was the wife of a cannoneer in the Patriot army during the Revolution.
At the battle of Monmouth her husband was killed at his post, whereupon
Molly, who was engaged bringing water from a spring, dropped her bucket,
seized the rammer of the cannon and taking her husband’s place continued
to serve the piece of artillery. The next morning she was presented by
General Greene to Washington, who praised her heroism and made her a
sergeant. She was placed upon the list of half-pay officers for life.
Anthony Gulliver, a native of Ireland, was born in 1619. He died at
Milton, Mass., 1706. His children were: Lydia, born 1651; Samuel, born
1653; Jonathan, born 1659; Stephen, born 1663; John, born 1669;
Elizabeth, born 1671; Nathaniel, born 1675. There were also two other
children, Hannah and Mary. The children were all born in this country,
Cullen’s _Story of the Irish in Boston_ states that “Anthony Gulliver
was the ancestor of a large number of able and influential men and
women, who have been prominent in the history of church and town affairs
of Milton for nearly two hundred years.”
From the _Calendar of Colonial State Papers_: “April 1st, 1653. Order of
the Council of State. For a license to Sir John Clotworthy to transport
to America 500 natural Irishmen.” On Oct. 3, 1655, it was ordered that
“1000 Irish girls and the like number of boys of 14 years or under,” be
sent to Jamaica, “the allowance to each one not to exceed 20 shillings.”
May 22, 1656, an order was adopted “for the transportation of 1200 men
from Knockfergus in Ireland and Port Patrick in Scotland to Jamaica.”
(Quoted by Rev. James H. O’Donnell in his _History of the Diocese of
Hartford_, Conn.)
A Rhode Island soldier, Patrick Tracy, participated with Montgomery in
the assault on Quebec. He was of the company of Capt. Simeon Thayer of
Providence, R. I., and was killed in the assault just mentioned.
Cornelius Hagerty and Corporal James Hayden of the company were wounded.
In a work on this invasion of Canada, reference is made to John M.
Taylor, “keen as an Irish greyhound,” who was Arnold’s purveyor and
commissary in the wilderness. Mention is also made of Lieut. William
Cross, “a handsome little Irishman, always neatly dressed,” who
commanded, on the Isle of Orleans, a detachment of some twenty men.
Among the land patents granted in New York under the English colonial
government, was one to David Mooney, 1765. The tract was located in
Washington County and comprised 2,000 acres. It was known as the Mooney
patent. The Otsego patent, 100,000 acres, was granted to George Croghan
and ninety-nine others, in 1769. Croghan is also mentioned in connection
with other patents. Michael Byrne and others were granted the Stony Hill
Tract, 18,000 acres, in 1768. It was located in Schoharie County. The
Adaquataugie patent, 26,000 acres, in Otsego County, was granted in 1770
to Sir William Johnson, an Irishman, and others.
The rolls of the Third New York Regiment of the Line, during the
Revolution, contain a large number of Irish names. They include Brady,
Brannon, Burke, Burns, Butler, Condon, Connolly, Dempsey, Doherty, Dunn,
Flynn, Garvey, Geraghty, Gillaspy, Hickey, Hogan, Kelly, Lyon, McCarty,
McConnelly, McCord, McCormick, McCoy, McDermot, McGinnis, McGown,
McGuire, Mackey, McLaughlin, McNeal, McQuin, Madden, Mahan, Moloy,
Moore, Morris, Morrison, Mulholand, Murray, O’Connoley, Quigley, Riley,
Ryan, Sullivan, Sweeny, Tobin, Wall, Welch and others. (Vide _New York
in the Revolution_, by Comptroller James A. Roberts, Albany, 1898.)
Among Irish names found in Connecticut at early periods may be mentioned
Brian Rosseter, Windsor, 1639; Thomas Dunn, New Haven, 1647; Lawrence
Ward, Branford, 1654; Thomas Welch, Milford, 1654; John Mead, Stamford,
1656; Richard Hughes, New Haven, 1659; Edward Fanning, Mystic, 1662;
Thomas Ford, Windsor, 1669; Richard Butler, Stratford, 1669; Hugh
Griffin, Stratford, 1669; William Meade, New London, 1669; Thomas Sha
(Shea), Sr., Stonington, 1669; Thomas Tracy, Norwich, 1669; Timothy
Ford, New Haven, 1669; Jeremiah Blake, New London, 1681; James Kelly,
New London, 1682; Owen McCarty, New London, 1693.
