William Hannon
Encyclopedia
William Hannon was a Catholic
priest from the United States
who served as the 4th president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa
from 1915-1926.
Hannon was born March 21, 1879 in Holbrook, Iowa. He graduated from St. Ambrose College in 1901 and studied for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary near St. Louis, Missouri
. He was ordained a priest in St. Louis in June 1903.
He was assigned to the faculty of St. Ambrose and taught English
and history
at the school from 1904 until 1912. He was named vice president, a position in which he served until 1915 when he took over the presidency. Hannon led the first endowment drive which raised $600,000 and oversaw the construction of the first gym
nasium. Construction of Davis Hall was also begun when Hannon was president. Up to this time Ambrose Hall
was the only building at St. Ambrose. He also updated the faculty and the curriculum. Each year he sent one or two of the priests on the faculty to a university to earn graduate degrees. He also increased the faculty’s salaries to make the positions more attractive. The president’s salary was raised to $1,000 a year, and the priests on the faculty were paid $300 a year and after 15 years they were paid $800 a year.
After his term as president ended in 1926 Hannon was named the pastor
of St. Mathias Church in Muscatine, Iowa
. In 1935 Pope Pius XI named him a Domestic Prelate upon the nomination of Bishop Henry Rohlman
. Msgr. Hannon served as chairman of the diocesan building commission under Bishop Ralph Hayes
. He died in 1950 at the age of 71.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who served as the 4th president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
from 1915-1926.
Hannon was born March 21, 1879 in Holbrook, Iowa. He graduated from St. Ambrose College in 1901 and studied for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary near St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He was ordained a priest in St. Louis in June 1903.
He was assigned to the faculty of St. Ambrose and taught English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
at the school from 1904 until 1912. He was named vice president, a position in which he served until 1915 when he took over the presidency. Hannon led the first endowment drive which raised $600,000 and oversaw the construction of the first gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasium. Construction of Davis Hall was also begun when Hannon was president. Up to this time Ambrose Hall
Ambrose Hall (Davenport, Iowa)
Ambrose Hall, located in Davenport, Iowa, is the first building built on the campus of Saint Ambrose University. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
was the only building at St. Ambrose. He also updated the faculty and the curriculum. Each year he sent one or two of the priests on the faculty to a university to earn graduate degrees. He also increased the faculty’s salaries to make the positions more attractive. The president’s salary was raised to $1,000 a year, and the priests on the faculty were paid $300 a year and after 15 years they were paid $800 a year.
After his term as president ended in 1926 Hannon was named the pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Mathias Church in Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
. In 1935 Pope Pius XI named him a Domestic Prelate upon the nomination of Bishop Henry Rohlman
Henry Rohlman
Henry Patrick Rohlman was a 20th century bishop in the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Davenport from 1927–1944 and as coadjutor archbishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque from 1944-1954.-Early Life & Ministry:Rohlman was born in...
. Msgr. Hannon served as chairman of the diocesan building commission under Bishop Ralph Hayes
Ralph Leo Hayes
Ralph Leo Hayes was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Helena in the state of Montana from 1933–1935, and as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1944-1966...
. He died in 1950 at the age of 71.