History of the Foundation

Scanlan Foundation was founded January 25, 1947 by Lillian and Stella Scanlan for the purpose of furthering the Roman Catholic Church in Texas through contributing to religious, charitable, and educational institutions. Support of vocation-producing educational programs has been central to the work of the Scanlan Foundation since the beginning.

Miss Lillian and Miss Stella were strong, early supporters of the founding of the University of St. Thomas in 1947, the only Catholic university in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Early Scanlan Foundation funding also enabled religious orders to operate Catholic schools educating and catechising poor and underserved student populations.

History of the Scanlan Family

The Scanlan Family traces its Houston roots back to 1852. Lillian and Stella Scanlan, the founders of Scanlan Foundation, were the youngest two children of Thomas Howe and Sophia ‘Harmena’ Scanlan. Their father, who emigrated from Castlemahon, Ireland around the time of the Irish Potato Famine, not only worked his way to become one of the wealthiest men in Harris County but also pursued civic improvements, such as the Houston Ship Channel, paved sidewalks and state-of-the-art public utilities. He is best remembered, however, as the Reconstruction Era’s Mayor of Houston.

All eight of the Scanlan sisters (Mary Ellen, Carrie, Kate, Marguerite, Charlotte, Lillian, Alberta, and Stella) were well educated and appreciated the fine arts. Carrie was one of the first valedictorians at Incarnate Word Academy in Houston, Texas. Charlotte, an active and founding member of the Newman Reading Circle, appreciated the theater and often enjoyed giving plays and recitations. The Scanlan residence on Main Street often hosted religious and educational group meetings as well as benefit performances of Shakespeare’s As You Like It on the Scanlan front lawn – with an all-female cast, electric lights, and Charlotte playing the role of Rosalind. As part of Mrs. McDowell’s “Study Shakespeare Class,” the motto of the student performers was: “Let us give light, but let us not be light.”

Averse to publicity, the Scanlan sisters avoided drawing attention to themselves, yet acted on their desire to promote virtue and help individuals neglected by society. Charlotte founded the Catholic Women’s Club, which provided affordable, respectable housing to young working women. Kate provided exhibition space at the Scanlan Building, which she had erected in memory of her father, and served on the board of the Museum of Fine Arts. She also sought to responsibly manage the property that was acquired as part of her efforts to represent the creditors of T. W. House’s failed bank.

Lillian and Stella had their Main Street home rebuilt on the property acquired in Juliff, Texas and invited Sister Benitia Vermeersch and the Missionary Catechists of Divine Province as well as the Basilian Fathers to celebrate Mass and teach the local children at the chapel that they constructed. The chapel grew to become Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Community in Manvel, Texas. The “Scanlan Mansion” in Juliff was later used by the Cenacle Sisters and named Sienna Plantation.

During their lifetimes, “Miss Lillian” and “Miss Stella” made great impact through their giving. In addition to helping establish a library at the University of St. Thomas that would be crucial to its viability, they are fondly remembered for passing out candy bars to the children who had traveled great distances to attend catechism classes at Sacred Heart Chapel. As their final gift to their beloved State of Texas, the remaining daughters willed their estate to form the Scanlan Foundation, which serves Catholic religious, charitable and educational institutions in Texas.

Most Reverend C. E. Byrne remembered the Scanlan daughters as “…a remarkable group of valiant women.”

Today, the Scanlan Fountain can be found in Sam Houston Park. Not far away, the Scanlan Building is located at 405 Main Street in downtown Houston. In addition to leaving behind tangibles of the past, the Scanlan Family continues its legacy of giving through Scanlan Foundation, founded in 1947.