Part 7

John Kehoo and Edward Dalton, two young Irishmen, came to Salem, Mass., in 1776. “They were both remarkably handsome, and promising men, and by their circumspect conduct and industrious habits, soon gained the respect and confidence of the community.” Kehoo was lost at sea while aboard the privateer _Centipede_, in 1781.

In Felt’s _Annals of Salem, Mass._, it is stated under date of April 20, 1681, “a ketch, Capt. Edward Henfield, picked up a boat with Capt. Andrew and six of his crew, 150 leagues from Cape Cod. These persons, so rescued, belonged to a Dublin ship bound to Virginia. She sank on the 18th, with sixteen men and three women, who perished.”

Daniel Gookin “of Cargoline, near Cork, Ireland,” commenced a plantation in Virginia in 1621–’22. He is said to have been born in England and to have “settled in Ireland.” He came to Virginia with fifty men of his own and thirty passengers, and located at a place called Mary’s Mount, near Newport News. (_Virginia Historical Magazine._)

At a town meeting in Boston, March 12, 1771, “A letter from that celebrated Patriot, D^r Lucas of Ireland, owning the Receipt of one transmitted him by a Committee of this Town together with the Pamphlet relative to the horrid Massacre in Boston, March, 5, 1770—was read and attended to with the highest satisfaction.” (_Boston Town Records._)

From the Town Records of Boston, Mass., Sept. 19, 1744: “At the Desire of His Excellency the Governour The Select men Sent up to the Almshouse Sixteen Girls & Three Boys & a Woman arrived here yesterday from Cape Breton who were taken About Six Weeks since by a French Privateer [they] being bound from Ireland to Philadelphia * * *”

From the _Connecticut Gazette_, Jan. 5, 1764: “Just imported from Dublin, in the brig _Darby_, a parcel of Irish servants, both men and women, to be sold cheap, by Israel Boardman, at Stamford.” The people thus advertised were doubtless of the “Redemptioner” class, to be disposed of for a term of years, to pay for the expense of bringing them over.

From the Boston Selectmen’s Records, Jan. 15, 1715: “Jarvice Bethell, sho maker Late of Ireland who w^{th} his wife came by the way of New found Land into this Town in August Last is admitted an Inhabit^t on condition, he finde suretyes to y^e Satisfaction of y^e Sel. men to y^e value of 100 [£], Since its consented y^t Mr. Shannon’s bond Shall Suffice.”

Hon. John Fanchereau Grimke was a colonel in the Revolutionary army and judge of the Supreme Court of South Carolina. Early in life he wedded Mary Smith. She was of Irish and English stock, and was the great granddaughter of the second landgrave of South Carolina, and descended on her mother’s side from the famous Irish chieftain, Roger Moore.

Daniel McCurtin, believed to be of Maryland, was in the Patriot army at the siege of Boston. He kept a journal of his observations and experiences. The same has been published and narrates many interesting incidents of the siege. The journal may be found in _Papers Relating Chiefly to the Maryland Line During the Revolution_, edited by Thomas Balch.

The town of Sterling, Conn., was named in honor of Dr. Henry Sterling, an Irish physician and surgeon, who was located in Providence, R. I., before and during the Revolution. When the patriots from Providence destroyed the British armed vessel _Gaspee_, June 10, 1772, Dr. Sterling responded to a summons to attend the wounded commander of the _Gaspee_.

Timothy Murphy, an Irish physician, came to this country in 1776 and settled in Monmouth county, New Jersey. He engaged in farming; married Mary Garrison, granddaughter of Richard Hartshorne, of that county, who was a member of the Colonial Council and of the Assembly of the Province. Murphy served in the Patriot army during the Revolution.

Nehemiah Walter was sent by his father from Ireland to America, about 1674, to serve an apprenticeship to an upholsterer in Boston. Having a fondness for books he, with the consent of his father, attended college and graduated in 1680. He settled in Roxbury, Mass., and married Sarah, a daughter of Increase Mather. (_N. E. Hist., Gen. Register_, Jan., 1853.)

Rev. James Hillhouse was born in Ireland, and in 1720 came to America. He settled in Connecticut and married a great granddaughter of Capt. John Mason. Their son, William Hillhouse, became a member of the Continental Congress and was a cavalry officer in the Revolution. He represented his town in 106 semiannual sessions of the legislature.

