Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from the Ursuline Convent and Academy. She writes that the Bishop's former slave, Daniel, is in a "half-starved condition" and has been visiting the convent for handouts. She mentions that she has read about former Union prisoners who praised Bishop Lynch for his kindness during the war and writes of her fears of a cholera epidemic that "will no doubt decimate the whole country this summer." April 29, 1866. 8p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch describing springtime at Valle Crucis. She writes that the sisters have created a "month of May altar" and have decorated it with a small statue saved from the convent on the night of the Columbia fire. May 16, 1866. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about recent inquiries concerning the burning of Columbia and their convent during the war and asks the Bishop for permission to publish their account of the events. April 6, 1866. 4p.
Copy of a letter sent by Madame Baptiste to Senator Manning petitioning the U.S. congress for $150,000 to rebuild their destroyed convent and academy. April 9, 1866. 2p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch about procuring provisions for the Ursuline Convent and Academy and about news of the war. John writes that the man hired to obtain the provisions fears impressment of the supplies and requests that the Bishop provide him an endorsed certificate that proves the goods are for the convent should any Confederate officers stop him. John also mentions the movement of troops through Columbia on their way to Tennessee where "Genl Lee and the President have planned a campaign against Rosencrantz (sic)". September 18, 1863. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Sister Mary Charles Curtin about the sister's request to join the Ursuline Convent. Madame Baptiste informs her that the rules of the Ursuline Order make it difficult to accept someone who has already "professed" in another order writing that "a secular fresh from the world is preferred.....as it is more difficult to eradicate preconceived ideas of right, than to implant true ones for the first time." She also cautions the sister about the difficulty of moving from an active and worldly community to a contemplative and cloistered one. September 15, 1863. 3p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about plans to obtain winter provisions, the burgeoning number of boarders including many Protestants and the renovation of a house on the grounds to accommodate some lay sisters. September 9, 1863. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch asking for his advice on accepting a nun from the Sisters of Mercy as a noviciate in the Ursulines. September 19, 1863. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news of the Ursuline Academy and Convent, including a lengthy recounting of a "Miss Jones" who is being coveted by both the Ursulines in Columbia and another religious order. October 23, 1862. 8p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about plans to move the Convent and Academy out of downtown Columbia after the war and mentions the death and funeral of Confederate General Smith. She also writes of brother Hugh's new position as aid to General Beauregard in Charleston and informs the Bishop that his "boy" sent up from Charleston to work on one of the Bishop's properties may have "gone to the yankees." October 10, 1862. 8p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news from the Ursuline Convent and Academy on the anniversary of their establishment in Columbia. September 14, 1862. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch describing her plans to travel with a couple of the Ursuline sisters to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to help start an academy. Madame Baptiste writes that she has yet to tell the sisters which ones she has chosen to accompany her to Alabama. September 2, 1866. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch describing her plans to travel with a couple of the Ursuline sisters to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to help start an academy. August 23, 1866. 6p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning the purchase of a second piano for the convent, the efforts to find housing for a local priest and a "Mr. Jones" who is travelling north soliciting funds for the Ursulines. January 18, 1866. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about their brother John's idea to establish a "Building Committee" to plan and finance a newly constructed Convent. April 14, 1860. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news at the Ursuline Convent and Academy. Madame Baptiste writes that one of the "Philadelphia sisters" is going back and that she has written Bishop Wood asking for a "strong able-bodied washerwoman" in return. April 16, 1860. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the visit of the "Consul of Belgium" to the convent and about general news at the Ursuline Convent and Academy. April 28, 1860. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with news at the Ursuline Convent and Academy and her attempt to contact a publisher concerning her intentions to retain the copyright to the "Ursuline Manual" and ask for ten cents per copy sold. April 5, 1860. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about family news and affairs at the Ursuline Convent. In an earlier letter she had written that the sisters could not fast during Lent and labor too and now asks the Bishop for a decision on the matter. February 27, 1859. 3p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning two boxes shipped to the Bishop from New York containing statuary for the Ursulines. March 29, 1859. 2p.
Madame Baptiste writes to brother, Bishop Patrick Lynch, about family news and affairs at the Ursuline Convent including the arrival of the "little French woman" and another boarder. March 4, 1859. 2p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about legal papers that need to be formalized before hands can be hired to work at the convent grounds in Valle Crucis. December 24, 1866. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the Ursuline sisters' annual retreat, the start of the school year and plans to set up an academy in Alabama. August 4, 1866. 7p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch enclosing a free railroad ticket their sister, Madame Baptiste, received from the president of the railroad company. John also writes about news from the Ursuline Convent, informing the Bishop of a theft of corn from the convent's fields. September 24, 1866. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about plans for the Ursulines in Valle Crucis to help open a parochial school in Alabama. July 29, 1866. 3p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch with her recommendations for the wording of the announcement publicizing the commencement of their annual exercises on September 20th. (A brief message on Page 2 concerning the students' retreat suggests this may have been written in late May or June). September 1, 1859. 2p.
Madame Baptiste Lynch writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about finances at the Academy and about a smallpox epidemic in Columbia, adding that brother John "has smallpox among his negroes." December 18, 1860. 2p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning the Bishop's purchase of the American Hotel in order to relocate the academy and convent there. A petition had been taken up by persons in Columbia to dissuade the establishment of the convent there claiming it would "injure the mercantile interest of the city." Madame Baptiste believes "prejudice rather than pecuniary interest" are behind the petition and suggests selling it to them for a profit and building a new place elsewhere. August 12, 1859. 4p.
Madame Baptiste writes to Bishop Patrick Lynch about typhoid fever and dyptheria (sic) plaguing the pupils and that the latter has been prevalent throughout Columbia. October 26, 1860. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the end of the Ursulines' annual retreat, the renovation of their vows and the ongoing controversy concerning the possible relocation of the convent and academy to the American Hotel. August 15, 1859. 2p.
Letter from John Lynch to Bishop Patrick Lynch concerning a mistrial in an unspecified court case. The lawyer advises John that the Bishop's presence would do little to "advance your cause" and advises the Bishop to remain away from Columbia until after the case is tried again. August 28, 1859. 2p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch informing him of the latest news at the Ursuline Convent and school in Columbia. December 15, 1858. 4p.
Letter from Madame Baptiste to Bishop Patrick Lynch about the war. Madame Baptiste writes about the Convent's plans should the "yankees" come to Columbia and asks the Bishop where to stash their furnishings. She also suggests erecting a large cross on the grounds so that the enemy will spare them but notes, "I fear the rabble of Columbia who stoned us, as much as the yankees." July 21, 1863. 8p.