Gen. Walter Stewart, a Pennsylvania officer of the Revolution, was born
in Ireland, about 1756. He settled in Philadelphia, Pa., espoused the
cause of the Patriots, and in 1776 was commissioned captain. He was made
an aide-de-camp to General Gates the same year. In 1777, Stewart was
commissioned colonel of the Pennsylvania State Regiment of Foot, took
part in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and retired in 1786
with the rank of brevet brigadier-general. In 1794, he was major-general
of Pennsylvania state troops. General Washington was godfather to his
eldest son. (Campbell’s _History of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick_,
Philadelphia.)
The Marquis de Chastellux in a tour through Connecticut, 1780, stopped
at Litchfield. His host there was a Mr. Philips. The latter was, the
Marquis tells us, “an Irishman transplanted to America, where he has
already made a fortune; he appears to be a man skillful and adroit; he
speaks with caution to strangers, and fears to compromise himself; for
the rest he is of a gayer mood than the Americans, even a little of a
joker, a kind but little known in America.” (From _Voyages de M. Le
Marquis de Chastellux dans L’Amerique, Septentrionale les annees 1780,
1781 and 1782_; quoted by Rev. James H. O’Donnell in his _History of the
Diocese of Hartford_.)
A prominent merchant in Philadelphia, Pa., at one period, was James
Caldwell. He was a native of Ireland. He was a patriot of the
Revolution, a member of the First City Troop, Philadelphia, and took
part with it in the campaign of 1776–’77. Campbell’s _History of the
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick_, Philadelphia, says that he was “one of
the six volunteers of the Troop who accompanied Colonel Reed on December
30, 1776, from Trenton to reconnoitre the advanced posts of the enemy,
and who captured twelve British soldiers during that expedition.” In
1780, Caldwell subscribed £2,000 to the bank that was organized to
supply the Continental army with provisions.
Rev. Mr. Lyons, an Irish clergyman of the Church of England, who was
located in Derby, Conn., was subjected to great abuse there because of
his nationality. Writing to London, May 8, 1744, he says: “As soon as
they had advice of my appointment, and from what country I came, and,
indeed, before I arrived among them, they abused me, calling me ‘an
Irish Teague and Foreigner,’ with many other reflections of an
uncivilized and unchristian kind. It would be too tedious to record all
the abuse and insults I have received in Derby.” (_Church Documents of
the Protestant Episcopal Church_, quoted by Rev. James H. O’Donnell in
his _History of the Diocese of Hartford_.)
Patrick Ward, a lieutenant, was one of the defenders of Fort Griswold,
Conn., during the Revolution. The fort was attacked by the British
during the raid conducted by Arnold, the traitor, and after a gallant
resistance was captured by the enemy. The atrocities committed upon the
surrendered and helpless garrison, by the British, constitutes one of
the blackest chapters in the history of warfare. The event has ever
since been known as the “Massacre of Fort Griswold.” Ward was one of the
victims. On a stone over his grave was placed this inscription: “In
memory of Mr. Patrick Ward who fell a victim to British cruelty in Fort
Griswold, Sept. 6th, 1781, in the 25th year of his age.”
Felt’s _Ecclesiastical History of New England_ mentions William Collins
who, about 1640, accompanied a party of refugees from the West Indies to
what is now New Haven, Conn. After a time these wayfarers dispersed “and
some returned to Ireland.” Collins afterwards taught school at Hartford,
Conn., and subsequently wedded a daughter of Anne Hutchinson who with
her family had been banished from Boston, Mass., by the intolerant
Boston church, because of her religious views. She took up her residence
on the island of Rhode Island. Later, the family removed to territory
under Dutch jurisdiction, where Mrs. Hutchinson, her son and her
son-in-law (Collins) were killed by the Indians.
An interesting tradition is told concerning George Berkeley, “the
Kilkenny scholar,” Anglican dean of Derry, and later bishop of Cloyne.
The tradition relates to his arrival at Newport, R. I., in 1729, and is
thus narrated: “The captain of the ship in which he and his party sailed
could not find the island of Bermuda, and having given up the search for
it, steered northward until they discovered land unknown to them and
supposed to be inhabited by savages. On making a signal, however, two
men came on board from Block Island, in the character of pilots, who on
inquiry informed them that the harbor of Newport was near.” The
tradition may be founded on fact, but opinions vary concerning it.
John Mease, born in County Tyrone, Ireland, became a shipping merchant
in Philadelphia, Pa., and was a patriot of the Revolution. He was with
the force that crossed the Delaware with Washington on the night of Dec.
