In 1858 Brother John McMahon, O.S.F. and Brother Vincent Hayes, O.S.F. from the Roundstone Monastery in Ireland came to the United States to begin work on establishing an academy dedicated to educating underprivileged youth in the Brooklyn diocese. This was done at the request of the Bishop of Brooklyn, Reverend John Loughlin. In 1859 St. Francis College was founded as the St. Francis Academy, the first Catholic school in Brooklyn. St. Francis Academy started in a building on 300 Baltic Street in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, with 30 students and 6 Brothers. The first President was founder Brother John McMahon. The Academy expanded and grew to encompass six row houses, with of frontage and a former Methodist Church on Baltic Street.