John A. Creighton
Encyclopedia
Count John A. Creighton was a pioneer
businessman and philanthropist in Omaha
, Nebraska
who founded Creighton University
. The younger brother of Edward Creighton
, John was responsible for a variety of institutions throughout the city of Omaha, and was ennobled by Pope Leo XIII
in recognition of his contributions to Creighton University, the Catholic community in Omaha
, and the city of Omaha in general.
, Creighton's first job was working for his brother Edward
, installing a telegraph line from Cleveland
to Toledo
. In 1852 he enrolled in St. Joseph's Dominican School near Somerset, Ohio
. In 1856 he came to Omaha as a clerk with a local merchant, and in 1860 he took two jobs moving cattle and freight from Omaha to Denver, Colorado
. Around that same period Edward accepted a contract installing 700 miles (1,126.5 km) of the Pacific Telegraph, the first transcontinental telegraph in the United States. John was hired as the superintendent of the construction. In the early 1860s Creighton traveled to Montana
to mine gold, eventually installing a telegraph line from Salt Lake City, Utah
to Helena, Montana
.
During Creighton's life in Montana he is credited with helping rid the state of the desperados
who made it inhospitable towards settlement. In 1865 after he was assaulted and his leg was broken, a local newspaper wrote, "We believe that the only way to kill John Creighton would be to cut his head off and then carry away the body." During this same period of time Creighton was named a "Colonel
" by Montana's acting Governor General Thomas Francis Meagher
.
In 1868 John Creighton returned to Omaha permanently, where he established a grocery business in Jobber's Canyon. In 1868 John married Sarah Emily Wareham, the sister of Mary Lucretia Creighton
, who was married to John's brother Edward. When Edward died suddenly in 1874, his wife Mary became committed to his notion of creating a free college in Nebraska. She died in 1876, leaving a considerable amount of money along with strict instructions for the foundation of the college in her husband's honor. John, his cousin James, and Herman Kountze
, a banker and family friend, were the executors of Edwards will. Acting in that capacity they purchased the present site of the University and proceeded to erect what is now called the main building.
John's wife Sarah died September 3, 1888; before her death she bequeathed a business block near Downtown Omaha
to the yet-to-be-established Creighton College. By the early 1890s he was attributed to holding, "more of the valuable real estate of the city [of Omaha] than any other individual." He owned a railroad company
, was a large stockholder in the Omaha Cable Tramway Company
, heavily interested in the South Omaha syndicate responsible for building up much of that area, and was Vice-President of the First National Bank of Omaha
.
In 1884 Creighton was a delegate to the National Convention at Chicago
where Grover Cleveland
was nominated for President of the United States
.
, and in 1898 he gave money towards a medical school, which was named in his honor. In 1904 he created the Edward Creighton Institute. Creighton is also credited with establishing Omaha's St. Joseph's Hospital
and the Poor Claire's convent. He paid for almost the entire cost of St. John's Parish
at Creighton, where the cornerstone was laid in 1888.
in Omaha is viewed as being named in honor of the entire Creighton family, particularly John and his brother Edward, as well as their wives Sara and Emily. He was named a Knight of St. Gregory on January 15, 1895 by Pope Leo XIII
, and in 1898 was titled a Count
by the same. In 1900 Creighton received the Laetare Medal
from the University of Notre Dame
. Omaha's John A. Creighton Boulevard
was named after him immediately after his death in 1907, as is the existent "John A. Creighton University Professorship" at Creighton University.
The Creighton Orpheum Theater
in Downtown Omaha
was named in honor of John after he donated a significant portion of its construction costs.
Founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska
The following people were founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska. Their period of influence ranges from 1853 through 1900. Many in this group were members of the Old Settlers' Association and/or the Omaha Claim Club...
businessman and philanthropist in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
who founded Creighton University
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
. The younger brother of Edward Creighton
Edward Creighton
Edward Creighton was a prominent pioneer businessman in early Omaha, Nebraska. The brother of John A. Creighton, the Creightons were responsible for founding many institutions that were central to the growth and development of Omaha...
, John was responsible for a variety of institutions throughout the city of Omaha, and was ennobled by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
in recognition of his contributions to Creighton University, the Catholic community in Omaha
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the midwestern region of the United States. Archbishop Elden Francis Curtiss...
, and the city of Omaha in general.
Biography
Born in Licking County, OhioLicking County, Ohio
Licking County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 166,492. Its county seat is Newark and is named for the salt licks that were in the area....
, Creighton's first job was working for his brother Edward
Edward Creighton
Edward Creighton was a prominent pioneer businessman in early Omaha, Nebraska. The brother of John A. Creighton, the Creightons were responsible for founding many institutions that were central to the growth and development of Omaha...
, installing a telegraph line from Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
to Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. In 1852 he enrolled in St. Joseph's Dominican School near Somerset, Ohio
Somerset, Ohio
Somerset is a village in Perry County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,549 at the 2000 census.Saint Joseph Church, the oldest Catholic church in Ohio, is located just outside of Somerset on State Route 383.-Geography:...
. In 1856 he came to Omaha as a clerk with a local merchant, and in 1860 he took two jobs moving cattle and freight from Omaha to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. Around that same period Edward accepted a contract installing 700 miles (1,126.5 km) of the Pacific Telegraph, the first transcontinental telegraph in the United States. John was hired as the superintendent of the construction. In the early 1860s Creighton traveled to Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
to mine gold, eventually installing a telegraph line from Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
to Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
.