25, 1776, and surprised the Hessians at Trenton. On another occasion he
was of a detail told-off to keep the fires along the American front
burning while the patriots secretly moved in another direction to fall
upon the British at Princeton. On one occasion during the war Mease
subscribed £4,000 in aid of the Patriot cause. He was affectionately
spoken of in his old age as “The last of the cocked hats,” on account of
his continuing to wear the three-cornered hat of the Revolution.
Count Arthur Dillon, commander of the Irish-French regiment of Dillon
during the American Revolution, perished by the guillotine in Paris, a
victim to the Terror. The regiment of Dillon formed part of the Irish
brigade in the service of France, and was a most historic corps. It
dated its organization back to the previous century. Count Dillon, above
mentioned, came with his regiment to America with our French allies and
rendered valiant service. He took part in the capture from the British
of St. Eustache, Tobago and St. Christopher, participated in the attack
on Savannah and in the siege and capture of Yorktown. He became a
brigadier and marechal-de-camp, and, in 1792, was in command of a
division in the French army.
In 1743 there was born in Dublin, Ireland, a boy who was destined to
take a prominent part in the American Revolution. He was Richard Butler.
He came to this country, espoused the Patriot cause, and attained
distinction as a soldier. His ability was early recognized by Congress
and, 1776, he was appointed major. In 1777 he was commissioned colonel
of the Fifth Pennsylvania; was an officer of Morgan’s Rifle Corps, and
took part in the battles of Bemis’ Heights and Stillwater; was made
colonel of the Ninth Pennsylvania; commanded the Americans at the
storming of Stony Point; participated in the siege and capture of
Yorktown. He attained the rank of major-general and was second in
command of St. Clair’s army for operations against the Indians. He was
killed in battle by an Indian, 1791.
“Thomas the Irishman” is mentioned in the Dutch records of New York.
Thus, Hon. Peter Stuyvesant, Director-General of New Netherland, writing
to Capt. Martin Cregier, 1663, says: “Your letter by Thomas the Irishman
has just been received.” ... On Aug. 5, 1663, Captain Cregier writes in
his journal: “Thomas the Irishman arrived here at the Redoubt from the
Manhatans.” On Sept. 1, 1663, Captain Cregier writes: “Thomas the
Irishman and Claesje Hoorn arrived with their yachts at the Kill from
the Manhatans,” and on the 17th of the same month the captain writes:
“Thomas the Irishman arrived today.” The foregoing references may be
found in _Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New
York_, edited by Fernow, Vol. XIII, Albany, 1881.
The first president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New York City,
1784, was Daniel McCormick, a native of Ireland. He came to this country
prior to the Revolution, and amassed a large fortune, was one of the
first directors of the Bank of New York, and was associated with William
Constable and Alexander Macomb, two Irishmen, in extensive land
enterprises. Barrett’s _Old Merchants of New York_ states that “Mr.
McCormick was a glorious example of the old New Yorker,” and “stuck to
short breeches and white stockings and buckles to the last.” He was a
great entertainer, “gave good dinner parties, and had choice old wines
upon the table.” He is also mentioned “as one of the most polished
gentlemen of the city.” He “was the last occupant of a first-class
dwelling on Wall Street, since devoted wholly to business.”
From the records of the selectmen, Boston, Mass., May 4, 1723: “Whereas
great numbers of Persons haue [have] very lately bin Transported from
Ireland into this Province, many of which by Reason of the Present
Indian war and the Accedents befalling them, Are now Resident in this
Town whose Circomstances and Condition are not known, Some of which if
due care be not taken may become a Town Charge or be otherwise
prejuditial to the wellfair & Prosperity of the Place, for Remady
whereof Ordered That Every Person now Resident here, that hath within
the Space of three years last past bin brought from Ireland, or for the
future Shal come from thence hither, Shal come and enter his name and
Occupation with the Town Clerk, and if marryed the number and Age of his
Children and Servants, within the Space of fiue [five] dayes, on pain of
forfeiting and paying the Sum of twenty Shillings for Each offence***.”