Sometime in 1745 as James McQuade and Robert Burns of Bedford, N. H., were returning from Penacook to their homes, whither they went to procure corn for their families, they were fired on by Indians who appeared to be lying in wait for the opportunity. McQuade was shot down and killed, but his companion escaped. (Drake’s _French and Indian War_.)

The Rev. Robert Morris, who was pastor of the First Church in Greenwich, Conn., in 1785, was “born and brought up in N. York. His parents came from Ireland, the Father a rigid Churchman, his mother a Roman Catholic. He living and being brot up with a Baptist at N. York became one.” (_Rev. Ezra Stiles, quoted by Rev. James H. O’Donnell, Norwalk, Conn._)

We find Joseph Manly in Conventry, Conn., in 1786; Patrick Butler in Hartford, and Richard Kearney in New London in 1793. In the list of expenses paid by Connecticut for the capture of Ticonderoga and adjacent posts, occurs the name of an Irishman: “To Patrick Thomas, for boarding prisoners, £1, 5s.” (Rev. J. H. O’Donnell in _Catholic Transcript_, Hartford, Conn.)

On July 2, 1788, Captain Chapman, and nine emigrants from Ireland, were drowned a short distance from the shore of Fisher’s Island. He had just arrived with about 20 emigrants, some of whom were ill. In attempting to land the latter at a spot where they were to be placed in quarantine, all perished. (Rev. J. H. O’Donnell in _Catholic Transcript_, Hartford, Conn.)

John J. Henry’s parents came from Coleraine, Ireland. John was born in Lancaster, Pa., 1758, and was with Arnold’s expedition to Quebec. He was captured by the British and kept a prisoner for nine months. On being released, he was offered a lieutenancy in the Pennsylvania line, but desired a captaincy in the Virginia line. Ill health interfered somewhat with his military career.

According to Hotten’s _Lists_, Brian Kelley, aged 20, embarked for Virginia in the vessel _Safety_, 1635. Among those to be transported to “y^e Barbadoes,” 1635, were Dennis MacBrian, Teague Nacton, Dermond O’Bryan and Margaret Conway. They embarked in the _Alexander_. Mary Driskell, of St. James’ parish, Barbadoes, was buried 1678. Dorothy Callahan, of Barbadoes, was buried Aug. 10, 1679.

Miss Virginia Baker of Warren, R. I., author of a “History of Warren in the War of the Revolution,” writes us: “Perhaps you will be interested to know that the first Irishman known to have settled in Warren was one John O’Kelley. I think he arrived in town prior to 1770.... I have located real estate that he owned.” Miss Baker also informs us that some of his descendants are still to be found in Warren.

Cornelius Merry, an Irishman, of Northampton, Mass., had a grant of land in 1663. He married Rachel Ballard. Their children were John, who “died soon;” John (2d), born in 1665; Sarah, born 1668; Rachel, 1670; Cornelius, Leah, and perhaps others. Cornelius, the father, participated in the “Falls fight” against the Indians. After the war he removed to Long Island, N. Y. (Savage’s _Genealogical Dictionary_.)

John Lamb, who was captain of a brig called the _Irish Gimlet_ is found at New London, Conn., in 1774; Lawrence Sullivan “of Connecticut” was taken prisoner by the British at the battle of Bunker Hill, and was released February 24, 1776; Captain Richard McCarthy of New London, was wrecked in a storm off Plum Island, May 27, 1779, when he and five sailors perished. (_Rev. James H. O’Donnell, Norwalk, Conn._)

Capt. Philip Mortimer, who came from Ireland, was one of the selectmen of Middletown, Conn., in 1749. He was a rope maker, was very wealthy, and donated Mortimer cemetery to the town. Being childless, he sent to Ireland for his niece to come out and become his adopted daughter. The son of Capt. John Reid, Mortimer’s partner, was despatched to Boston with a coach and four and escorted her to Middletown.

Glancing through Deane’s “History of Scituate, Mass.,” the other day, we found mention of Richard Fitzgerald, “a veteran Latin schoolmaster.” He wedded Margaret Snowdon, of Scituate, in 1729. Doubtless he was one of the many Irish teachers who abounded in the American colonies at that and subsequent periods. The Society has already published the names, and something concerning the career, of about forty such.

Charles Clinton was a native of County Longford, Ireland, and was born in 1690. He and his friends, numbering about 200, chartered a vessel and sailed from Dublin in 1729 for Philadelphia, Pa. After a passage lasting 139 days the captain, inadvertently or by design, landed them on Cape Cod, Mass. Ninety-six of the ship’s company had died on the voyage. One of Clinton’s sons, George, became governor of New York.

