The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-02-16
PIONEER OF THE WEST.

! Jonn A. creighton, who died in Oma-
! ha last week. was born in DAYTON
! Ohio, but all his interests We're identi-
| fled with the west since early in life
For forty years he had been a resident
of Omaha. and his home in that CITY
was always open to his friends and ac-
quaintances from the west. He was
worth al least S12.000.000. He made his
money in the early days and invested
IL IN real estate in Omaha and enter
prlseS i'll the west. He had large in
teIests in Helena and in Butte. Mr..
Creighton gave his money with a Law
ISL hand 10 cRjS;table and church in
stitutiOns and isgorlaha "a magnificent
hospital, college, convent. church and
law school stand as monument to
his generosity in this direction. The
late Pope Leo created Mr. Creighton a
count of the papel court as a mark of
appreciation Of the princely gifts to
the church.
MI Creighton. with his brother Ed
ward. carried on an extensive freight
ing business in the west III the early
days, and established a store in Viz
Sinia City, Mont, where they carried
ON business for mary years. With his
brother he had the contract to erect
the poles of the Western Union Tele-
graph company through Montana to
with the late p. 4. Largely in the cattle
business in Montana and in Nebraska.
When TIE late Mr.. Largey established
the State Savings bank in Butte. Mr.
Creighton became a stakeholder and
for many years continued to be one of
the largest owners of that institution.
as well as one of it's directors. He was
president of the bank until about a
year ago. 1t was also through Mr.
Largely that Mr. Creighton became
heavily interested IL the Spectator
mine, of which he was president. and
when it was sold to the North Butte
company he received 100000 as his
share of the proceeds.
Mrs. Creighton died about twenty
years ago. There were no children. He
leaves two sisters, one of within is Mrs
McGinn. mother of F. c.. McGinn, who
married Miss Lulu L. Largely His
brother. Edward. died several years
ago. John D. Creighton. of Omaha. is
a cousin of the deceased.
Among the buildings erected in Oma-
ha by Mr.. Creighton is ST Joseph's |
hospital one of the finest and besf |
equipped institutions of the kind in |
the west. When Mrs. Creighton died |
she left $4,000 to that institution. and |
Mr.. Creighton doubled the amount anu |
handed the entire sum over to the sis
.erS as a general maintenance fund 4 |
gentleman we'll acquainted with Mr.. |
Creighton and who visited him in Onla-
IA. speaking of the hospital and Mr. |
Creighton's interest in it, says:
MI creighton took a deep interest
IN everything he helped to create. but
his hospital seemed to be the nearest
% his heart. Every Sunday at 2
clock. rain or shine. Mr.. Creighton
in u ic f.a,, ri Cra 10 ha
md distributed flowers in the rooms of
he Very sick. little luxuries To the
women ana tobacco and pipes to the
men. The visits of Mr.. Creighton were
ooked for by the patients with as
much pleasure as The meals. and he
never disappointed them As he would
personally bestow his favors on the
lifferent patients he would accompany
hem with a pleasant word and .
smile -
The Edward Creighton college was
by Mr.. Creighton in mem
Try of his brother and after furnishing
{ throughout he heavily endowed it.
lie also had constructed and furnished
It. Johns church. and Poor Claire con-
-ent and the Creighton law school.
Two years ago Mr.. Creighton gave to
he Edward Creighton college the deeds
o half a block of the best business dis L
riot in Omaha. which brings in a large
evenue aud will be sufficient to main
ain the institution for all time.
During the funeral held last Satur-
ay in Omaha the banks were closed
nj for five minutes all street cars and
very piece of machinery in the city
hut down.
Many Catholic bishops and priests ]
rom surrounding states attended the {
uneral. Every student Of Creighton !
University end the various Creighton
achnical schools attended in BODY. {
Two hours before the time for the {
lneral ST Johns church was filled {
nd the street for block in each di- '
9ction was impossible. Around the $
asidence for two blocks in all direc- q
ons the streets were crowded. !