Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Dutch Caribbean — Caribbean Region (Lesser Antilles)

St. Joseph Convent 1890

Photographed by Mark P Brock-Cancellieri, July 6, 2023

1. St. Joseph Convent 1890 Marker

Inscription.

St. Joseph Convent 1890. . , In the year 1888 the Roman Catholic Priest Father Stephanus J.J. Niewenhuis passed away and in his last will and testament he left two houses, a plot of land and ten thousand guilders to the Dominican Nuns of The Netherlands. The money and buildings were intended to lure the Dominican Nuns to St. Maarten to start a school there. He had been a priest on St. Martin for 35 years and saw where there was a great need for a school., The covenant and the school were blessed and were given the name St. Joseph. After Nuns safe arrival on May 31, 1890 they went to the future convent where everything was nicely prepared by Father Jordanus Onderwater O.P. and Miss Catherine Mildrum the former housekeeper of the late Father Niewenhuys. The convent was dedicated to St. Joseph. The Reverend Sister Egelie was the first principal of the new school and the first prioress of the St. Joseph Convent., Hurricane Irma a category five hurricane which devastated St. Maarten on September 6th, 2017 destroyed the complete second floor of the former building. A new cement roof replaced the old roof while the owners the Gioia Family taking into consideration the historic nature of the building replaced the former roof so that the building look the same as before the hurricane., Reverse , On a Saturday morning May 31st 1890 at 8am the first Nuns of the Dominican Order arrived on St. Maarten., On June 2nd 1890 the doors of the St. Joseph Building were opened to children to attend the school there. 132 children came to go to the new school, Catholics and non-Catholics and 62 toddlers., Over the years many well know people in the community attend the St. Joseph school., After 1990 the St. Joseph building went over into private hands. Hurricane Irma a category five hurricane which devastated St. Maarten on September 6th, 2017 destroyed the complete second floor of the former building. A new cement roof replaced the old roof while the owners the Gioia Family taking into consideration the historic nature of the building replaced the former roof so that the building look the same as before the hurricane. , by Will Johnson

In the year 1888 the Roman Catholic Priest Father Stephanus J.J. Niewenhuis passed away and in his last will and testament he left two houses, a plot of land and ten thousand guilders to the Dominican Nuns of The Netherlands. The money and buildings were intended to lure the Dominican Nuns to St. Maarten to start a school there. He had been a priest on St. Martin for 35 years and saw where there was a great need for a school.

The covenant and the school were blessed and were given the name St. Joseph. After Nuns safe arrival on May 31, 1890 they went to the future convent where everything was nicely prepared by Father Jordanus Onderwater O.P. and Miss Catherine Mildrum the former housekeeper of the late Father Niewenhuys. The convent was dedicated to St. Joseph. The Reverend Sister Egelie was the first principal of the new school and the first prioress of the St. Joseph Convent.

Hurricane Irma a category five hurricane which devastated St. Maarten on September 6th, 2017 destroyed the complete second floor of the former building. A new cement roof replaced the old roof while the owners the Gioia Family taking into consideration the historic nature of the building replaced the former roof so that the building look the same as before the hurricane.

Reverse
On a Saturday morning May 31st

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1890 at 8am the first Nuns of the Dominican Order arrived on St. Maarten.

On June 2nd 1890 the doors of the St. Joseph Building were opened to children to attend the school there. 132 children came to go to the new school, Catholics and non-Catholics and 62 toddlers.

Over the years many well know people in the community attend the St. Joseph school.

After 1990 the St. Joseph building went over into private hands. Hurricane Irma a category five hurricane which devastated St. Maarten on September 6th, 2017 destroyed the complete second floor of the former building. A new cement roof replaced the old roof while the owners the Gioia Family taking into consideration the historic nature of the building replaced the former roof so that the building look the same as before the hurricane.
by Will Johnson

Erected by Gioia Group.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Education • Religion & Religious Structures. A significant historical date for this entry is May 31, 1890.

Location. 18° 1.369′ N, 63° 2.633′ W. Marker is in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. It is at the intersection of Front Street and D.C. Steeg, on the right when traveling west on Front Street. Touch for map. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is one of the Lesser Antilles

on the Caribbean Sea,

in in the Atlantic Ocean,

and in North America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sint Rose Hospital (a few steps from this marker); Capt. Arsene Hubert Hodge

St. Joseph Convent 1890 Marker Reverse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, February 6, 2025

2. St. Joseph Convent 1890 Marker Reverse

(about 210 meters away, measured in a direct line); Ter Herdenking Van Onze Gevallenen / In Remembrance of Our Fallen (about 210 meters away); Historic Sint Maarten Remembered (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); Frontstreet Merchants (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); St. Maarten Gingerbread Market Stalls (approx. one kilometer away); The Old Police Station (approx. one kilometer away); Vance Theophilus James (approx. one kilometer away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philipsburg.

More about this marker. According to the Gioia Group website re: Commercial properties on Front Street: "Our company is the proud custodian of one of St Maarten's oldest buildings. After Hurricane Irma, our company rebuilt these properties to reflect their original glory."
https://www.gioia-group.com/portfolio

Photographed by Mark P Brock-Cancellieri, July 6, 2023

3. St. Joseph Convent 1890 Marker

The view of the St. Joseph Convent 1890 from the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, February 6, 2025

4. The view of the St. Joseph Convent 1890 from the street

St. Joseph Convent 1890 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, February 6, 2025

5. St. Joseph Convent 1890

Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2023, by Mark P. Brock-Cancellieri of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 844 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 9, 2023, by Mark P. Brock-Cancellieri of Baltimore, Maryland. 2. submitted on February 24, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 3. submitted on July 9, 2023, by Mark P. Brock-Cancellieri of Baltimore, Maryland. 4, 5. submitted on February 24, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.