Br. Clement Lehan (1836-1922)

Brother Clement Lehan passed away February 12, 1922.

Brother Clement was born in Ireland in County Cork and came to the United States with his parents at a the age of two.  He attended a Normal School in Ohio and taught there for ten tears when he moved to Creston, Iowa.  There he became acquainted with monks from St. Benedict’s Abbey.  He entered the Abbey at age 50, made first vows January 6, 1889, and final vows July 11, 1893.

A bookbindery was started in 1896 in conjunction with The Abbey Student Press and Brother Clement was assigned to work there.  And work he did.  He and his crew bound magazines and books for the College Library and did consignment work besides.  In the first four years of its existence the bindery bound and repaired 3000 books. 

In 1900 Brother Clement was made the manager of the bookbindery.  He had two, full-time workers and some students on work-study.  These students were taught the art of bookbinding and in addition made paper boxes used for shipping.  His workers and those associated with him apparently held him in deep respect.

In the summer of 1921 Brother Clement fell and broke his hip, infection set in, which led to his death.