Irish settlers are found in Rhode Island at a very early period. They
were contemporaneous with Roger Williams, John Clark, William
Coddington, and other leading men and proved sturdy, energetic members
of the community.
Some of these Irish pioneers doubtless came to Rhode Island as soldiers
in the Indian wars, and when the latter were over “remained and went not
away.” Others, in all probability, came as settlers from St. Kitts,
Jamaica, Montserrat, and Barbadoes. During Cromwell’s atrocious regime
in Ireland thousands of Irish were transported not only to the continent
of North America but also to the West Indies. Other thousands followed
them, forced from home by the iniquitous English policy of
extermination.
It is not at all unlikely that Rhode Island received many of these hardy
refugees and became to them a land of asylum and a permanent home. Nor
can it reasonably be doubted that Connecticut, Plymouth and “the Bay”
likewise contributed Irish settlers to Rhode Island at early periods and
in goodly numbers. In “Winthrop’s Journal,” under date of 1635, is an
entry indicating that even as early as that a considerable immigration
from Ireland to New England was under way. Thus readeth the entry:
“Another providence was in the voyage of Mr. Winthrop, the younger, and
Mr. Wilson, into England, who, returning in the winter time, in a small
and weak ship, bound for Barnstaple, were driven by foul weather upon
the coast of Ireland, not known by any in the ship, and were brought,
through many desperate dangers, into Galloway[5] [Galway] where they
parted, Mr. Winthrop taking his journey over land to Dublin, and Mr.
Wilson by sea. His ship was forced back by tempest to Kinsale. Mr.
Wilson being in Ireland, gave much satisfaction to the Christians there
about New England. Mr. Winthrop went to Dublin, and from thence to
Antrim in the North and came to the house of Sir John Clotworthy, the
evening before the day when divers godly persons were appointed to meet
at his house, to confer about their voyage to New England, by whom they
were thoroughly informed of all things and received great encouragement
to proceed on their intended course.”
Sometimes immigrants from Ireland were welcomed to New England and at
other times the contrary was the case.
Under date of September 25, 1634, the Massachusetts records have this
entry: “It is ordered that the Scottishe and Irishe gentlemen wch
intends to come hither shall have liberty to sitt down in any place Vpp
Merimacke Ryver, not possessed by any.” In the Massachusetts records
under date of 1640, is another interesting entry, to wit: “It is ordered
that the goods of the persons come from Ireland shallbee free from this
rate [tax].” And a marginal heading reads: “Irish goods now land free
from ye rat[e].”
In the records of Massachusetts, 1652, we find that one David Sellick
having craved pardon “for his offence in bringing some of the Irish men
on shoare, hath his fine remitted, so as the first optunite be taken to
send them out of this jurisdiction.” But where could they be sent? Only
to some place where they would be likely to get a better reception. In
this connection, Rhode Island, the refuge of so many oppressed by “the
Bay,” would naturally suggest itself, at least to a portion of the Irish
immigrants thus proceeded against. The writer inclines to the belief
that numbers of these Irish, being refused permission to reside
elsewhere in New England, finally located in Rhode Island.