John Dawson Gilmary Shea (July 22, 1824 – February 22, 1892) was a writer, editor, and

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...

of American history in general and American

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

history specifically. He was also a leading authority on aboriginal

native Americans in the United States Native Americans, also known as American Indians, First Americans, Indigenous Americans, and other terms, are the Indigenous peoples of the mainland United States ( Indigenous peoples of Hawaii, Alaska and territories of the United State ...

. He is regarded as the "Father of American Catholic History".

Biography

John Dawson Shea was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

to James Shea, an Irish immigrant and school principal, and Mary Ann (Flannigan) Shea. His early studies were at the grammar school of Columbia College, where his father was principal. At an early age he became a clerk in a Spanish merchant's office, where he learned to read and write Spanish fluently. Shea graduated from St. John's College (now Fordham University), and entered the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

in 1844;"John Gilmary Shea", Hall of Honor, Fordham University
/ref> during this time he added his middle name of Gilmary ("servant of Mary"). He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1846, and obtained the degree of

LL.D. Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...

from St. John's College. In 1852, he left the Jesuits. His comprehensive study of early Indian missions in America, the ''Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley with the original narratives of Marquette, Allouez, Membré, Hennepin and Anastase Douay'', was published later that year. In 1854 he married Sophie Savage. Shea turned his attention to literature, and was connected in an editorial capacity with

Frank Leslie Frank Leslie (March 29, 1821 – January 10, 1880) was an English-born American engraver, illustrator, and publisher of family periodicals. Biography English origins Leslie was born on March 29, 1821, in Ipswich, England as Henry Carter, the ...

's publishing house, and later edited the ''Catholic News'', but for many years his attention was given to historical research in preparation of his ''History of the Catholic Church in the United States'' (1886–92), the fourth volume of which was in process of publication at the time of his death in Elizabeth, New Jersey. A major research interest was French colonization and Jesuit missions in America. He edited the ''Historical Magazine'' from 1859 until 1865. In 1889 he became an editor of the ''Catholic News'' which supported him until his death. Shea was connected with many historical societies in America and Europe, and was the first president of the Catholic Historical Society of the United States. He was the first person to be awarded the

Laetare Medal The Laetare Medal is an annual award given by the University of Notre Dame in recognition of outstanding service to the Catholic Church and society. The award is given to an American Catholic or group of Catholics "whose genius has ennobled the a ...

by the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...

in 1883.Hope, Arthur J., 1943, ''Notre Dame — 100 Years''
Chapter XVI
University of Notre Dame Press.

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in recognition of his work as a Catholic historian. ''The John Gilmary Shea Papers'', a collection of correspondence, manuscripts, and research materials, are preserved in the Georgetown University Library (Special Collections Division). John Gilmary Shea died at his home in Elizabeth, New Jersey on February 22, 1892. In 1945 the John Gilmary Shea Prize was established by the

American Catholic Historical Association The American Catholic Historical Association (ACHA) was founded by Peter Guilday in Cleveland, Ohio, in December 1919 as a national society to bring together scholars interested in the history of the Roman Catholic Church or in Catholic aspects o ...

for the most original and distinguished contribution to the knowledge of the history of the Roman Catholic Church. Shea was inducted into the Fordham University Hall of Honor in 2008.

Works

Shea was author, editor or translator of more than 240 publications.

Authored

* ''Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley with the original narratives of Marquette, Allouez, Membré, Hennepin and Anastase Douay'' (New York, 1852
read online
* ''History of the Catholic Missions among the Indian Tribes of the United States, 1529–1854'' (1854; German translation, Würzburg, 1856
read online
* ''Perils of the Ocean and Wilderness, or, Narratives of Shipwreck and Indian Captivity : gleaned from early missionary annals'' (1856
read online
* ''A Bibliographical Account of American Catholic Bibles, Testaments, and Other Portions of Scripture'' (New York, 1859
read online
* ''A French-Onondaga Dictionary from a manuscript of the seventeenth century'' (1860
read online
* ''The Fallen Brave: A Biographical Memorial of The American Officers Who Have Given Their Lives for the Preservation of the Union'' (New York: Charles B. Richrdson, 1861
read online
* ''Early Voyages Up and Down the Mississippi by Cavelier, St. Cosme, Le Sueur, Gravier, and Guignas '' (Albany, 1861
read online
* ''The Operations of the French Fleet under the Count de Grasse in 1781–2 : as described in two contemporaneous journals'' (1864
read online
* ''The Lincoln Memorial'' (1865
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* ''The Commodities of the called Manati ore Long Ile which is in the continent of Virginia'' (1865
read online
* ''A Child's History of the United States'' (1872
read online
* ''The Life of Pope Pius IX and the Great Events in the History of the Church during his Pontificate'' (New York, 1875
read online
* ''Address Delivered before the Missouri Historical Society, July 19, 1878 : The Anniversary of the Discovery of the Mississippi by Marquette and Joliet'' (New York: H.J. Hewitt, 1878
read online
* ''The Bursting of Pierre Margry's La Salle Bubble : To refute Margry's claim that La Salle was the first French discoverer of the Mississippi, by critical examination of certain documents printed in "Découvertes et établissements des Français."'' (New York, 1879
read online
* ''Bibliography of Hennepin's Works'' (New York, 1880
read online
* ''The Expedition of Don Diégo Dionisio de Peñalosa, Governor of New Mexico, from Santa Fe to the river Mischipi and Quivira in 1662'' (1882
read online
* ''The Catholic Church in Colonial Days : The Thirteen Colonies - the Ottawa and Illinois country - Louisiana-Florida-Texas-New Mexico and Arizona, 1521–1763'' (1886
read online
* ''The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the United States : embracing sketches of all the archbishops and bishops from the establishment of the See of Baltimore to the present time : also, an account of the plenary councils of Baltimore, and brief history of the church in the United States'' (1886
read online
* ''Life and Times of the Most Rev. John Carroll, bishop and first archbishop of Baltimore : embracing the history of the Catholic Church in the United States, 1763–1815 '' (1888
read online
* ''History of the Catholic Church in the United States'' (4 vols., 1886–1892
read online
* ''The Defenders of Our Faith : their devotion to the church, biographies and portraits of our cardinals, archbishops, and bishops, setting forth their zeal and labor in the development of faith and morals, including an explanation of the doctrines of the church, a full account of the Plenary Council of Baltimore, the church in its history, teachings, trials and triumphs in America, profusely illustrated'' (New York, 1892
read online
* ''The cross and the flag, our church and country; heroic deeds ...'' (w/ Cardinal