An Irish colony, consisting of sixteen families, was settled about 1740, under the patronage of Sir William Johnson, himself an Irishman, on a tract a few miles southwest of Fort Hamilton, N. Y., in the town of Glen. The settlers erected dwellings, cleared land and planted orchards. Indian hostilities, however, prevented the success of the settlement, and the pioneers returned to Ireland. (J. R. Simms’ _Frontiersmen of New York_.)

Robert Dunlap was a native of the County Antrim, Ireland, and was born in 1715. He embarked for America in the spring of 1736. The vessel, with nearly 200 emigrants aboard, was wrecked at the Isle of Sable and nearly one half of the passengers perished. The survivors, including Dunlap, managed to reach Canso and were then taken to Cape Ann, Mass. Governor Dunlap of Maine (elected in 1833), was a descendant of Robert, the Irishman.

The records of Trinity Church, New York city, contain mention of the following marriages: Hugh Kelly and Elizabeth Griffin, 1746; Ralph Steel and Mary Branegan, 1747; John Trotter and Ann Hogan, 1748; John Cusick and Mary Freeman, 1748; John Hurley and Elizabeth Hannon, 1748; Patrick Hawley and Jane Ament, 1748; Jeremiah Dailey and Margaret Fitzgerald, 1748; Patrick Boyd and Mary Peltreau, 1748; Patrick Martin and Rozannah O’Neil, 1748.

The Boston _News Letter_, Sept. 12, 1720, has an advertisement in which it is stated that an Irish man servant, Edward Coffee, had run away from his master, Stephen Winchester of Brookline, Mass. Coffee was probably a bond servant or redemptioner. He is described as about twenty years of age, with “cinnamon coloured breeches with six puffs tied at the knees with ferret ribbon.” He also had “a wig tied with a black ribbon.” A reward was offered for his capture.

Capt. James Magee, “a convivial, noble-hearted Irishman,” commanded an American privateer in the Revolution. In the winter of 1779 his ship was driven ashore near Plymouth, Mass., during a terrible storm, and 79 of the crew were frozen to death. Twenty-eight of the survivors were rescued by the men of Plymouth. Drake’s _Town of Roxbury, Mass._, states that in 1798 Capt. Magee bought an estate in Roxbury. In 1819 William Eustis purchased the estate of Magee’s widow.

The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Philadelphia, Pa., was instituted on March 17, 1771. No creed lines were drawn, and in the organization “Catholics, Presbyterians, Quakers, and Episcopalians were united like a band of brothers.” Stephen Moylan, brother of the Catholic bishop of Cork, Ireland, was the first president. The Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New York city, was founded in 1784. Daniel McCormick, a Presbyterian, was the first president.

In 1644, Roger Williams, arriving at Boston, from England, brought with him letters from members of the British parliament to “leading men of the Bay” in which, counseling friendship, mention is made of undesirable “neighbours you are likely to find near unto you in Virginia, and the unfriendly visits from the west of England and from Ireland.” It so happened that, eventually, Roger Williams himself became “undesirable” and “unfriendly” to the self-sufficient rulers of “the Bay”

Thomas Healey is mentioned as of Cambridge, Mass., in 1635, and William Healey in 1645. John Joyce was an early resident of Lynn, Mass., and removed to Sandwich, Mass., about 1637. David Kelly was of Boston as early as 1664, and belonged to the artillery company there. Stephen Hart was of Cambridge, Mass., in 1632; Edmund Hart of Weymouth, Mass., 1634; John Hart of Salem, Mass., 1638; Thomas Hart of Ipswich, Mass., 1648. (Farmer’s _Genealogical Register_.)

In a Virginia regiment, of which George Washington was colonel, long before the Revolution, appear the following surnames: Barrett, Bryan, Burns, Burke, Carroll, Coleman, Conner, Connerly, Conway, Coyle, Daily, Deveeny, Devoy, Donahough, Ford, Gorman, Hennesy, Kennedy, Lowry, McBride, McCoy, McGrath, McGuire, McKan, McLaughlin, Martin, Moran, Murphy, Powers, etc. The regiment participated in the struggles against the French and Indians. (_Virginia Historical Magazine._)

Dennis Rochford, of County Wexford, Ireland, and his wife Mary, came to Pennsylvania with William Penn in 1682, on the ship _Welcome_. All or nearly all the passengers were Quakers. Two daughters of Dennis and Mary died on the voyage. The passengers were described as “people of consequence” and as “people of property.” Dennis was a member of the Assembly in 1683. (Scharf-Wescott _History of Philadelphia, Pa._, quoted in Vol. VI, Transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society.)

