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James A. Donnellon, O.S.A. records, 1955-1959

Notifications

Held at: Villanova University Archives [Contact Us]Falvey Library, 800 E Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Villanova University Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Father James Donnellon was born in Niagara Falls, New York, in 1906, and was raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He graduated from Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, in 1924 and from Villanova College in 1930. He pursued his theological training in Washington, D.C. at Augustinian College, and the Catholic University, and was ordained a priest in June 1932.

Father Donnellon received an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1936 and 1938, respectively. He also did graduate studies at Harvard Medical School and at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Father Donnellon taught Biology at Villanova College, where he was also chairman of the department at Fordham University. In 1954 he was named President of Villanova College. In June 1959 he was elected Provincial of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova and served in that capacity until 1965. He was then appointed Prior of the Augustinian Monastery at Villanova.

Father held many professional memberships, as a member of the advisory Panel of the Joint State [of Pennsylvania] Government Commission of the New York Academy of Sciences, and of the International Biometero Logical Study Logical Study Commission. He received honorary doctorates from La Salle College, Philadelphia; Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts; and Saint Joseph's College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Father Donnellon died on 11 April 1971 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

Works consulted:

*Necrology of the Augustinian Provinces of the United States of America revised, May 2000)

The James A. Donnellon records consist of administrative, correspondence, minutes, printed material and reports from Donnellon's tenure as President of Villanova College.

Publisher
Villanova University Archives
Finding Aid Author
Rev. Dennis J. Gallagher, OSA, Beaudry Allen, Gerald Dierkes
Finding Aid Date
April 2020
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact Distinctive Collections staff.

Collection Inventory

Resident Students, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 1

Correspondence, 1957.
Box 1 Folder 2
Correspondence, 1958.
Box 1 Folder 3
Correspondence, 1959.
Box 1 Folder 4
Division of Nursing, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 5
Eastern College Athletic Conference, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 6
Ford Foundation, 1955-1958.
Box 1 Folder 7
Power Plant (Complaints), 1955.
Box 1 Folder 8

Estates, Eugene L. Garey, 1953-1955.
Box 1 Folder 9

Board of Trustees agenda, 1957.
Box 1 Folder 10

Newspaper clippings, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 11

Addresses, 1957-1959.
Box 1 Folder 12

Invitation, 1958-1959.
Box 1 Folder 13

Division of Nursing, accreditation , 1957.
Box 1 Folder 14
Joint State Government Commission Advisory Panel, 1958.
Box 1 Folder 15
Law School, heating system proposal, 1955.
Box 1 Folder 16

Print, Suggest