.com/1YsxMS3fwq
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 21, 2023
In 1936, a 54-year-old housewife named Amelia Mohr (maiden name Tierney) was booked in San Quentin for manslaughter. Her previous record included one count of shoplifting in 1926. This is her booking photo. pic.twitter.com/tySqWC3ks3
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 19, 2023
Today in 1895, 16-year-old Alice Ferrin was booked into the SF Magdalen Asylum after marrying an actor, George Sinclair, who sold her into sex work. Sinclair, who sounds like a real winner, married Alice only three weeks after his previous wife died. pic.twitter.com/l9FfX51xMk
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 18, 2023
On March 27, 1891, Alice Fuller was back in the SF Magdalen Asylum after trying to end her life in the Bay, returning to live with her abusive mom, and then apparently left again. Bank fraud and fisticuffs ensued. I hope the rest of her life was better than this. pic.twitter.com/7DndnOqASg
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 7, 2023
Today in 1891, 17yo Alice Fuller, who we met yesterday, was headed reluctantly back home with her abusive mother, after first going to the Receiving Hospital and then to the California House (I'm not sure what this was). She wanted to avoid returning to the SF Magdalen Asylum. pic.twitter.com/Nj4RMxxbzv
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 6, 2023
CW: sui
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 5, 2023
Today in 1891, 17-year-old Alice Fuller, a veteran of the SF Magdalen Asylum, tried to end her life, and escape her abusive mother, by throwing herself into the Bay, near where Pier 26 is today. She was rescued against her will. We'll continue her story tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/wV20tpiYp5
Today in 1895, 15-year-old Annie Daly was sentenced to SF's Magdalen Asylum after falling victim to a soldier who convinced her to steal gold and jewels, took her to Stockton, and made off with the proceeds. Even the reporter felt sympathy for her. pic.twitter.com/EK8jMyEHEE
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 2, 2023
Today in 1890, Dora Paul was in the SF Magdalen Asylum while her mom, Margaret, was imprisoned for 60 days. Dora's father, Horatio, was alive and living in SF at the time, and it's not clear what crime her mom committed or why her dad couldn't care for her. pic.twitter.com/iwkyIRciZw
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) February 1, 2023
Today in 1873, 16yo orphan Margaret O'Dea was in the SF Magdalen Asylum, on the request of her uncle, because she was hanging out with "abandoned creatures" (aka fellow teens, and friends) in a "low saloon." Income, friendship, fun. That's all she wanted. Sounds normal to me. pic.twitter.com/BvJC85kmLu
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) January 22, 2023
Today in 1899, 16-year-old Mary McIsaacs was in the SF Magdalen Asylum after stealing a turkey off of a wagon and gifting it to her boss, ex-Supervisor Smith (it's not clear which one). I love "looked his gift turkey in the neck." At least Mary's heart was in the right place. pic.twitter.com/tutzG55PdQ
— Beth Winegarner (@bethwinegarner) January 20, 2023