In the “Great Swamp fight” in Southern Rhode Island, during King Philip’s war, 1675–’76, were the following soldiers from Connecticut, among others: James Murphy, Daniel Tracy, Edward Larkin, James Welch and John Roach. The town of Norwalk, Conn., subsequently gave Roach, as a gratuity, a tract of land “consisting of twelve acres more or less, layed out upon the west side of the West Rock, so called.” In the Norwalk records Roach is spoken of as a soldier in the “Direful Swamp Fight.”

Eaton’s Annals of Warren, Me., mention two Irish schoolmasters there. They were John O’Brien and John Sullivan. O’Brien was “a native of Craig, near Cork,” and taught in Warren for many years, beginning at about the close of the Revolution. He was “an elegant penman and a good accountant.” He married a daughter of Col. Starrett. Sullivan was a native of Dublin, Ireland, and began teaching in Warren about 1792. He was of “never failing good humor.” He died in Boston, Mass.

Martin I. J. Griffin of Philadelphia, Pa., mentions Thomas Burke, the one-eyed member of the Continental Congress and governor of North Carolina, of whom Wheeler’s _Historical Sketches of North Carolina_ says: “No public functionary was ever employed by the state in more troubled times, none more active or talented, none suffered more, none less known to posterity. He was a native of Ireland and of the most finished education.” It was said of him that he publicly professed and openly avowed the Catholic faith.

Here is an example of how certain names sometimes undergo a change: A legislative act was passed in 1806 providing that “John O’Neil, Jun., of Madison, in the county of Kennebec [Maine], shall be allowed to take the name of John Neil; James O’Neil, of said Madison, shall be allowed to take the name of James Neil; Samuel O’Neil, of Norridgewalk, shall be allowed to take the name of Samuel Neil.” (From _List of Persons whose Names Have Been Changed_, etc., published by the state of Massachusetts, Boston, 1893.)

George Berkeley, “the Kilkenny scholar,” Dean of Derry and later Bishop of Cloyne, visited Boston in 1731. His visit is thus mentioned in John Walker’s manuscript diary (in possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society): “Sept. 12, 1731; in y^e morn Dean George Barkley preacht in y^e Chapell from y^e 1^{st} Epistle to Timothy, y^e 3^d Chap., Verse 16, and a fine Sermon, according to my opinion I never heard such an one. A very great auditory.” By the “Chapell” was meant the King’s Chapel, still in use in Boston.

From an entry in the _New England Historic, Genealogical Register_, Jan., 1893, we learn that Capt. John McCarty of New London, Conn., died while on a return voyage from the West Indies in 1804. His wife died soon after, leaving four young children, including Elizabeth, who married Samuel Forman, of Syracuse, N. Y.; Rebecca, who married Schuyler Van Rensselaer of Albany, N. Y., and Abby, who married Sanders Van Rensselaer, brother to Schuyler. Capt. Richard McCarty, believed to be father or brother of Capt. John, was lost at sea in 1779.

At a meeting of the selectmen of Boston, Mass., April 15, 1737, a communication was mentioned as having been received from Capt. Samuel Waterhouse. The latter stated that he was “twelve weeks from London and seven from Cork; that smallpox had broken out on the voyage, afflicting four of his ship’s company.” One of these was put ashore, one died at sea, and two recovered. The ship having been cleansed, the Boston selectmen gave him permission to “come up from Nantasket to Spectacle Island” and drop anchor near the hospital there. (_Report of the Boston Record Commission._)

Hon. James Buchanan, president of the United States, has left this statement concerning himself: “My father, James Buchanan, was a native of the County Donegal, in the Kingdom of Ireland. His family was respectable but their pecuniary circumstances were limited. He emigrated to the United States before the date of the Definitive Treaty of Peace with Great Britain; having sailed from —— [no port stated] in the brig _Providence_, bound for Philadelphia, in 1783. He was then in the 22d year of his age.” (Quoted in George Ticknor Curtis’ _Life of James Buchanan_, President.)