During Creighton's life in Montana he is credited with helping rid the state of the desperados
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
who made it inhospitable towards settlement. In 1865 after he was assaulted and his leg was broken, a local newspaper wrote, "We believe that the only way to kill John Creighton would be to cut his head off and then carry away the body." During this same period of time Creighton was named a "Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
" by Montana's acting Governor General Thomas Francis Meagher
Thomas Francis Meagher
-Young Ireland:Meagher returned to Ireland in 1843, with undecided plans for a career in the Austrian army, a tradition among a number of Irish families. In 1844 he traveled to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar. He became involved in the Repeal Association, which worked for repeal...
.
In 1868 John Creighton returned to Omaha permanently, where he established a grocery business in Jobber's Canyon. In 1868 John married Sarah Emily Wareham, the sister of Mary Lucretia Creighton
Mary Lucretia Creighton
Mary Lucretia Creighton was born Mary Lucretia Wareham in Dayton, Ohio. Creighton was a philanthropist who left a bequest of $200,000 in her will to found Creighton University in honor of her husband, Omaha, Nebraska pioneer banker Edward Creighton.-Biography:Edward's brother John married Sarah...
, who was married to John's brother Edward. When Edward died suddenly in 1874, his wife Mary became committed to his notion of creating a free college in Nebraska. She died in 1876, leaving a considerable amount of money along with strict instructions for the foundation of the college in her husband's honor. John, his cousin James, and Herman Kountze
Herman Kountze
Herman Kountze was a powerful and influential pioneer banker in Omaha, Nebraska in the late 19th century. After organizing the Kountze Brothers Bank in 1857 as the second bank in Omaha, Herman and his brothers Augustus, Charles and Luther changed the charter in 1863, opening the First National...
, a banker and family friend, were the executors of Edwards will. Acting in that capacity they purchased the present site of the University and proceeded to erect what is now called the main building.
John's wife Sarah died September 3, 1888; before her death she bequeathed a business block near Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline...
to the yet-to-be-established Creighton College. By the early 1890s he was attributed to holding, "more of the valuable real estate of the city [of Omaha] than any other individual." He owned a railroad company
South Omaha Terminal Railway
The South Omaha Terminal Railway in Omaha, Nebraska was a subsidiary of the Union Stock Yards Company of Omaha. Until the separate railroad company was created in July 1927, the trackage, about , was owned and operated directly by the Union Stock Yards Company of Omaha...
, was a large stockholder in the Omaha Cable Tramway Company
Omaha Cable Tramway Company
The Cable Tramway Company of Omaha, Nebraska started in 1884 and ended in 1895. was the only cable car line ever built in Omaha, and had only four lines of tracks in operation.-History:...
, heavily interested in the South Omaha syndicate responsible for building up much of that area, and was Vice-President of the First National Bank of Omaha
First National of Nebraska
First National of Nebraska is a privately held, interstate bank holding company based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The largest banking subsidiaries are First National Bank of Omaha, First National Bank Colorado, First National Bank Kansas and First National Bank South Dakota. First National of...
.
In 1884 Creighton was a delegate to the National Convention at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
where Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
was nominated for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Philanthropy
From its founding in 1878 to the time of his death in 1907 Creighton was said to have donated at least $2,000,000 to Creighton University. In 1888 Creighton financed the Creighton University ObservatoryCreighton University Observatory
Creighton University Observatory is located on the Creighton University campus in Omaha, Nebraska. It was the first observatory in Omaha, and the second in Nebraska. It was used primarily for instruction of students, though the directors did do some research in the observatory...
, and in 1898 he gave money towards a medical school, which was named in his honor. In 1904 he created the Edward Creighton Institute. Creighton is also credited with establishing Omaha's St. Joseph's Hospital
Saint Joseph Hopital at Creighton University Medical Center
Saint Joseph Hospital at Creighton University Medical Center is a hospital located in north Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It is currently operated by Tenet Healthcare but owned by Creighton University.-History:...
and the Poor Claire's convent. He paid for almost the entire cost of St. John's Parish
St. John's Parish
St. John's Parish is a Roman Catholic church located at 2500 California Plaza on the Creighton University campus in Omaha, Nebraska.-History:The cornerstone was laid on May 6, 1888, drawing 4,000 people, which was the largest crowd ever assembled in Nebraska up to that point. The building was...
at Creighton, where the cornerstone was laid in 1888.
Recognition
Today Creighton UniversityCreighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
in Omaha is viewed as being named in honor of the entire Creighton family, particularly John and his brother Edward, as well as their wives Sara and Emily. He was named a Knight of St. Gregory on January 15, 1895 by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
, and in 1898 was titled a Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
by the same. In 1900 Creighton received the Laetare Medal
Laetare Medal
The Laetare Medal is an annual award given by the University of Notre Dame in recognition of outstanding service to the Roman Catholic church and society...
from the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. Omaha's John A. Creighton Boulevard
John A. Creighton Boulevard
John A. Creighton Boulevard, is a boulevard-type north-south roadway in the north Omaha, Nebraska. Running through the Adams Park neighborhood, the boulevard runs from Hamilton Avenue to Bedford Street...
was named after him immediately after his death in 1907, as is the existent "John A. Creighton University Professorship" at Creighton University.
The Creighton Orpheum Theater
Orpheum Theater (Omaha)
The Orpheum Theater is located at 409 South 16th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The Orpheum hosts programs best served by a more theatrical setting, including the Broadway Across America-Omaha series and Opera Omaha...
in Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline...
was named in honor of John after he donated a significant portion of its construction costs.
External links
- Photos from Creighton's 1907 funeral
- National Park Service: Edward Creighton