Mary Lucretia Wareham, the oldest child of David and Emily Wareham, was born in Dayton, Ohio on February 3, 1834. “Lu” met Edward Creighton when he visited her father on business. Following their wedding in 1856, the newlyweds moved to Omaha. At some point, she adopted the name Mary – even though she had a younger sister with that name. Mary and Edward’s only son, Charles David, was born in April 1859. Young Charles died a few days after his fourth birthday.

Omaha was known across the county as a rough place to live in the 1860s. Even so, Mary Lucretia traveled to all parts of the city to help those in need, giving out practical items and $25 each day – roughly $750 in 2021. Her support of the Catholic Church and her charitable deeds demonstrate the importance of faith in Mary’s life.

When Edward died in 1874 without a will, Mary inherited his entire estate. John A. Creighton, Mary’s brother-in-law, advised her to leave a will to ensure her estate was not lost. Mary died in January of 1876 with a will allocating $100,000 to create “Creighton College” in memory of her late husband.