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Nicholas Devereux (June 7, 1791 – December 29, 1855) was an Irish-American financier and banker, and one of the major early landowners in western New York state. "Nicholas Devereux was very charitable and hospitable — a cultured, pious, progressive Irish-American. He was proud of his nationality and of his faith, and this pride was expressed in action whenever and wherever the opportunity arose." Devereux founded St. Bonaventure University.


Background

Nicholas Devereux was born June 7, 1791, the son of Thomas and Catherine (Corish) Devereux, of County Wexford, Ireland. They had six sons and three daughters. Originally of Norman French extraction, they were wealthy and well connected, and lived at ease on their handsome estate, "The Leap", at Davidstown, near
Enniscorthy Enniscorthy () is the second-largest town in County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. At the 2016 census, the population of the town and environs was 11,381. The town is located on the picturesque River Slaney and in close proximity to the ...
. They sympathized warmly with and took an aggressive part in the agitations preceding the
Irish Rebellion of 1798 The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a republican revolutionary group influence ...
, and on the defeat of the patriots or rebels the family was ruined. Thomas Devereux was arrested and imprisoned and pardoned just before his death. A price was set upon the heads of three of his sons and his estates were confiscated. The eldest son, Walter, was a man of powerful frame, distinguished for his strength and courage. The second son was John Corish Devereux, who during the agitation preceding the rebellion was obliged to fly from the country; he went first to France and afterwards to America. Thomas married Mary Redmond and they had one son, John C. Jr., who was afterwards adopted by Thomas's brother, John C. Devereux, of Utica. The fourth son, James, was killed at the
Battle of Vinegar Hill The Battle of Vinegar Hill (''Irish'': ''Cath Chnoc Fhíodh na gCaor'') was a military engagement during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 on 21 June 1798 between a force of approximately 13,000 government troops under the command of Gerard Lake and ...
. The fifth son, Luke, came to America and died of yellow fever at Natchez, Mississippi in 1818. Nicholas was the sixth son.Wager, Daniel. ''Our County and Its People'', Part II: Biography. Boston: The Boston History Company, 1896
/ref> One of his sisters became the Superior of the Presentation convent in Enniscorthy. John Corish Devereux, Nicholas's older brother, came to America in 1796 or 1797 and settled in
Utica, New York Utica () is a Administrative divisions of New York, city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The List of cities in New York, tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 ...
in 1802. There he opened a dry goods and grocery store; the business prospered and became one of the most extensive in Western New York. A courtly and polished gentleman, John C. Devereux was most noted for his charity and hospitality. He was a devout Catholic, but contributed generously to many charities and denominations. He was the first mayor of Utica elected by the people, in 1840. Twice married, he had no children, and adopted his nephew, John C. Devereux Jr., son of his brother Thomas.


