Jeremiah James Harty

Jeremiah James Harty (November 5, 1853 – October 29, 1927) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the 26th archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila in the Philippines from 1903 to 1916. He later served as bishop (with the personal title of archbishop known as archbishop ad personam) of the Diocese of Omaha in Nebraska from 1916 until he died in 1927.

Biography

Early life Jeremiah Harty was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Andrew and Julia (née Murphy) Harty, who were Irish immigrants. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in grade school and by the Jesuits in high school. He attended St. Louis University, from where he graduated in 1872. He studied theology at St. Vincent's College in Cape Girardeau. His first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. Lawrence O'Toole Parish in St. Louis.

Bishop of Omaha On May 16, 1916, Harty was appointed bishop of what was then the Diocese of Omaha with the personal title of archbishop. He filled the vacancy of Bishop Richard Scannell, who died on January 8, 1916. In 1917, Harty expressed skepticism of Father Edward J. Flanagan and his establishment of Boys Town, a home for troubled boys in Boys Town, Nebraska. However, Harty would later endorse the goals of Boys Town. The actor Minor Watson portrayed the Bishop of Omaha in the 1938 film Boys Town.

On October 29, 1927, Jeremiah Harty died at age 73.