Ignatius Aloysius (I. A.) O'Shaughnessy Papers

Ignatius Aloysius (I.A.) O'Shaughnessy was born in Stillwater, MN, on July 31, 1885.  He entered St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, in 1901, staying only one semester.  He then entered the College of St. Thomas in January 1902, where I.A. was a star football player and member of the Philomathic Debating Society.

After completing his studies at the college in 1907, I.A. joined his brother John in the insurance business. He was not particularly successful in this venture and soon turned his attention to the oil business. In 1910 he struck oil with his first well located just outside of Blackwell, Oklahoma. Continued success in the oil business prompted him to organize the Globe Oil and Refining Company in 1917.  By 1927 he had established the Lario Oil and Gas Company and by 1934 he was known as the head of the largest oil refineries owned by an individual in the world.

O'Shaughnessy was well known for contributing his wealth to worthy organizations.  On the College of St. Thomas campus he contributed financing toward the construction of O'Shaughnessy Hall (1939), the O’Shaughnessy Stadium (1940), Albertus Magnus Hall (1947), the O'Shaughnessy Library (1959), and the O'Shaughnessy Educational Center (1968). In all, he donated nearly $5 million to the College during his lifetime.  O’Shaughnessy was also a major contributor to the University of Notre Dame and the College of St. Catherine.  He was instrumental financing in the Ecumenical Institute for Advanced Theological Study in Israel.

For his philanthropic efforts, I.A. was widely known as the largest single benefactor to Catholic education.  He was the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the College of St. Thomas (1943), the University of Notre Dame (1947), Loyola University (1959) and DePaul University (1964).  He received the Laetare Medal from the University of Notre Dame as the Outstanding Catholic Layman of the year in 1953.  He was named a Knight Commander Order of St. Gregory (the highest papal honor given to a layman who is not a head of state) by Pope Pius XII in 1958 and was designated a papal count by Pope Paul VI in 1967.

O'Shaughnessy married Lillian Smith on October 7, 1908, and had five children (Laurence, John, Donald, Eileen, and Marion). Lillian passed away on April 14, 1959.  He married Mrs. Blanche Finn on November 16, 1966.  I.A. O'Shaughnessy died on November 21, 1973, in Miami, FL.