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THE JOURNAL

OF THE

AMERICAN-IRISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY

BY

THOMAS HAMILTON MURRAY

_Secretary-General_

VOLUME II

BOSTON, MASS. PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY 1899

INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO SECOND VOLUME.

I take great pleasure in presenting the second volume of the JOURNAL to the Society. In so doing, I desire to acknowledge many courtesies received from various sources during its preparation. I have also been favored with ideas and suggestions regarding the work and, where practicable, have incorporated the same. The present volume, covering the year 1899, shows an increase in scope over the preceding one, a fact typifying the Society’s growth in the field of American historical organizations.

T. H. M.

BOSTON, MASS., Dec. 30, 1899.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO SECOND VOLUME. THE AMERICAN-IRISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY, 1899. CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE SOCIETY. PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, 1899. ADDRESSES MADE AND PAPERS READ. A MEETING IN PROVIDENCE, R. I. A MEETING IN NEWPORT, R. I. A MEETING IN BOSTON, MASS. PAPERS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP ROLL, AMERICAN-IRISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THE DEAD OF THE SOCIETY. GENERAL INDEX. ANALYTICAL INDEX.

THE AMERICAN-IRISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

WHEN AND WHERE FOUNDED.

The American-Irish Historical Society was founded on the evening of Jan. 20, 1897, at a meeting called for that purpose, and held in the Revere House, Boston, Mass. Over forty gentlemen were present. The Hon. Thomas J. Gargan of Boston presided. Thomas Hamilton Murray, then editor of the _Daily Sun_, Lawrence, Mass., was secretary of the meeting.

THE PRELIMINARY WORK.

The provisional committee that had attended to the preliminary work included Mr. Murray, just mentioned; James Jeffrey Roche, editor of the _Boston Pilot_; Joseph Smith, secretary of the police commission, Lowell, Mass.; Thomas B. Lawler of the publishing house, Ginn & Company, Boston, Mass., and Hon. John C. Linehan, state insurance commissioner, Concord, N. H.

OBJECTS AND PURPOSES.

The Society is organized for the special study of the Irish element in the composition of the American people; to investigate and record the influence of this element in the upbuilding of the nation, and to collect and publish facts relating to and illustrating that influence. The Society aims to correct erroneous, distorted and false views of history, where they are known, and to substitute therefor the truth of history, based on documentary evidence and the best and most reasonable tradition, in relation to the Irish in America.

SPEAKING MORE IN DETAIL.

Speaking more in detail, it may be stated that the objects and purposes of the Society are: The study of American history generally; to investigate, specially, the Irish immigration to this country, determine its numbers, examine the sources, learn the places of its settlement, and estimate its influence on contemporary events in war, legislation, religion, education, and other departments of activity; to place the result of its historical investigations and researches in acceptable literary form; to print, publish, and distribute its documents to libraries, educational institutions, and among its members, in order that the widest dissemination of historical truth may be obtained; to do its work without passion or prejudice, to view accomplished facts in the true scientific historical spirit, and having reached the truth to give it to the world.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS.

Any male person of good moral character, who is interested in the special work of the Society, shall be deemed eligible for membership in the same. No tests other than that of character and devotion to the Society’s objects shall be applied to membership. Application blanks may be obtained of the secretary-general.

THE MODE OF ADMISSION.

The Society believes that for the present as little red tape as possible should prevail in the admission of applicants. A large membership is desired. Consequently, a request to be enrolled addressed to the secretary-general, to any of the members of the Executive Council, or to a member of the Society who is located in the neighborhood of the applicant, will generally be sufficient to effect the desired result. It is recommended, however, that persons desiring admission shall obtain the blanks provided by the Society, for applicants.

THE FEES OF MEMBERS.

Life members pay $50 in advance at one time; they are exempt from further membership dues. Annual members pay three dollars per year each. In the case of new members, of the annual class, their first payment should be made upon being officially notified of their admission.

NO LINES OF CREED OR POLITICS.