In a volume published by the state of New York (Albany, 1860), record is found of marriage licenses, issued by the secretary of the province, previous to 1784. Among the names mentioned are: Edward Briscow and Jane McDermont, 1736; Matthew Sweeny and Mary Thorn, 1756; Patrick Hyne and Hannah Van Sice, 1757; Andries Van Schaick and Alida Hogan, 1757; Owen Sullivan and Hannah Orstin, 1759; Wynant Van Zant and Jane Colgan, 1760; Rynear Van Yeveron and Hannah Hogan, 1772; John Moore and Mary Van Dyck, 1772; Martin Van Haugh and Judith Carroll, 1775.

In the Minutes of the Boston Selectmen, 1727, we find mention of the following “Strangers warned to Depart Accord^n to Law”: John White, an Irishman from Dedham; Robert Phenne, an Irishman from Wells; William Nugel, an Irishman from Philadelphia; Robert Sterling, an Irishman from Rutland; Patrick Jorden from Virginia; James Dawley, an Irishman from Lisborn; Joseph Doyle from Rhode Island. These men were doubtless worthy enough, but, perhaps, could find no one to “go their bond,” and thus secure the town against the possibility of their becoming, at some time, a public charge.

For the “expedition against Crown Point,” 1756, New Hampshire raised a regiment of 700 men, commanded by Col. Nathaniel Meserve of Portsmouth. In this regiment were included the following: Daniel Murphy, James Meloney, Darby Sullivan, John McMahone, Daniel Kelley, James O’Neil, Jer. Connor, Daniel Carty, Benjamin Mooney, Michael Johnson, Darbey Kelley, John Meloney, James Molloy, James Kelly, John Welch, Thomas Carty, William Kelley, Bryan Tweny (Sweeny?), James McLaughlin, John McLaughlin, Thomas McLaughlin, and others bearing typical Irish names. (_Military History of New Hampshire, Adjutant-General’s Report_, Concord, 1866.)

From the Boston Selectmen’s Records, Aug. 9, 1736: “By a List from the Impost office, It appearing that Nineteen Transports were just Imported from Cork in Ireland, in the Brig^t Bootle, Robert Boyd Commander, accordingly the said Master was sent for, Who appear’d And the Select men Ordered him to take effectual Care to prevent any of the said Transports from coming on Shoar from said Vessell, the said Master promised Accordingly that they should not come on Shoar, That he was obliged by his orders to Carry them to Virginia, Whither he was bound, and that in the meantime he would keep a Strict Watch on board his said Vessell to prevent their escape.”

James Cochran, an Irish boy, is mentioned in the Massachusetts records. He was captured by Indians, but escaped and brought back a couple of scalps as evidence of his experience. The _Boston News Letter_, April 29, 1725, says of him: “James Cochran, ye youth that came into Brunswick with two scalps, came to town on Monday last, and on Tuesday produced ye same scalps before ye Honorable Lieutenant Governor and Council, for which he received a reward of two hundred pounds. And for ye further encouragement of young men and others to perform bold and hardy actions in ye Indian war, His Honor ye Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to make him sargeant in ye forces.”

A gallant officer, who has almost been forgotten, was Gen. John Greaton of the Revolution. He was a native of Ireland. Augustus Parker, writing in the Boston _Transcript_, says of him that he belonged to the first company of Minute Men raised in America, in 1775, and was chosen major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of Heath’s regiment. After the battle of Lexington he was engaged in the skirmishes about Boston, until he joined that memorable expedition to Quebec in the winter through the woods of Maine, where the army suffered untold hardships. He served through the war, was one of Washington’s most trusted officers, was mustered out October, 1783, and died the following December, worn out in the service of his country. Gen. Greaton’s father kept the Greyhound tavern on Washington street, opposite Vernon street, in Roxbury, Mass.

Rev. Cotton Mather was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 12, 1663. He was a Puritan, hard and fast. In 1700 he delivered a sermon in honor of the arrival of Gov. Bellomont, calling it a “Pillar of Gratitude.” In this sermon occurs the following: “There has been formidable Attempts of Satan and his Sons to Unsettle us: But what an overwhelming blast from Heaven has defeated all those attempts.... At length it was proposed that a Colony of Irish might be sent over to check the growth of this Countrey: An Happy Revolution spoil’d that Plot: and many an one of more general consequence Than That!” Mather was rather late in his opposition to Irish comers, for they had been arriving in this “Countrey” before he was born. Were he alive to-day he would doubtless realize that instead of checking the country’s growth, they have greatly contributed to that growth.