Mother Antonia Herman, OSB papers

Mother Antonia Herman, OSB was born Margaret in Krautheim, Baden, Diocese of Freiburg, on December 22nd, 1835. She entered the community in Erie, Pennsylvania on January 15th, 1857. On August 23rd, 1861, Mother Antonia was one of the three founding Sisters of the Chicago community. She made her final vows in Chicago on November 13th, 1862 in the presence of the second prioress, Mother Nepomucene Ludwig.

Mother served as a teacher at St. Joseph Parochial School in Chicago before returning to her motherhouse, St. Joseph Convent in St. Mary's Pennsylvania, in October of 1866. There she was appointed prioress of the community, holding the position until March of 1868. In July of 1868, she was appointed prioress of St. Joseph's Convent in Minnesota, deposing Mother Willibalda Scherbauer. Due to conflict between herself and Abbot Alexius Edelbrock, Mother resigned as Prioress in 1877, returning to the Chicago community.

Shortly after returning to Chicago, she was recruited by Bishop Martin Marty, OSB to teach in an "Indian Boys' School" in South Dakota. In 1880, she became one of the foundresses of the Benedictine Sisters at Sacred Heart Convent in Yankton, South Dakota. Mother Antonia served the remainder of her working life as a matron and teacher for various Native American parochial schools on government reservations.

Following a protracted illness, Mother moved to St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre, South Dakota where she lived her last years as a recluse. She died on January 30th, 1912 at the age of 77, and was buried in Pierre. She was later reinterred in Yankton's Convent Cemetery.