The Society is constructed on a broad and liberal basis. Being an American organization in spirit and principle, it greets and welcomes to its ranks Americans of whatever race descent, and of whatever creed, who take an interest in the special line of work for which the Society is organized. It at present includes Roman Catholics, Protestant Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, Unitarians, and members of other denominations. Catholic priests and Protestant ministers are on its roll. There are no creed lines and no politics in the policy of the organization.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY.

The officers comprise a president-general, a vice-president-general, a secretary-general, a treasurer-general, a librarian and archivist, an historiographer (not yet elected), and an Executive Council. The constitution also provides for a vice-president for each state and territory and for the District of Columbia. It is proposed to eventually organize state and city chapters of the Society. A list of the present officers will be found contained herein.

THE FIRST PRESIDENT-GENERAL.

The first president-general of the Society was Richard Worsam Meade, 3d, rear-admiral, U. S. N. (retired). He was born in New York city, Oct. 9, 1837, at the home of his maternal grandfather, Judge Henry Meigs, which family has given many officers to the United States navy. He was the oldest son of the late Capt. Richard Worsam Meade, 2d, U. S. N., and was a nephew of the late Gen. George Gordon Meade, who for two years commanded the Army of the Potomac. President-General Meade died in Washington, D. C., May 4, 1897. His obsequies took place in that city. The Society contributed a floral harp. Among the mourners there were present from the Society Edward A. Moseley, secretary of the Interstate Commerce Commission; Paymaster John R. Carmody, U. S. N.; J. D. O’Connell of the U. S. Treasury Department, and Capt. John M. Tobin, all of Washington, D. C.

MEETINGS AND FIELD DAY.

Provision is made for quarterly meetings of the Society and monthly meetings of the Executive Council. As far as possible, each meeting, especially those of the Council, is held in a city or state different from the one where the preceding meeting was held. This prevents the Society from becoming merely local to any one state or city, and makes it what its founders intended it to be—a national body. A general field day of the organization is held annually in the summer or fall. The annual meeting for the election of officers is held in January.

DIPLOMA OF MEMBERSHIP.

Each member will be entitled to a diploma of membership, bearing the name of the Society, the date of his admission, and such other appropriate matter as may be decided upon. These certificates will be signed by the president-general, the secretary-general, the treasurer-general, and one or two other officers, and will be suitable for display in office, library, or study.

THE SOCIETY’S PUBLICATIONS.

The Society issues an annual volume, called the JOURNAL of the organization, handsomely printed and substantially bound in cloth. This volume is illustrated, contains a record of the Society’s proceedings, papers contributed by the members as the result of original research, extracts from old documents bearing upon the Irish in this country, and matter of similar interest, much of it, indeed, of almost priceless value. A copy of the JOURNAL is annually given free to each member in good standing. The Society also issues special publications from time to time for the members.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY, 1899.

_President-General_,

HON. THOMAS J. GARGAN, Of the Law Firm, Gargan & Keating, Boston, Mass.

_Vice-President-General_,

HON. JOHN D. CRIMMINS, 40 East 68th St., New York City.

_Secretary-General_,

THOMAS HAMILTON MURRAY, Editor _Evening Call_, 77 Main St., Woonsocket, R. I.

_Treasurer-General_,

HON. JOHN C. LINEHAN, State Insurance Commissioner, Concord, N. H.

_Librarian and Archivist_,

THOMAS B. LAWLER, New York City. (With Ginn & Co., Publishers, Boston, New York, Chicago, London.)

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

The foregoing and

JAMES JEFFREY ROCHE, LL. D., Editor _The Pilot_, Boston, Mass.

MAURICE FRANCIS EGAN, LL. D., J. U. D., Professor of English Language and Literature, Catholic University, Washington, D. C.

ROBERT ELLIS THOMPSON, Ph. D., President Central High School, Philadelphia, Pa.

THOMAS ADDIS EMMET, M. D., LL. D., grand nephew of Robert Emmet, the Irish Patriot, New York City.

