Classroom

St. Philip Neri Church was built in Ellicottville in 1851.  Around this time Nicholas Devereux conceived the idea, with Bishop Timon’s support and approval, of bringing a Franciscan presence into the area to help alleviate the lack of priests. Father Pamphilus da Magliano, a young Italian priest, lector in the Irish College of St. Isidore in Rome , was appointed Superior of the Custody. Fr. Pamphilus’ interest in missions in America was longstanding, so he was a natural choice. With Rev. Sixtus a Gagliano, Rev. Samuel a Prezza and Salvatore a Genoa, he received the blessing of Pope Pius IX for their mission on May 5, 1855 and arrived in New York City on June 20.  Met by Nicholas Devereux, they immediately left to begin their work in Ellicottville and the surrounding communities.

By 1835 Nicholas Devereux had moved to Utica and acquired sufficient wealth to buy a section of the Holland Land Company’s property which included the Ellicottville and Allegany area. In 1848 Nicholas and Mary Devereux worked with John C. Devereux, their son, Bishop Timon and other members of the Ellicottville community to establish a missionary and benevolent society, which was devoted to supporting the growth of the Catholic Church.

Ellicottville

Devereux Hall is the main dormitory on St. Bonaventure University’s beautiful campus. It is named after Nicholas Devereux, who contributed 200 acres of land to help bring Franciscan missionaries to the underprivileged area surrounding the university. This, along with the Franciscan influence greatly inspired the construction of Devereux Hall in 1927. The building was designed by Oakley and Schlamo who built the building with “The most enduring of materials.” This massive dormitory can house over 500 students when it is utilized to its maximum capacity. The building is designed to look like a 16th century Spanish Monastery in a style known as Italian Transitional Style. This design was chosen on purpose as an attempt to emulate the era when the Franciscans were best known for their missionary work throughout the New World.The exterior of Devereux Hall is adorned with beautiful ivy plants and numerous plaques that reflect the values of St. Bonaventure University. Some of these plaques include plaques for Mathematics, Music, Grammar, Ben Franklin, Cardinal Gibbons, Olean, Ellicottville, and New York State. These plaques all reflect an individual element that is crucial to the make up and beliefs of the University. Devereux Hall has remained the heart of student residential life since its construction in the 1920s. The building has been home to many controversies that helped the university evolve and grow with the time, such as becoming a co-ed dorm and the rumors of an exorcist in the building. Devereux Hall is icon of St. Bonaventure University and the University would not be the same without it.Over the years, Devereux Hall has evolved and changed as needed. Devereux Hall has always functioned as a dormitory for a large portion of the St. Bonaventure University student population, but it has also had a few other roles. Originally, Devereux Hall housed a small chapel. This chapel made Devereux Hall the spiritual heart of campus as it allowed students a place to reflect. Now, the former chapel is the Garret Theater. The Garret Theater houses many productions of the performing arts on campus. The interior of Dev when it was first built was quite different than what it is today. The original color scheme was brown and white, St. Bonaventure's school colors (Cummings). Two parlors were placed in what would be the west wing corner to greet family, friends, and other visitors. Each floor had a suite of rooms to be used for prefects' offices and living rooms and the east wing contained an infirmary ("St. Bonas"). On the second, third, and fourth floors, the students could live in either single or double rooms (Callahan 451). Each room came with a large mahogany desk and dresser (Cummings). From the 1930s to the 1950s, the infamous fifth floor housed the football team.     After the friars moved into the new Friary (now Doyle Hall) in 1961, the east and west wing lounges alternated as recreation and storage areas. There were a few attempts to convert the fifth floor into a lounge after the football team moved out, but to no avail. The roof leaked, the students complained it was too far away, and the bad omens associated with the fifth floordiscouraged some students.

Devereux Hall was named after Nicholas Devereux, who along with Bishop Timon of Buffalo, set out to bring Franciscan missionaries to the Southern Tier Region of Western New York. Devereux donated 200 acres of land that helped to lay the seeds of the future St. Bonaventure University. Devereux Hall was built in 1927 and was a testament to the ever-expanding St. Bonaventure University. The primary purpose of Devereux Hall is as a dormitory, but it also houses a theater. Devereux Hall used to house a small chapel. Devereux Hall is located at the center of the campus, but it is also the heart of the St. Bonaventure campus.

Devereux Hall

Inside the new Devereux brothers business building they put a heavy iron strong box. Fear of fire, and the new threat of crime brought on by soldiers and contractors moving through the area due to the War of 1812, convinced some Uticans they needed a safe place to store their excess cash.They began to store money for the citizens of Utica in their strongbox. Some of them even trusted the Devereux brothers enough to let them invest their funds. Though no formal charter had been issued one of the first savings institutions in the country had been opened. Most historians claim the first was "The Philadelphia Savings Fund Society" in 1818, however the Devereux brothers opened without a charter in 1816.In 1818 there was so much money in the box that John and Nicholas applied for a charter, which was granted in 1821.On April 26, 1839 a second formal charter was granted and the Savings Bank of Utica opened its doors for the first time as an "official" banking institution. John C. Devereux was the first president and Nicholas served on the board of directors.

When Nicholas Devereux returned from Ireland in late 1813 following the death of his mother, he went back to work for his brother John's merchant store in the village of Utica New York. Nicholas became so involved working for his brother that in 1814 the firm became known as "John C. and Nicholas Devereux."

SBU Bank 

In 1798, an underground republican group known as the Society of United Irishmen instigated a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. Ireland remained a separate kingdom with its own parliament in Dublin. However, in reality, it was firmly under British control.To maintain Protestant power, Catholics were denied many rights. They couldn't vote, hold political office, join the Army, or purchase and inherit land. Across Ireland, there was also a deep-seated resentment felt by the Catholic peasantry at the brutal exploitation they often experienced at the hands of their Protestant landlords. People wanted equal rights and complete independence from England. These ideas of rebellion came from American Independence and the French Revolution. In October 1791, the Society of United Irishmen was founded by Theobald Wolfe Tone and a group of like-minded associates. With branches established in Belfast and Dublin, they set out to follow a path of peaceful reform towards a more independent and democratic Ireland.It was only in County Wexford that the rebellion managed to gain momentum. Incensed by stories of government brutality, and invigorated by a victory over the hated North Cork Militia at Oulart on 27 May, the rebels succeeded in capturing Enniscorthy and Wexford town.

Nicholas Devereux was a descendent of a wealthy Irish family from County Wexford in Ireland. He was born on the family estate, which was called "The Leap." Nicholas's older brother, John, emigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, N.Y, in 1806, Nicholas followed. In 1798 a rebellion broke out which was one of the causes for Nicholas to leave and head to U.S.

Nicholas Devereux Tour

Ellicottville

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources