Cornelius Gillespie

Cornelius Gillespie
The Reverend; Cornelius Gillespie
	Cornelius Gillespie
8th & 10th President of Saint Joseph's College
	In office; 1908–1909
Preceded by	Denis T. O'Sullivan
Succeeded by	Charles W. Lyons
	In office; 1900–1907
Preceded by	William F. Clark
Succeeded by	Denis T. O'Sullivan
Personal details
Born	September 12, 1851; County Donegal, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Died	January 28, 1912 (aged 60); Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Alma mater	Saint Joseph's College
Orders
Ordination	1887

Cornelius Gillespie (September 12, 1851 – January 28, 1912) was an American Catholic priest and Jesuit who served as the president of Gonzaga College in Washington, D.C. and twice as president of Saint Joseph's College in Philadelphia. He was the first head of Saint Joseph's College to have been an alumnus of the school.

Early life

Cornelius Gillespie was born on September 12, 1851 in County Donegal, located in what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.[1] He immigrated to the United States at the age of sixteen, and was accepted to Saint Joseph's College in Philadelphia; the school was officially closed while a new campus was being constructed, however, and he studied under one of the school's Jesuit professors.[2] He entered the Society of Jesus, proceeding to its novitiate in Frederick, Maryland in 1873. He then spent time as a missionary throughout the Eastern United States,[1] and was ordained a priest in 1887.[2] He then served for two years as the vice president of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.[1]

Ministry and leadership

Gonzaga College

Gillespie was appointed the sixteenth president of Gonzaga College and pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Washington, D.C.,[3] succeeding Edward A. McGurk.[4] He took office on November 18, 1890.[3] As president, he announced on January 29, 1893 that a new building for the college would be built; three years later, the new hall was complete.[5] A second building was erected, with the cornerstone being laid on May 24, 1896.[6] The building was complete by October 1896.[7] That year being the school's golden jubilee, Gillespie created the school's first alumni society.[8] The first school musical band was organized that year as well.[9] Gillespie's term as president and pastor came to an end in 1898, and he was succeeded by John F. Galligan.[10]

Saint Joseph's College

Gillespie twice served as president of Saint Joseph's College in Philadelphia. He became the eighth president of the college on August 20, 1900,[2] succeeding William F. Clark.[11] He was the college's first president to have been an alumnus of the school,[2] and served until September 1907, when he was replaced by Denis T. O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan died soon thereafter, and Gillespie again became the tenth president on June 16, 1908, serving until his health deteriorated. Charles W. Lyons was succeeded him on July 9, 1909 following year. In his two terms, Gillespie separated St. Joseph's Preparatory School from the rest of the university in 1904, and the first varsity athletics programs were begun in 1909.[2]

Gillespie died on January 28, 1912 in St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore.[1] He was distantly related to Saint Joseph's University's future president, Kevin Gillespie.[2]

References

Citations

Obituary 1912, p. 528
Croce, Carmen R. "Welcome to Saint Joseph's University and to Barbelin Hall" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
Hill 1922, p. 130
Hill 1922, p. 129
Hill 1922, p. 136
Hill 1922, p. 142
Hill 1922, p. 147
Hill 1922, p. 152
Hill 1922, p. 159
Hill 1922, p. 166
"Presidents of Saint Joseph's University" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.

Sources

Hill, Owen Aloysius (1922). Gonzaga College, an Historical Sketch: From Its Foundation in 1821, to the Solemn Celebration of Its First Centenary in 1921. Washington, D.C.: Gonzaga College. pp. 130–165. OCLC 1266588. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019 – via Google Books.
"Obituary". America. VI (22). March 9, 1912. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019 – via Google Books.

Academic offices
Preceded by Denis T. O'Sullivan	10th President of Saint Joseph's College 1908–1909	Succeeded by Charles W. Lyons
Preceded by William F. Clark	8th President of Saint Joseph's College 1900–1907	Succeeded by Denis T. O'Sullivan
Preceded by Edward A. McGurk	16th President of Gonzaga College 1890–1898	Succeeded by John F. Galligan
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Edward A. McGurk	Pastor of St. Aloysius Church 1890–1898	Succeeded by John F. Galligan

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[obituary528-1] Obituary 1912, p. 528

[croce-2] Croce, Carmen R. "Welcome to Saint Joseph's University and to Barbelin Hall" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.

[hill130-3] Hill 1922, p. 130

[hill129-4] Hill 1922, p. 129

[hill136-5] Hill 1922, p. 136

[hill142-6] Hill 1922, p. 142

[hill147-7] Hill 1922, p. 147

[hill152-8] Hill 1922, p. 152

[hill159-9] Hill 1922, p. 159

[hill166-10] Hill 1922, p. 166

[sjupresidents-11] "Presidents of Saint Joseph's University" (PDF). Saint Joseph's University. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 11, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.