Life

In 1806, at the age of fifteen, Nicholas Devereux emigrated to join his brother John, who had previously settled in
Utica, New York Utica () is a Administrative divisions of New York, city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The List of cities in New York, tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 ...
. On the first Sunday following his arrival he attended Mass in St. Peter's, Barclay Street, and put on the plate one of his last three gold coins, Kernan, Thomas. "Nicholas Devereux." The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 16 (Index). New York: The Encyclopedia Press, 1914. 24 July 2019
The sexton thought it as an offering of thanks for his safe trip to America. He was employed as a clerk for his brother until going to work for William James and Company in
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...
. James had emigrated from
Bailieborough Bailieborough or Bailieboro (; ) is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. , its population was 2,683, up from 1,529 as of the 1996 census. Bailieborough's proximity to the N3 road (Ireland), N3 National Road has made it a commuter town. History P ...
, County Cavan, Ireland around 1789, and amassed a vast fortune from business dealings in upstate New York, primarily in Albany real estate, money lending, and his involvement with the building of the
Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...
. William James also owned a salt company, a tobacco factory and a Hudson River shipping operation. In 1814, Devereux returned to Utica and went into partnership with his brother in a firm that after his brother retired in 1816, became "Devereux & Co". The firm was one of the largest in Western New York. In 1821 Nicholas and his brother, John purchased the land above the canal between Genesee and Hotel streets, where they erected a large store and warehouse. Mr. Devereux was very successful as a merchant. In the fall of 1827 the firm was called on to pay $90,000 within ninety days. At that time he was living in a handsome place which he purchased from Jeremiah Van Rensselaer. Devereux divided the beautiful grounds into lots, intersecting them by streets, and sold them at a handsome profit. In 1835, he bought from the
Holland Land Company The Holland Land Company was an unincorporated syndicate of thirteen Dutch investors from Amsterdam who in 1792 and 1793 purchased the western two-thirds of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, an area that afterward was known as the Holland Purchase ...
over 400,000 acres in
Western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY in ...
of what remained of the
Holland Purchase The Phelps and Gorham Purchase was the purchase in 1788 of of land in what is now western New York State from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for $1,000,000 ( £300,000), to be paid in three annual installments, and the pre-emptive right to t ...
, including much of the territory of Cattaraugus, Allegany, and
Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
counties. He was mainly instrumental in procuring the establishment at Utica of the first branch of the United States Bank that was located west of Albany. His brother was appointed president of the Utica branch of the United States Bank and held the position as long as the bank existed. As the Devereux brothers were successful business, many people with relatively small savings would seek their advice regarding possible investments. By 1821 a custom had developed whereby they would leave money with the brothers for safekeeping. Even after both had retired from active business, they retained a bookkeeper at the Devereux office at 12 Bleecker Street, to keep track of accounts. In 1839, Nicholas decided it was time to form a corporation to carry on this work. They founded the Utica Savings Bank, for which they obtained a charter. John was elected president. At first the bank was operated from Nicholas Devereux's office, a vacant shop where the corporation secretary, Stalham Williams would receive deposits. Passbooks were kept on shelves behind the shop counter. On the wall was a gauge for measuring height for the purposes of identification, and a detailed physical description of each depositor was maintained in a memorandum book. In 1868, the bank moved to new quarters on the corner of Genesee and Fayette streets. Largely through his efforts the State Hospital was located in Utica and he was a member of the first board of managers. He was a director in the Utica Steam Woolen Mills and of the New York Life and Trust Company. In the interest of the New York Life and Trust Company he spent some time in Albany and while there took an active part in the organization of the Utica and Schenectady Railroad, of which he became a director. He owned at various times large quantities of real estate in Utica and Western New York and in the vicinity of Scranton, Pennsylvania. He held at one time title to over 50,000 acres of land in that State. As a financier and director, he was involved in the Utica Water Works, and also the Steam Woolen Mills of Utica. The mill, which employed about 100 people, manufactured
broadcloth Broadcloth is a dense, plain woven cloth, historically made of wool. The defining characteristic of broadcloth is not its finished width but the fact that it was woven much wider (typically 50 to 75% wider than its finished width) and then hea ...
. According to Francis Kernan, "Nicholas Devereux was very charitable and hospitable — a cultured, pious, progressive Irish-American. He was proud of his nationality and of his faith, and this pride was expressed in action whenever and wherever the opportunity arose." Nicholas Devereux died at Utica, New York, 29 Dec., 1855.


Family

Devereux became acquainted with the family of Dr.Benjamin Butler (a surgeon) on his business trips to New York. He married their daughter Mary Dolbear Butler on November 28, 1817. They had six children. His daughter Hannah married United States Senator
Francis Kernan Francis Kernan (January 14, 1816September 7, 1892) was an American lawyer and politician. A resident of New York, he was active in politics as a Democrat, and served in several elected offices, including member of the New York State Assembly, ...
; his daughter Mary became a
Sister of Mercy A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a family, familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to r ...
and laboured for thirty years in the convents in Houston and 81st streets, New York. His son, John C. Devereux, assisted in managing his father's extensive properties. In 1831, his family was subject to a dangerous case of influenza. While it appears that the members of the Devereux household survived, the attending physician, Dr. Alexander Coventry succumbed to the illness, leaving behind seven sons and four daughters.


