placenamesThe Leap
The Devereux family connects The Leap with Irish emigration, commerce in Utica and the foundation of St Bonaventure in New York.
The name
A reliable full-name meaning has not been established here. The recorded Irish and English forms are given without an unsupported translation.
Recorded forms
- The Leap · English · main form
Place & story
Nicholas Devereux’s birthplace
Nicholas Devereux was born near The Leap in 1791, the youngest of Thomas and Catherine Devereux’s nine children. His family was caught up in the upheaval of 1798: his brother James died at Vinegar Hill, while Walter left Ireland. Nicholas followed another brother, John Corish Devereux, to the United States in 1806, beginning a career in commerce and philanthropy. [2]
The brothers in Utica
John Corish Devereux had worked as a dancing teacher in New England before settling in Utica, New York. He opened a shop there in 1802, and Nicholas worked for him after emigrating. Nicholas subsequently gained further experience with a merchant in Albany before returning to Utica. The brothers’ commercial success provided the resources for religious and charitable benefactions. [2]
A contribution to education
In 1854 Nicholas travelled to Rome with an introduction from Bishop John Timon of Buffalo. He met the Franciscan Pamphilus da Magliano and offered land and $5,000 towards a foundation in western New York. This undertaking led to St Bonaventure. Devereux died in December 1855, before the college opened, but his contribution connected the emigrant from The Leap with an enduring educational institution. [3]
Geographic information
Sources & further reading
- Logainm.ie — The Leap. Place names and geographic record, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- Nicholas Devereux: early days in America · St Bonaventure University Archives
- Nicholas Devereux and the founding of St Bonaventure · St Bonaventure University Archives
Name record retrieved 2026-10-25 · Source record modified 2016-09-07. How this page was prepared.