John Flannagan (priest)

John Thomas Aloysius Flannagan (1860–1926) was 19th and 20th century Catholic priest who served as the second president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa from 1891 to 1906.

Biography

Flannagan was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Davenport by Bishop Henry Cosgrove in Iowa City in 1885.^[1] After ordination he was assigned to the cathedral and then became the second priest on the St. Ambrose faculty during the Rev. A.J. Schulte's duration as president. He eventually became vice president and master of discipline.

Flannagan became president of the college in 1891. While he was president of St. Ambrose his own sister, Sr. Mary Editha Flannagan, BVM, ran Immaculate Conception Academy for girls, also in Davenport. The two worked together on many events between the two schools. Flannagan promoted the boy's choir and Latin on campus.^[2] Monastic-style rules were to be observed by the students. Silence was to be maintained, except at recreation, and religion, politics and nationality were forbidden topics of conversation,^[3] Additions were made to Ambrose Hall in 1893 (east wing) and 1901 (west wing). A baseball field was constructed on campus, and football was played even though it was not considered gentlemanly.^[4] Room and board for a five month term was $95 plus $5 for physicians care for the school year.^[4] By the end of his presidency, the school’s name was officially changed from St. Ambrose Seminary to St. Ambrose College. Enrollment in the school rose slowly, but steadily, to 126 students.^[4]

Flannagan went to Sacred Heart Cathedral parish as rector after his term as president in 1906. The following year he was named vicar general of the diocese. He died in Davenport on January 26, 1926.

References

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport Bishops John McMullen Henry Cosgrove James J. Davis Henry P. Rohlman Ralph L. Hayes Gerald F. O’Keefe William E. Franklin Martin J. Amos Parishes Sacred Heart Cathedral All Saints, Keokuk Holy Family, Fort Madison St. Anthony’s, Davenport Saints John and Paul, Burlington St. Mary’s, Davenport St. Mary’s, Iowa City St. Mary of the Visitation, Ottumwa St. Mary's, Riverside St. Patrick's, Georgetown St. Patrick's, Iowa City Schools St. Ambrose University Assumption High School, Davenport Holy Trinity High School, Fort Madison Notre Dame High School, Burlington Prince of Peace Preparatory, Clinton Regina High School, Iowa City Priests William Lawrence Adrian John George Alleman Ambrose Burke Edward Catich William J. Collins Martin Cone Maurice John Dingman John Flannagan Robert Dwayne Gruss William Hannon Ulrich Hauber Cletus Madsen Carl Meinberg Sebastian Menke Marvin Mottet J.A.M. Pelamourgues Aloysius Schulte William Shannahan Lawrence Donald Soens Former Parishes St. Boniface, Clinton St. Irenaeus, Clinton St. Joseph's, Davenport St. Joseph's, Bauer St. Michael's, Holbrook Saints Peter and Paul, Clear Creek Saints Peter and Paul, Solon Other Ambrose Hall Henry Kahl House Immaculate Conception Academy, Davenport Antoine LeClaire House F.H. Miller House Regina Coeli Monastery Marycrest College Historic District Mercy Hospital, Iowa, City Mount Calvary Cemetery, Davenport St. Mary’s Academy Old St. Mary's Rectory, Iowa City Pacem in Terris Award Catholicism Portal