Edward Creighton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edward Charles Creighton (August 31, 1820 – November 5, 1874) 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. Married to Mary Lucretia Creighton in their native Dayton, Ohio, Edward relied on Mary to carry out his request to create a college, which eventually became Creighton University.

Biography

Creighton was born on a farm in Belmont County, Ohio in 1820. In the 1840s, he became involved in the freight shipping/telegraph businesses. By 1856, he had become one of the largest builders of telegraph lines in the United States. He married Mary Lucretia Wareham in Dayton, Ohio on October 7, 1856; the couple moved to Omaha after their wedding. He quickly became involved in several business ventures in Omaha, including wagon freighting, merchandising, real estate, banking, railroading and ranching. ^{[citation needed]}

In the winter of 1860-61, Creighton surveyed the route of the proposed Transcontinental Telegraph line between Omaha and Sacramento, to be built with the financial support of Western Union. He dug the first post hole for the telegraph line on July 2, 1861; the line was completed on October 24, 1861. During this expedition, Creighton established friendly relationships with a number of tribes along the route. Throughout his life, Creighton championed the cause of native Americans and repeatedly spoke out against their mistreatment. This stance brought him into conflict with the U.S. Army as well as local politicians including his brother, John Creighton.

Creighton turned his attention to banking and railroading. He served as the first president of First National Bank of Omaha and was one of the founders of the Omaha and Northwestern Railroad. The Creighton brothers invested heavily in the Union Pacific Railroad which ran a route parallel to their telegraph line. The Creighton brothers knew both Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, both of whom had stated their desire to construct a transcontinental railroad. He very well fought unsuccessfully for Omaha's selection as the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific Railroad (an honor given to Council Bluffs, Iowa). A high ranking railroad official touring early Omaha had been beaten and robbed and the city was considered to be too wild and corrupt for such a venture . ^{[citation needed]}

During the Civil War, the Creighton brothers were staunch abolitionists and vocally pro-Union. They raised volunteer regiments in Nebraska, Iowa, and Ohio to fight for the Union. John Creighton worked in the quartermaster corp and was responsible for stringing telegraph lines between the War office and the mobile fronts. Edward Creighton had been told to stay out of southeast Nebraska and northwest Missouri due to threats made against him by Confederate sympathizers who controlled these areas. ^{[citation needed]}

After the armistice, The Creightons bought up parcels of land along the railroad route and opened cattle ranches. They began to ship their cattle to Omaha and markets in Kansas. John Creighton opened the first packing plant on land he owned in South Omaha which became the nucleus for the city's huge food processing industry. They encouraged Irish and German immigrants to settle along the route by building Catholic and Lutheran churches along the right of way and seeing to it that local Indian tribes were placated. All their business ventures thrived and the brothers amassed a considerable fortune. ^{[citation needed]}

For his church building and other services, John Creighton was made a Papal Count, and given a titled estate on Vatican held lands outside Naples. ^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

The community of Benson, Nebraska had its beginning in 1887 when Erastus Benson purchased farm land from Edward Creighton. Both Creighton brothers contributed heavily to social and educational causes in the Omaha area. Edward Creighton provided the funds for an order of hospital nuns to come to Omaha in the 1860s, and a second order shortly thereafter. St. Catherine's and St. Joseph's hospitals were built and staffed as a result of their support. John Creighton also contributed heavily to the construction of a Methodist hospital.

St. Joseph's entered into a working relationship with the burgeoning railroads in the area and at one time was the largest hospital west of Chicago. After Edward's death, his widow oversaw a further expansion and the hospital was officially renamed as the Creighton Brothers St. Joseph's hospital. It was the prime teaching hospital for the city based medical school which was incorporated into Creighton University in the 1890s. The present day route of Interstate 80 runs along the course taken by Edward Creighton's telegraph line. ^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Creighton College, known today as Creighton University.

The Edward Creighton Institute was built in 1905 at 210 South 18th Street in downtown Omaha. It served as the home of Creighton University's law and dental schools from 1905 to 1921, when an expanding enrollment forced both schools to move to other, larger buildings. The Institute building is now known as the Arthur Building. ^{[citation needed]}

Edward Creighton Avenue lies on the south side of Hanscom Park in Omaha.

John A. Creighton Boulevard, North Omaha, Nebraska.

External links

v t e North Omaha, Nebraska

History	Timeline Racial tension Civil rights movement

Neighborhoods	Squatter's Row Gophertown Benson Dundee Bemis Park Gifford Park Gold Coast Kountze Place Miller Park Walnut Hill Orchard Hill Florence East Omaha Saratoga Scriptown Casey's Row Near North Side

Events	Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition 1960s/70s riots Rice/Poindexter Case

Landmarks	Kountze Park Omaha Driving Park Omaha University Redick Mansion Logan Fontenelle Housing Project Dreamland Ballroom Fort Lisa Cutler's Park Winter Quarters Prospect Hill Cemetery Fort Omaha General Crook House Storz Brewery Bank of Florence The Sherman Broomfield Rowhouse Carter Lake Minne Lusa Theater

People	List of people from North Omaha German Irish Jewish African American

Culture	Fair Deal Cafe Carver Savings and Loan Association Dreamland Ballroom Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame Native Omaha Days Omaha Blues, Jazz & Gospel Festival Florence Days Stone Soul Picnic

Schools	Howard Kennedy School Lake School Kellom School Lothrop School Long School Tech High North High Central High School Florence Elementary School Central Park Elementary School Druid Hill Elementary School Fontenelle Elementary School Franklin Elementary School Hartman Elementary School Kellom Elementary School Lothrop Magnet Center Miller Park Elementary School Minne Lusa Elementary School Sherman Elementary School Skinner Magnet Center Walnut Hill Elementary School

Churches	Calvin Memorial Presbyterian Church Holy Family Catholic Church Pearl Memorial United Methodist Church Sacred Heart Catholic Church Salem Baptist Church St. Cecilia Cathedral St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion Baptist Church

Transportation	North Freeway/US 75 Eppley Airfield North Omaha Airport Metro Area Transit Florence Depot Mormon Bridge Fort Maple Blondo Dodge North 24th North 30th Street Saddle Creek Road Florence Boulevard Fontenelle Boulevard John A. Creighton Boulevard Lincoln Boulevard Sorenson Parkway

Other	List of African American historic places

v t e Creighton University

Colleges	Business Administration Dentistry Law Medicine

Athletics	Men's basketball seasons Women's basketball Football Men's soccer

People	Edward Creighton John A. Creighton Mary Lucretia Creighton List of Creighton University alumni

Places	CenturyLink Center Omaha Creighton Stadium Creighton University Medical Center D. J. Sokol Arena Morrison Stadium

Persondata
Name	Creighton, Edward
Alternative names
Short description	American businessman and philanthropist
Date of birth	August 31, 1820
Place of birth	Belmont County, Ohio, U.S.
Date of death	November 5, 1874
Place of death

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.