James Gibbons James Cardinal Gibbons (July 23, 1834 – March 24, 1921) was a senior-ranking American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as Apostolic Vicar of North Carolina from 1868 to 1872, Bishop of Richmond from 1872 to 1877, and as ninth ...

et al.) (1899
read online
* ''Caughnawaga and the Rev. Joseph Marcoux, its late missionary'' (New York, 18??
read online

Edited

* Cramoisy series of narratives and documents bearing on the early history of the French-American colonies (26 vols., 1857–1868) * ''Washington's Private Diary'' (1861) * Cadwallader Colden, ''History of the Five Indian Nations'', edition of 1727 (1866) * George Alsop (b. 1638), ''A Character of the Province of Maryland : described in four distinct parts ; also a small treatise on the wild and naked Indians (or Susquehanokes) of Maryland ... together with a collection of historical letters'' (New York, 1869
read online
* ''Dictionnaire françois-onontagué / édité d'après un manuscit du 17e siècle par Jean-Marie Shea'
read online
* ''Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints : with reflections for every day in the year : compiled from "Butler's Lives" and other approved sources : to which are added lives of the American saints : placed on the calendar for the United States by special petition of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore'' (New York, 1894)
read online

Translated

* L. C. Businger (1832–1910) ''Christ in His Church : a Catholic Church history from the original of Rev. L. C. Businger / by Richard Brennan, together with a sketch of the church in America'' (New York, 1881
read online
* Pierre-Francois-Xavier de Charlevoix (1682–1761), ''History and General Description of New France'' (6 vols., 1866–1872
read online
* Henry de Courcy, ''Catholic Church in the United States'' (1856
read online
*

Felipe Arroyo de la Cuesta Felipe Arroyo de la Cuesta (1780–1842) was a Spanish Franciscan missionary and linguist notable for his work on native languages. Arroyo de la Cuesta was born in Cubo de Bureba, Burgos, Spain in 1780. He arrived in the Spanish territory of A ...

(d. 1842), ''A vocabulary or phrase book of the Mutsun language of Alta California'
read online
*

Nicholas de Freytas Nicholas is a male given name and a surname. The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the name and its ...

, ''The Expedition of Don Diego Dionisio de Penalosa in 1662'' (New York, 1882
read online
* Father

Louis Hennepin Father Louis Hennepin, O.F.M. baptized Antoine, (; 12 May 1626 – 5 December 1704) was a Belgian Roman Catholic priest and missionary of the Franciscan Recollet order (French: ''Récollets'') and an explorer of the interior of North Amer ...

, ''A Description of Louisiana, by Father Louis Hennepin, Recollect missionary. Tr. from the edition of 1683, and compared with the Nouvelle découverte, the La Salle documents and other contemporaneous papers'' (1880
read online
*

Isaac Jogues Isaac Jogues, S.J. (10 January 1607 – 18 October 1646) was a French missionary and martyr who traveled and worked among the Iroquois, Huron, and other Native populations in North America. He was the first European to name Lake George, call ...

, ''Novum Belgium, An Account of the New Netherlands in 1643-4'' (New York, 1862
read online
* Father

Christian Le Clercq Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρισ ...

, ''First Establishment of the Faith in New France, by Father Christian Le Clercq, Recollect missionary'' (New York, 1881
read online
*Marie de Agustin de Tranchepain (d. 1733), ''Account of the Voyage of the Ursulines to New Orleans in 1727'' (New York, 1859)
read online
Shea published a series of grammars and dictionaries of the Indian languages (15 vols., 1860–1874), and revised Challoner's original Bible of 1750 (1871).

Notes

References

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External links

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Finding aid for John Gilmary Shea papers from University of Dayton
The University of Dayton's Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) is the world's largest repository of books, artwork and artifacts devoted to Mary, the mother of Christ, and a pontifical center of research and scholarship with a vast presence in cyberspace. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shea, John Gilmary 19th-century American historians 19th-century American male writers 1824 births 1892 deaths American historians of religion Fordham University alumni Laetare Medal recipients 19th-century American Jesuits Former Jesuits American male non-fiction writers