Matthew Lyon, “the Hampden of Congress,” was born in County Wicklow,
Ireland, 1750. He came to this country in 1765; located in Connecticut,
and later in Vermont; participated with Ethan Allen in the capture of
Ticonderoga from the British; became adjutant of Col. Seth Warner’s
regiment; served under General Montgomery in the campaign against
Canada, 1775; became paymaster, with the rank of captain, in Warner’s
regiment; took part in the battles of Bennington and Saratoga; became
commissary-general of militia, with the rank of colonel; was a member of
the State Legislature and judge of Rutland County, Vt.; member of
Congress from Vermont from 1797 to 1801; cast the vote that made Thomas
Jefferson president of the United States; removed to Kentucky and
represented that state in Congress from 1803 to 1811.
Sarah W. Alexander, who wedded Christopher R. Perry of Rhode Island,
became the mother of Oliver H. Perry—best known as Commodore Perry—who
defeated the British in the naval battle on Lake Erie. She was a native
of Newry, Ireland, and was born in 1768. Mackenzie, in his _Life of
Commodore Perry_, just mentioned, says that her friends in Ireland “Had
been involved in the Irish rebellion. She herself, had felt a lively
interest in the cause of liberty, and had listened with deep interest to
every account she had heard of battles and skirmishes in the
neighborhood. She took a pleasure in recounting ... the achievements of
her countrymen and always insisted that they were the bravest people in
the world. These narratives fired the mind of Oliver and created a
desire in him to pursue the profession of arms.” Oliver received much of
his early education from “Old Master” Kelly, an Irish school teacher at
Tower Hill, R. I.
From the records of the selectmen, Boston, Mass., Aug. 16, 1736: “mr.
James Wimble Informs That Capt. Benedict Arnold who just arrived from
Cork with Passengers, came to his House yesterday, being Lord’s day in
the afternoon, bringing with him the following Persons, Viz^t. Mr.
Benj^a. Ellard, Gent, and his Wife and Three Children, and a Maid
Servant, Joseph Atkins, John Clark, John Seley, Thomas Morgan, James
Ellard, John Ellard, Benjamin Gillam, Elizabeth Ellard and William Neal.
Accordingly the Master Capt. Arnold was sent for Who appear’d and gave
Information, That he came from Ireland about Twelve Weeks ago, and that
he is Bound to Philadelphia with his Passengers, Who in all, are one
Hundred and Twenty, Hopes to Sail in a few days, as soon as he can
Recruit with Water and Provisions, and Promises That the Passengers
which came ashore Yesterdy shall repair aboard again to day, The Ships
name is the Prudent Hannah.”
Gen. William Irvine of the Revolution was born near Enniskellen, County
Fermanagh, Ireland, 1741. He came to America in 1764, and settled at
Carlisle, Pa. He espoused the patriot cause, raised and commanded the
Sixth Pennsylvania regiment; commanded a brigade at the battle of
Monmouth, and when Lee’s troops were retreating, they so impeded the
advance of this gallant Irishman’s brigade that he threatened to charge
through them before he could make his way to take an advanced position.
Irvine was made a brigadier-general in May, 1779, and was assigned to
the command of the Second brigade of the Pennsylvania Line; later he
became a member of the State Council of Censors; member of the
Continental Congress; senior major-general of Pennsylvania State troops;
a presidential elector; in charge of United States military stores at
Philadelphia. He was a member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick,
Philadelphia. (_Vide_ Campbell’s _History of the Friendly Sons of St.
Patrick_.)
William Constable was born in Dublin, Ireland, 1752; a patriot of the
Revolution; joined the Continental army as an aide to Lafayette;
prominent as a merchant in Philadelphia, Pa.; married Ann White, a
schoolmate of the wife of General Washington; removed to New York City
in 1784; also very prominent there; associated in business with Robert
Morris and Governeur Morris, the firm being known as Constable & Co.;
engaged in huge land speculations, purchasing large tracts in New York,
Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, and Georgia; bought in 1787, with Alexander
Macomb, a tract of 640,000 acres in New York, Constable’s share being
192,000 acres; in 1791, he and Alexander Macomb and Daniel McCormick
purchased a tract, in New York, of some 4,000,000 acres, or about a
tenth part of the whole state. This purchase comprised the “whole of the
present counties of Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Franklin, with
parts of Oswego and Herkimer.” On one occasion, about 1797, Constable
lent $1,000 to the fugitive Duke of Orleans in this country, which loan
was afterwards repaid by Louis Philippe. Constable was a member of the
Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Philadelphia, and of the Hibernian Society
of that city. He was president of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, New
York City, in 1789–’90 and in 1795.
MEMOIR OF MATHEW CAREY.
