History of Marion County Kentucky United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Marion County Kentucky, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Biographies:

William Byrne Biographical Sketch

William Byrne, educator, was born in Wicklow, Ireland, in 1780; of humble, hard-working parents, who were not able to encourage the ambition of the boy to become a priest, and he worked for the support of his brothers ' and sisters until he was twenty-five years old. In 1805 he emigrated to America and proceeded at once to seek admission to Georgetown college, D.C. He was refused matriculation on account of his deficient preparation, but nothing daunted he applied to Mount St. Mary's, Emmittsburg, Md., and was given admission, and when thirty years old began his Latin grammar. His progress was rapid and in a few years he took his theological course at St. Mary's seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained a priest in 1819, and in 1821 located in Marion county, Ky., where he built St. Mary's college on Mount Mary farm. In 1831 after it had, under his direction, become one of the most flourishing Catholic schools in the state, he turned it over to the Jesuits, and he remained one year as its president, that no sudden transition in its government should work harm to its future welfare. On relinquishing his office he ministered in the neighborhood among the negroes, and while so engaged contracted cholera, from which he died in 1833.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Marion County Kentucky

Biographies:

Local History and Genealogy Links: