Bygone DePaul is a series highlighting DePaul’s campus and how it has changed through the years.
DePaul second president, Fr. John Martin, had a brief but eventful tenure. His term began in January 1909 and lasted until June 1910. Martin was born in LaSalle, Illinois in 1877, and was ordained in 1900. He was only 32 when he began his presidency.
While President, Fr. Martin focused on managing the mounting debt brought on by a 1907 depression and the building of Byrne Hall, the College Theater and the Lyceum. He was instrumental in the development of the School of Engineering, a subject he held close to his heart as he was mechanically-minded himself. After his time at DePaul, Fr. Martin became President of St. Vincent’s College in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and served as a chaplain for the U.S. Army during WWI.
Contact DePaul’s University Archives for more information.