10 Comments
Dec 8, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana

I only knew about Mullanphy because I'd tripped over the name in my haphazard history exploring, and I wondered what they did. Thanks for filling that in for me! I have a low key obsession with taking pictures of Ittner schools (https://nextstl.com/2012/09/the-st-louis-schools-of-william-b-ittner/), and the Mullanphy School on Shaw is an absolute knockout.

I ran across another wealthy, philanthropic, socially elite, bachelor recently when I took the tour of Campbell House. After the docent of the tour finished explaining how Hugh Campbell was generous, handsome, charitable and popular, yet for some reason never married, I asked if he was gay. She said it had never occurred to her.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks for your comment! I too, was fascinated by the history of the Campbell House and Hugh Campbell, though I don’t think I mentioned him in the article I wrote earlier this year about it because I didn’t have a lot of details at hand. As I recall, he never lived anywhere else, and never married, and basically became a recluse in that house. Fascinating guy.

In the case of Bryan Mullanphy I think there’s a good chance he was gay, which given everything would make a lot of sense. But back then, it wouldn’t have been something openly talked about, so it’s unlikely we will ever know either way. At any rate, from what I can tell, he was a very good dude who truly wanted to help people and was beloved by his family despite his eccentricities. So he just fascinates me, and although there isn’t a ton written about him, there are bits of his story that I’m hoping to tease out in a longer article.

Expand full comment
Dec 9, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana

From what I understand, Hugh Campbell was a good guy, too. He was very charitable and apparently devoted to the care of his mentally ill brother.

Expand full comment
author

I’m going back to the Campbell house on Saturday. I’m going to ask them to tell me everything about Hugh. 😂

Expand full comment

That’s amazing! Good luck collecting more clues to the puzzle, and I’m looking forward to reading about it:)

Expand full comment
author

Thanks!!

Expand full comment

Just a couple of things related to the family but not Bryan: In researching my book For King, Cross, and Country (A Colonial History of St. Charles) I came across John Mullanphy buying 1600 arpents from the widow Rigauche who had opened a school for girls in St. Louis at the request of Baron Carondelet and had been given the land in lieu of payment. Then there is the Chambers House on South Main that John gave to his daughter Jane as a wedding present. I was also always fascinated by the "story" that Jahn made his money buying up the cotton used in the breastworks at the Battle of New Orleans. Happy to send you free copies of the Colonial history and also The Bitter Divide: A Civil War History of St. Charles. Let me know an address to mail them to.

Expand full comment
author

That’s awesome! There’s such cool history in this family. Shoot me an email at jackie@jackiedana.com and we can connect.

Expand full comment

Impressive Cathedral. I also recommend you to check the beauty from Lithuania - The Pažaislis monastery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pa%C5%BEaislis_Monastery

Expand full comment
author

That’s a cool church! And thanks. 🙂

Expand full comment