HON. THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH, the well known writer; ex-Member of Congress, Newark, N. J.

FRANCIS C. TRAVERS, President of Travers Brothers Co., 107 Duane St., New York City.

STEPHEN J. GEOGHEGAN, of the firm Gillis & Geoghegan, 537–539 West Broadway, New York City.

JOSEPH SMITH, Secretary of the Board of Police, Lowell, Mass.

AUGUSTUS ST. GAUDENS, Member of the National Academy of Design, New York City.

HON. MORGAN J. O’BRIEN, a Justice of the New York Supreme Court.

FRANCIS HIGGINS, 12 East 34th St., New York City.

JOHN CRANE, 307 West 103d St., New York City.

HON. JAMES S. COLEMAN, 38 East 69th St., New York City.

JOSEPH F. SWORDS, New York City; of the fourth American generation from Francis Dawson Swords, who was exiled from Ireland, 1760, and who served in the Patriot army throughout the American Revolution.

STATE VICE-PRESIDENTS.

Maine—JAMES CUNNINGHAM, Portland. New Hampshire—JAMES F. BRENNAN, Peterborough. Vermont—JOHN D. HANRAHAN, M. D., Rutland. Massachusetts—OSBORNE HOWES, Boston. Rhode Island—DENNIS H. SHEAHAN, Providence. Connecticut—JOHN F. HAYES, M. D., Waterbury. New York—GEN. JAMES R. O’BEIRNE, New York City. New Jersey—HON. WILLIAM A. M. MACK, Elizabeth. Pennsylvania—GEN. ST. CLAIR A. MULHOLLAND, Philadelphia. Delaware—COL. JOHN P. DONAHOE, WILMINGTON. Virginia—HON. JOSEPH T. LAWLESS, Richmond. West Virginia—COL. O’BRIEN MOORE, Charleston. South Carolina—HON. M. C. BUTLER, Edgefield. Georgia—HON. PATRICK WALSH, Augusta. (Died March 19, 1899.) Ohio—REV. GEORGE W. PEPPER, Cleveland. (Died August 6, 1899.) Indiana—VERY REV. ANDREW MORRISSEY, C. S. C., Notre Dame. Illinois—P. T. BARRY, Chicago. Iowa—REV. M. C. LENIHAN, Marshalltown. Minnesota—JOHN D. O’BRIEN, St. Paul. Michigan—HON. T. A. E. WEADOCK, Detroit. Missouri—JULIUS L. FOY, St. Louis. Tennessee—MICHAEL GAVIN, Memphis. Kentucky—EDWARD FITZPATRICK, Louisville. Kansas—PATRICK H. CONEY, Topeka. Colorado—J. E. LOWERY, M. D., Sopris. Nebraska—M. D. LONG, O’Neill. Utah—JOSEPH GEOGHEGAN, Salt Lake City. Texas—GEN. A. G. MALLOY, El Paso. Oregon—HENRY E. REED, Portland. California—JAMES CONNOLLY, Coronado.

District of Columbia—PATRICK O’FARRELL, Washington.

CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE SOCIETY.

1896. Dec. 26. Call issued at Boston, Mass., for a meeting to organize the Society. * * * * *

1897. Jan. 20. The meeting was held on this date at the Revere House, Boston, Mass.; the Society was organized, and a Constitution and a code of By-Laws adopted. Hon. Thomas J. Gargan presided at the meeting, and Thomas Hamilton Murray was secretary.

1897. Jan. 20. At this first meeting addresses were delivered by Hon. John C. Linehan, Concord, N. H.; Joseph Smith, Lowell, Mass.; Hon. Hugh J. Carroll, Pawtucket, R. I.; Charles A. De Courcy, Lawrence, Mass.; George H. Moses, Concord, N. H.; Rev. John J. McCoy, Chicopee, Mass.; Osborne Howes, Boston, Mass.; P. J. Flatley, Boston, Mass., and one or two other gentlemen.

