History of Alexandria, (Hanson County) South Dakota United States of America

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Francis Xavier Lawler, educator, was born in county Craven, Ireland, June 22, 1822. He was brought to America by his parents in 1824, and lived in Franklin county, N.Y. He was educated for the priesthood, and was ordained, Dec. 25, 1845, by dispensation from the pope, not having arrived at canonical age. He was vice-president and manager of St. Mary's college, Marion, Ky., 1847-51; president of the college, 1851-55; master of discipline, Notre Dame university, 1856-58; superior of St. Plus seminary, Ky., 1858; in charge of a church at Laporte, Ind., 1859-70; at Logansport, Ind., 1870-78; at Lawrence and other places in Kansas, 1878-81; in the vicarlate-apostolic of Dakota Territory, 1881-84, principally at Emmet, his first charge, and as superintendent of the Yankton Indian school. He was in charge of the church of Our Lady of Mercy, Alexandria, S.D., when he celebrated his golden jubilee, May 20, 1896, and at that time he was invested with the insignia of hisofficeofMonseigneur and domestic prelate to Pope Leo XIII. He was also vicar-general of the diocese of Sioux Falls established in 1889, and a rural dean of the diocese. He died at Alexandria, S.D., Sept. 1, 1900.

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

History of Alexandria, (Hanson County) South Dakota

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