Peter Verhaegen

Peter Joseph Verhaegen (born Pierre Joseph Verhæegen; June 21, 1800July 21, 1868) was a Belgian Catholic priest, Jesuit, and missionary to the Midwestern United States who became the first president of Saint Louis University and St. Joseph's College in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Born in the United Netherlands, Verhaegen traveled to the United States at the age of 21, where he studied at the Jesuit novitiate in Maryland. In 1823, he was sent to Missouri, and eventually became the president of Saint Louis University in 1829, of which the Jesuits had newly assumed responsibility. During his leadership, the college was chartered by the state and was elevated to the status of university. In 1836, Verhaegen became the superior of the Jesuits' Missouri Mission, which was elevated to a vice province in 1839.

In 1845, Verhaegen became the provincial superior of the Jesuits' Maryland Province, where he remained until 1848 when he became the first president of St. Joseph's College in Kentucky. In his later years, he taught theology and preached at Saint Louis University. Provided by Wikipedia