Ignatius Donnelly
| Ignatius L. Donnelly | |
|---|---|
U.S. Congressman, populist, fringe scientist, and writer
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| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives | |
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In office 1887–1888, 1897–1898 |
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| Member of the Minnesota Senate | |
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In office 1874–1878, 1891–1894 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 2nd district |
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In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869 |
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| Preceded by | Cyrus Aldrich |
| Succeeded by | Eugene McLanahan Wilson |
| 2nd Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota | |
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In office January 2, 1860 – March 4, 1863 |
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| Governor | Alexander Ramsey |
| Preceded by | William Holcombe |
| Succeeded by | Henry Adoniram Swift |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ignatius Loyola Donnelly November 3, 1831 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | January 1, 1901 (aged 69) Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Political party | Various |
| Spouse(s) | Katherine McCaffrey and Marian Hanson |
| Profession | lawyer, farmer, author, politician |
Ignatius Loyola Donnelly (November 3, 1831 – January 1, 1901) was a U.S. Congressman, populist writer, and amateur scientist. He is known primarily now for his theories concerning Atlantis, Catastrophism (especially the idea of an ancient impact event affecting ancient civilizations), and Shakespearean authorship, which many modern historians consider to be pseudoscience and pseudohistory. Donnelly's work corresponds to the writings of late 19th and early 20th century figures such as Helena Blavatsky, Rudolf Steiner, and James Churchward.
Donnelly was the son of Philip Carrol Donnelly, an Irish Catholic immigrant who had settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His sister was the writer Eleanor C. Donnelly. On June 29, 1826, Philip had married Catherine Gavin, a second generation American of Irish ancestry.
After starting as a peddler, Philip studied medicine at the Philadelphia College of Medicine. He later contracted typhus from a patient and died at age 31, leaving his wife with five children.
Catherine provided for her children by operating a pawn shop. Ignatius, her youngest son, was admitted to the prestigious Central High School, the second oldest public high school in the United States. There he studied under the presidency of John S. Hart, excelling primarily in literature.
Donnelly decided to become a lawyer, and became a clerk for Benjamin Brewster, who later became Attorney-General of the United States. Donnelly was admitted to the bar in 1852. In 1855, he married Katherine McCaffrey, with whom he had three children. In 1855, he resigned his clerkship, entered politics, and participated in communal home building schemes. He quit the Catholic Church some time in the 1850s, and thereafter was never active in any religious group.
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