Creighton University - Bluejay Yearbook (Omaha, NE)

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Sarah Emily Wareham, top, wife of John Creighton, and li lary Lucretia Wareham, bottom, wife of Edward, played a large role in the founding of Creighton and ($ successful continuation In later years. 4 — intro Creighton ' s found linked with brotliers ' The story of Creighton University is an epitome of the history of Omaha and the West. In 1856, Omaha was a ragged town of perhaps 2,000 people. It was not eastern enough to be smug and sophisti- cated, and not western enough to be lusty and colorful. But Omaha was a gate city geographically and a key town economically. To this frontier metropolis came the Creightons, bent on building the West. The eldest was Edward, one of the found- ing fathers of the university. Edward Creighton was one of nine children of James Creighton, a native of County Monoghan, Ireland, and of Bridget Hughes Creighton, a native of County Armagh, Ireland. Edward was born near the present town of Barnesville in Bel- mont County, Ohio on August, 31, 1820. Edward Creighton had come to Omaha in 1856, a young man, somewhat of me- dium height, of square powerful symmet- rical build. His full expressive face was distinguished by a broad forehead, eyes that twinkled and smiling lips. He was a man who had done things, who was to do even greater things. One day in 1847, he saw men setting poles along the road. Questioning the men, he learned they were putting up a telegraph line, and he immediately went to Springfield where he met Bernard O ' Connor who had that construction con- tract. Soon Creighton had a contract to deliver poles on a line from Dayton to Evansville. For the next six years Edward was en- gaged in the several phases of telegraph building as contractor, superintendent and agent. In 1850, he built part of the New York and Mississippi Printing Tele- graph Company ' s line west from Buffalo. This was the line, using the House patent.

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ation, expansion determination that Hiram Sibley and liis Rocliester as- sociates were to mal e tlie nucleus of the Western Union Company. In the fall of 1856, Edward returned to Dayton, Ohio where he married Mary Lucretia Wareham, October 7. The next spring he brought his wife to Omaha. In 1863, with the aid of the Kountze Brothers, Edward established the First National Bank of Omaha, and was made president. He retained this office 11 years. His death came unexpectedly. On November 3, 1874, he fell on the floor of his bank, stricken with a paralytic stroke. On November 5, he died. John A. Creighton, brother of Edward, was a very influential figure in the founda- tion and growth of Creighton University. John was the youngest member of the Creighton family. He was born in Licking County, Ohio on October 15, 1831. Upon leaving school, he helped his brother, Edward, construct a telegraph line be- tween Toledo and Cleveland. This job with Edward, in 1854, was the beginning of a continuing relationship and John ' s fortune was linked with that of his brother ' s. In 1856, Edward and John, with their cousin, James, came to Omaha. Here they resumed their contracting opera- tions, and shortly after their arrival they constructed the telegraph line between St. Joseph, Missouri and Omaha. In 1866, John Creighton returned to Ohio to marry Sarah Emily Wareham, younger sister of Edward ' s wife. Shortly after his marriage, he joined in a partner- ship with Frank C. Morgan, who was established at Omaha in the grocery business. When Ed ward died in 1874, his widow, Mary Lucretia, followed him in death only 14 months later. John A. Creighton was John Creighton, top, and Edward Creighton, bottom, came to Omaha in the 1800 ' s to shape the future of the West and left their lasting mark on Omaha with the founding of Creighton University. intro — 5