My father and his half sister were also in the orphange from 1927 thru 1937. He was 5 and she was 3 at the time. They were also in a situation that prevented them from being adopted. During the Great Depression, St. Joseph's was used as a boarding school, adoption house, and orphanned/outcase children's home. Primarily for children from divorced homes or deaths within the family.

The Felician Sister's in Chicago will summarize any family members stay provided you give them the individuals name and any alternate spellings. They will not disclose family names or heritage. They will also offer for anyone to come to the Chicago Archives, where all records from St. Joseph's are kept and review the materials. Often the records aren't clear or could be written in Polish. St. Joseph's during my father's stay taught both English and Polish as first languages.

I've been told that the only way to get records is to petition the courts. Sealed court cases involving children apparently are the most difficult to have opened. What's worse about St. Joseph's and most orphanages at the time, they alter the names of the children the moment they are released to them. The original names become sealed and the new names are carried forward.

I appreciate any suggestions or pointers that could help me in my family research.