1897. Jan. 20. Paul B. Du Chaillu, the famous explorer, author of “The Land of the Midnight Sun,” “The Viking Age,” etc., was present at the meeting as the guest of the chairman, Thomas J. Gargan, and made an address. George H. Moses, mentioned in the preceding minute, was present as the guest of Hon. John C. Linehan, and took so much interest in the movement that he signed the agreement of association. Mr. Moses is editor of the _Concord_ (N. H.) _Monitor_.

1897. Jan. 20. Rear Admiral Richard W. Meade, U. S. N. (retired), was elected as the first president-general of the Society.

1897. Jan. 20. Thomas Hamilton Murray was elected secretary-general; Hon. John C. Linehan, treasurer-general, and Thomas B. Lawler, librarian and archivist. Of these, Mr. Murray then resided in Lawrence, Mass.; Mr. Linehan is state insurance commissioner of New Hampshire, and resides in Concord, while Mr. Lawler was, at the time, a resident of Worcester, Mass.

1897. Jan. 20. The following were chosen to be members of the Executive Council of the Society: James Jeffrey Roche, Boston, Mass.; Robert Ellis Thompson, Philadelphia, Pa.; Theodore Roosevelt, New York city; Thomas J. Gargan, Boston, Mass.; Augustus St. Gaudens, New York city; Joseph Smith, Lowell, Mass.; Thomas Dunn English, Newark, N. J.; Maurice F. Egan, Washington, D. C.; Edward A. Moseley, Washington, D. C., and T. Russell Sullivan, Boston, Mass. A list of state vice-presidents was also submitted and adopted. Osborne Howes, Boston, vice-president for Massachusetts, is a descendant of David O’Killia (O’Kelly), who settled on Cape Cod as early as 1657, and who is mentioned in the old Yarmouth, Mass., records as “the Irishman.” The records show that at the close of King Philip’s War, O’Killia was assessed his proportionate part towards defraying the expenses of that struggle.

1897. Jan. 20. Secretary-General T. H. Murray announced at this first meeting that letters expressive of interest in the new organization, acknowledging an invitation, or giving an expression of opinion, had been received from Rear Admiral Richard W. Meade, U. S. N., Germantown, Pa.; Governor Hastings of Pennsylvania; United States Senator Hoar of Worcester, Mass.; Rev. Cyrus Townsend Brady, Protestant Episcopal archdeacon of Pennsylvania; Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet, New York city; Edward A. Moseley, secretary of the Interstate Commerce Commission, Washington, D. C.; Joseph F. Swords, Hartford, Conn.; Ex-United States Senator Patrick Walsh, Augusta, Ga.; Gen. John Cochrane, president of the New York Society of the Cincinnati; Ex-Governor Waller of Connecticut; Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Conaty, later rector of the Catholic University, Washington, D. C.; Gen. Francis A. Walker, Boston, Mass.; Rev. George W. Pepper (Methodist), Cleveland, O.; Rev. J. Gray Bolton (Presbyterian), Philadelphia, Pa.; Ex-Congressman T. A. E. Weadock, Detroit, Mich., and John P. Donahoe, Wilmington, Del.

1897. Jan. 20. Secretary-General Murray also announced letters from Prof. William M. Sloane, of Columbia University, New York; President Tyler of the College of William and Mary, Virginia; President Lee of Washington and Lee University, Virginia; Provost Harrison, of the University of Pennsylvania; Rev. Thomas J. Shahan of the Catholic University, Washington, D. C.; Very Rev. Andrew Morrissey, president of the University of Notre Dame, Indiana; H. B. Adams, professor of American and Institutional history, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland; Henry Stoddard Ruggles, Wakefield, Mass.; Samuel Swett Green, of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Mass.; Theodore Roosevelt, New York city; Thomas Dunn English, Newark, N. J.; Judge Smith of the Superior court, Pennsylvania; Col. D. S. Lamson, Weston, Mass.; Rev. George C. Betts (Protestant Episcopalian), Goshen, N. Y., and Hon. Emmet O’Neal, United States attorney for the northern district of Alabama.

