The Great Depression gravely impacted Regis College, pushing the institution to the precipice of foreclosure. The Missouri Province threatened to close the school if administrators could not ease the growing debt, and as the country spiraled further it appeared that Regis fate was sealed. However, a letter and gift from a farmer in Las Animas, Colorado would forever alter the history of the college.
John O’Connell, an Irish immigrant, relocated to Colorado in the late 19th century to pursue the American dream. Throughout his life he acquired nearly 3,000 acres of farmland east of Las Animas. As he entered the last few years of his life O’Connell was tasked with settling the affairs of his estate. As a devout Catholic his “dearest wish was the propagation of the Faith in this country – the education of poor boys for the priesthood, and the helping of poor parishes.” O’Connell had long ties to Regis College through his dear friend Father Tomassini, one of the founding fathers of Las Vegas College, later known as Regis College. It was through this friendship that he decided to leave half of his estate to the struggling institution.
Regis was able to use the property as an additional source of income through sharecropping - a system where landlords rent land to tenants and split profits made from the crops. O’Connell’s farmland was located along the Arkansas River – and within boundaries for a plan to construct a flood control reservoir. President Roosevelt signed the project into law in 1939, which provided Regis College with compensation for the land on their new property that would eventually be submerged when the reservoir filled, and additional land required for the relocation of the railroad. Along with his 3,000 acres, O’Connell donated significant funds in stocks that could be put towards the college’s debt.
To honor the legacy and impact of John O’Connell, Regis College named a residence hall after the Irishman in 1957. The property records located in Regis Universities Archives contain a decade of correspondence regarding the O’Connell property. This includes disputes and lawsuit threats between the family and Regis College regarding O’Connell’s will. Valuable letters between the college and the property manager – highlight the practice of sharecropping and conflicts with various tenants on the land.