BY HENRY CAREY BAIRD.[14]
Mathew Carey, the Philadelphia publisher, was born in the city of
Dublin, Ireland, on the 28th of January, 1760. His father, Christopher
Carey, at one time in the British navy, was subsequently an extensive
contractor for the army, through which means he achieved an
independence.
The son early evinced a passion for the acquisition of knowledge, and in
addition to some familiarity with Latin, soon became proficient in
French, without the assistance of a master. To do this, however, he
studied as much as fifteen or sixteen hours a day, hardly allowing
himself time for his meals. The peculiar orthography of his Christian
name as rendered by himself, “Mathew,” and not “Matthew,” was the result
of a philological discussion with one of his brothers, when quite a
young man, and his then arriving at a belief that from its derivation
this was the correct mode of spelling it.
When about fifteen years of age it became necessary for Mathew to choose
a trade. He was decidedly in favor of that of printer and bookseller,
which were then generally united. His father had a strong aversion to
the trade, and refused to look out a master for him, which he did for
himself, and he was accordingly apprenticed to a printer and bookseller
of the name of McDonnel. A lameness which took place owing to the
carelessness of his nurse when he was about a year old, and which
continued throughout life, was a constant drawback to him, and
interfered greatly with him in his career.
His first essay as a writer was when he was about seventeen years old,
and was on the subject of dueling, which he condemned with great
severity—the occasion being the attempt of a bookseller in Dublin to
bring about a duel between an apprentice of his own and one of
McDonnel’s. As will be seen, however, after he came to the United
States, Mr. Carey was himself a principal, and was wounded in a duel.
His next attempt at authorship was one which involved most serious
consequences to himself, and drove him into exile. Having directed his
attention to the oppressions under which the Irish Catholics stood, and
having read every book and pamphlet on the subject which he could
procure, and with his mind filled with their sufferings, and his
indignation aroused, he, in 1779, wrote a pamphlet entitled _The Urgent
Necessity of an Immediate Repeal of the whole Penal Code against the
Roman Catholics, Candidly Considered; to which is added an inquiry into
the prejudices against them; being an appeal to the Roman Catholics of
Ireland, exciting them to a just sense of their civil and religious
rights as citizens of a free nation_.
When nearly ready it was advertised for publication in a few days, with
the title page and its mottoes, and the attention of the public was
called to it by an address, couched in very strong language, and wherein
reference was made to the fact that “America by a desperate effort has
nearly emancipated herself from slavery.” It excited considerable alarm.
Parliament was then in session, and the advertisement was brought before
both houses. The publication was denounced by an association of Roman
Catholics, which, as Mr. Carey has asserted, “partook of the general
depression and servile spirit, which a long course of oppression
uniformly produces.”
This association offered a reward for the apprehension of the author,
and engaged lawyers to carry on the prosecution in case of discovery.
The authorship having become known to Mr. Carey’s father, was to him a
cause of great alarm, and efforts were made to appease the wrath of the
committee, and induce them to abandon the prosecution by an offer to
destroy the entire edition. This was of no avail, and after being
concealed for some days, Mr. Carey got on board of a Holyhead packet and
proceeded to Paris.
He carried with him a letter of introduction to a Catholic priest, by
whom he was introduced to Dr. Franklin, then the American Minister to
the French Court, and who had a small printing office at Passy for the
purpose of printing his dispatches from America. In this office Mr.
Carey was employed while this work lasted. Afterwards he found a
position with the celebrated publisher, Didot, who was then printing
some English books. While at Passy he made the acquaintance of the
Marquis de Lafayette—whose friendship at a subsequent period became one
of the most controlling influences of his future career.
In about twelve months he returned to Dublin, and the remainder of his
apprenticeship having been purchased from McDonnel, he engaged for a
time as the conductor of a paper called the _Freeman’s Journal_.
Finally, on the 13th of October, 1783, his father furnished him with the
means to establish a new paper called the _Volunteers’ Journal_. For
this work, he says, he was “miserably qualified,” although he had “a
superabundance of zeal and ardor, and a tolerable knack and facility of
scribbling.” He adds: “The paper, as might have been expected, partook
largely of the character of its proprietor and editor. Its career was
enthusiastic and violent. It suited the temper of the times, exercised a
decided influence on public opinion; and, in very short time, had a
greater circulation than any other paper in Dublin, except the _Evening
Post_, which had the great merit of calling into existence that glorious
band of brothers, the Volunteers of Ireland, whose zeal and determined
resolution to assert and defend the rights of country, struck terror
into the British cabinet, and forced the ministry to knock off chains
that had bound down the nation for centuries.”