1897. Jan. 21. _The Boston Globe_, _Herald_, and other papers contained reports concerning the formation of the Society. _The Springfield_ (Mass.) _Republican_ said: “The American-Irish Historical society, organized at Boston yesterday with a remarkable list of officers and the assurance of a charter membership as noteworthy, will prove without question a body of real public importance.... Among those present at the meeting mostly from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, was Edward A. Hall of this city, whose history of the Irish in Hampden county has grown into a history of the Irish in Western Massachusetts, where, in fact, they settled a great number of the hill towns, and their descendants live to this day.... It will be the work of the Society to show what a vast influence the Irish element had in building our free commonwealths whose alliance made the first great country of the people, in which with all its faults reposes the hope of the progress of the world into a world of the people instead of one of warring dynasties and vicious religious hatreds, setting nation against nation. We look to this Society for active, earnest, ardent work for the enlightenment, brotherhood and unity of this people first, and of all other peoples in the long event. God hath made of one blood all the nations of the earth.”

1897. Jan. 21. Rev. Edmund B. Palmer, Jamaica Plain, Mass., writes a congratulatory letter to Treasurer-General Linehan. Mr. Palmer states that he is a great grandson of Barnabas Palmer of Rochester, N. H., who was born in Cork or Limerick, 1725, and who emigrated from there with two brothers, and enlisted under Sir William Pepperill. Barnabas sailed from Portsmouth, N. H.,—one of the force of 3,000 men, 1745, and on the Isle of Cape Breton, under Fort Louisburg, left his right arm. Subsequently he settled in Rochester, N. H., married, had fourteen children, and was a member of the general court of New Hampshire that ratified the Constitution of the United States.

1897. Jan. 21. Col. D. L. Lamson, Weston, Mass., writes desiring to become a member. He was lieutenant-colonel commanding Sixteenth regiment (Mass.), 1861; A. A. G., Norfolk, 1862; served on staff of General Hooker; is a member of the Society of Colonial Wars, Sons of the American Revolution, and Military Order of the Loyal Legion; one of his ancestors landed at Ipswich, Mass., in 1632, and received a grant of 350 acres which still remains in the family; another ancestor, Samuel, of Reading, Mass., participated in King Philip’s War and had a son in the expedition of 1711. Another member of the family, Samuel, of Weston, commanded a company at Concord, Mass., April 19, 1775, and was major and colonel of the Third Middlesex regiment for many years, dying in 1795.

1897. Jan. 21. William Halley, editor of _The Vindicator_, Austin, Ill., writes a congratulatory letter. Mr. Halley came to this country from Ireland, in 1842, as a fellow voyager with Thomas D’Arcy McGee.

1897. Jan. 23. Lieutenant Commander J. D. Jerrold Kelley, U. S. N., attached to the battleship _Texas_, expresses a request to be admitted to membership.

1897. Jan. 26. Rear Admiral Richard W. Meade, U. S. N., writes from Germantown, Pa., accepting the office of president-general.

1897. Jan. 26. T. Russell Sullivan, Boston, Mass., a descendant of Governor James Sullivan of Massachusetts, acknowledges his election as a member of the Executive Council of the Society.

1897. Feb. 3. Hon. John C. Linehan, Concord, N. H., presents to the Society a copy of the volume issued by the state of New Hampshire and descriptive of the exercises attending the dedication, Sept. 27, 1894, at Durham, N. H., of the monument to Gen. John Sullivan of the Revolution.

1897. Feb. 4. N. C. Steele, M. D., Chattanooga, Tenn., writes interestingly relative to the Society. He says, “I am four generations removed from Ireland.”

1897. Feb. 6. O’Brien Moore, Washington, D. C., writes, expressing his desire to become a life member.

1897. Feb. 8. Hugh McCaffrey, Philadelphia, Pa., writes, enclosing fifty dollars in payment of life membership fee.