Biographical/historical information

Sister Mary Joseph (1878-1973) was born Mary Lavinia "Winnie" Skinner on February 21, 1878, to Colonel Harry S. Skinner (1855-1929) of Greenville, North Carolina, and Maria "Lottie" Montiero y Barros Skinner (1861-1888) of Richmond, Virginia. Her early life was split between Greenville and Washington, D.C. where her father was a lawyer and United States Congressman. Skinner worked some time as a legal secretary for her father before determining at the age of 52 to enter religious life in the Roman Catholic Church. Skinner and her stepmother, Ella Montiero Skinner (1866-1937), co-founded the religious order of the Society of Christ Our King in Greenville, N.C. Skinner would be a member of the order from 1931 until her death in 1973.

Scope and arrangement

This collection of scanned biographical material, correspondence, photographs, clippings, newsletters, and articles documents the life of Sister Mary Joseph (1878-1973). The history of the Society of Christ Our King, a Roman Catholic religious order for women co-founded by Sister Mary Joseph, is also documented in the collection.

Series 1-3 details Sister Mary Joseph's personal life and the history of the Skinner family. The history of the Skinner family is primarily described in relation to their importance within the local Catholic community in Greenville, N.C. Biographical materials include a biography and obituary of Sister Mary Joseph. The correspondence is written by Sister Mary Joseph and covers the years 1913-1970. It includes letters to her sisters detailing family news, her health, religious life within the Society of Christ Our King, and her spirituality.

Series 4 documents the founding and history of the Society of Christ Our King. The Roman Catholic religious order for women was co-founded by Sister Mary Joseph and her stepmother, Ella Montiero Skinner (1866-1937) in Greenville, N.C. The Skinner family home was converted into the first convent for the order before their eventual move to Danville, VA. The clippings detail the founding of the order, their work in the community, the names of women who joined, the order's move to Danville, and their work in Danville. Notable in this series is an article by the Catholic social activist Dorothy Day who describes the role the order played in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

Administrative information

Custodial History

2018, 0.177 GB, 83 files; Collection of scanned digital material originally stored on a compact disc documenting the life of Sister Mary Joseph (1876-1973). The collection includes scans of correspondence, biographical sketches, newspaper clippings, published articles, and photographs which document her life before, during, and after entering religious life. Originals not included in donation.

Processing information

Processed by John Dunning, March 2024

Copyright notice

This material is made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to taking precautions against infringement of copyright and respecting the publication rights of reproduced materials. All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards. Any materials used should be fully credited with their source according to the example given in the Preferred Citation note. Requests for assistance with citations and images of publication quality should be directed to specialcollections@ecu.edu. This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state law. The user assumes full responsibility for using such information and is advised that the disclosure of such information about identifiable living individuals without their consent may have legal ramifications.

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