Philanthropy

Devereux was an ardent Catholic, and a generous philanthropist. Nicholas Devereux was a lover of the Holy Scripture and read the entire Bible through seventeen times. To circulate the New Testament he had an edition of it printed at Utica at his own expense. The plates of this edition were afterwards purchased by Messrs. Sadlier, of New York, and about 40,000 copies printed. Devereux taught Sunday-school in St. John's Church, Utica, and gave a copy of the New Testament to any boy or girl who memorized the Gospel of St. John. In 1843, the Devereux brothers were among the founding trustees of St. John's Orphan Asylum, staffed by the Daughters of Charity from
Emmitsburg, Maryland Emmitsburg is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States, south of the Mason-Dixon line separating Maryland from Pennsylvania. Founded in 1785, Emmitsburg is the home of Mount St. Mary's University. The town has two Catholic pilgrima ...
. In 1854 he founded Assumption Academy and saw it staffed by the Christian Brothers, who later ran St. Vincent's orphanage. It became St. Vincent's Industrial School. A noted instance of his spontaneous generosity refers back to the early days of the Church in Connecticut. Happening to be at Hartford one Sunday in 1829, he learned that owing to the bigotry and
Know Nothing The Know Nothing party was a nativist political party and movement in the United States in the mid-1850s. The party was officially known as the "Native American Party" prior to 1855 and thereafter, it was simply known as the "American Party". ...
sentiment in the town, it was impossible for the parishioners to obtain a certain piece of property for their church, as they were too few and too poor to provide the ready cash demanded. Devereux, though a stranger, did not need to be appealed to, he immediately advanced the required sum of $10,000, without asking or receiving any assurance that the money would ever be returned to him, though the grateful pioneer Catholics did in fact repay him later. He founded St. Bonaventure University in
Allegany, New York Allegany is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 7,493 at the 2020 census. The Town of Allegany is on the south border of the county, west of the City of Olean. There is a village named Allegany inside th ...
on 200 acres of land that he had himself donated. With
John Timon John Timon, C.M. (February 12, 1797 – April 16, 1867) was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the bishop of the new Diocese of Buffalo in Western New York and founder of the brothers of the Holy Infancy religious order. B ...
, the
Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
of Buffalo, he was instrumental in inviting a group of
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related Mendicant orders, mendicant Christianity, Christian Catholic religious order, religious orders within the Catholic Church. Founded in 1209 by Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi, these orders include t ...
brothers from
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, to minister to the growing
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
population of Western New York and to teach at the new university. He visited Rome in 1854 accompanied by his wife, his daughter Mary, and Rev. Michael Clarke and brought returned with six Franciscan Fathers and gave them $5,000 towards building the friary."Our Province", The Order of Friars Minor, Province of the Immaculate Conception
/ref> The largest residence hall on the St. Bonaventure University campus is named Devereux Hall in his honor. On his return from Italy he wrote a letter to the New York "Freeman's Journal" offering to be one of one hundred persons who would each give $1,000 towards founding a seminary at Rome, for the education of American priests. He had, moreover, several conversations with
Cardinal Wiseman Nicholas Patrick Stephen Wiseman (3 August 1802 – 15 February 1865) was a Cardinal of the Catholic Church who became the first Archbishop of Westminster upon the re-establishment of the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales in 1850. Born ...
who promised to use his influence with
Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...
to carry out the project. After his death his widow carried out his wishes and thus was begun the foundation of the American College, Rome.


Books

* Lewis, Clifford; Kernan, John Devereux (1974)
Devereux of the Leap, County Wexford, Ireland and of Utica, New York: Nicholas Devereux, 1791-1855
Lewis.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Devereux, Nicholas University and college founders Irish emigrants to the United States (before 1923) Businesspeople from Utica, New York St. Bonaventure University 1791 births 1855 deaths Philanthropists from New York (state)