James McSparran, an Irish Protestant Clergyman of Rhode Island, writing
in 1752, referring to the New Hampshire settlement, says: “In the
province lies that town called Londonderry—all Irish and famed for
industry and riches.”
In Maine, we may mention among the early Irish, the five O’Brien
brothers, of Machias, including Captain Jeremiah O’Brien, who fought and
won the first sea fight with the British. O’Brien’s exploits are well
described by the Rev. A. M. Sherman in “The Life of Captain Jeremiah
O’Brien of Machias, Maine.” Owen Sullivan, the father of Gen. John
Sullivan and of James, Governor of Massachusetts, arrived at Boston,
1723, and settled in Berwick, Maine, about 1730. Being of an excellent
education, he was a teacher in Berwick, Maine, and Somersworth, N. H.
Several of the highest grade families of Massachusetts are descendant
from Owen Sullivan.
The Irish have always been an upbuilding part of the population in New
York. In O’Callaghan’s “Documentary History of New York,” as shown by M.
J. O’Brien,[13] are found men named Gill, Barrett, and Ferris, settlers
and Indian fighters in New Netherlands in 1657, and in 1673 Patrick
Dowdall, John Fitzgerald, Benjamin Cooley, Thomas Basset, L. Collins,
and Thomas Guinn were enrolled in the militia.
In the census of the City of New York in 1703, appear such names as
Mooney, Dooley, Walsh, Carroll, Dauly, Corbett, Coleman, Curre, Kenne,
Gilley, Gurney, Mogan, Buckley, etc., all with an Irish ring. In 1733
many others of clearly Irish origin are mentioned. In the muster roll of
the militia of New York City in 1737, are such Irish names as Welsh,
McDowell, Ryan, Mooney, Hayes, Donlon, Gill, Murfry, Magee, Kelly,
Sutton, Farley, Sullivan, McMullen, O’Brien, etc.
John Anderson of Dublin was high in the affection of the old Dutch
settlers of Beverwycks, now Albany, as early as 1645, as shown by
Danaher in “Early Irish in old Albany,” N. Y., 1903. He is mentioned in
the old Dutch records: “Jans Andriessen de Iersman van Dublingh,” and as
an instance of his popularity he is affectionately referred to as Jantie
or Jantien, meaning Johnnie or little Johnnie. As shown by the same
writer, many Irishmen were early prominent in Albany.
Thomas Dongan, the son of an Irish baronet, governed New York in 1683.
During his administration he did much to encourage education. He was a
Catholic, tolerant of all forms of religion. In 1687 he promulgated the
“Declaration of Indulgence,” which authorized public worship by any sect
and abolished all religious qualifications for office.
In a work entitled “Names of Persons for whom Marriage Licenses were
Issued by the Secretary of the State of New York previously to 1784,”
compiled by Gideon J. Tucker (when Secretary of State), page after page
looks more like a record of the province of Munster than of the province
of New York. “It is quarto volume,” says O’Brien, “printed in small type
and there are eleven pages devoted to persons whose names commence with
Mac and three to the O’s. Nearly every name common to Ireland is here
represented.”
Between 1600 to 1775, many Irishmen were teaching in the Colonies. Of
these I may mention a few. In 1640, William Collins in New Haven; Peter
Pelham, in Boston in 1734. Robert Alexander is justly regarded as the
founder of Washington and Lee University; Rev. Francis Allison of
Donegal, Ireland, came to America in 1735. In 1752 he took charge of an
educational institute in Philadelphia and became vice provost and
professor of moral philosophy in the College of Pennsylvania in 1755.
Rev. Samuel Finley, native of Armagh, Ireland, was president of the
College of New Jersey in 1761. Michael Walsh came to America in 1792. He
was a teacher in an academy at Marblehead, Mass. Among his pupils was
Joseph Storey of the United States Supreme Court. Harvard conferred a
degree upon him. In 1737, John Sullivan taught school at Somersworth, N.
H. William Donovan, an Irish schoolmaster, kept a grammar school in the
town of Weare, N. H., in 1773. Humphrey Sullivan was a school teacher of
Exeter, N. H. Darby Kelly taught school in New Hampshire, etc. Bishop
Berkeley, author of “Westward the Star of Empire takes its course,” came
from Kilkenny to Newport, R. I., in 1729. He donated to Yale College an
excellent collection of books.
At the opening of the revolutionary era, the whole Irish race threw its
weight into the colonial scale. The Irish Commons, according to T.
D’Arcy McGee in “The Irish Settlers in America,” refused to vote
forty-five thousand dollars for the war. The Irish in England, headed by
Burke, Barrè, and Sheridan, spoke and wrote openly in defense of
America. The Irish in France were equally zealous. Counts MacMahon,
Dillon, Colonel Roche-Fermoy, General Conway, etc., held themselves
ready to volunteer into the service of America and afterwards at the
desire of the American agent in Paris did so.
John Barry was the first Commodore of the American Navy. He was in many
actions and was always successful. He has been called by naval writers
“The father of the American Navy.” The first prize carried into the
United States was a British ship captured by Captain O’Brien and brought
into Marblehead.
Charles Thompson, an Irishman, was secretary to the first Continental
Congress. He wrote out the Declaration of Independence from Jefferson’s
draft. Mr. John Dunlap, a native of Strabane, Ireland, issued in 1771
the Pennsylvania Packet, the first daily paper published in America. He
was printer to the Convention of 1774 and to the first Congress, and was
the first who printed the Declaration of Independence.
Nine of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were of Irish
origin: Secretary Thompson, Thornton for New Hampshire, James Smith for
Pennsylvania, George Taylor, Pennsylvania; George Read, Delaware;
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, Maryland; Thomas Lynch, of South
Carolina; Thomas McKean, a signer for Pennsylvania; Edward Rutledge, of
South Carolina. Six of the thirty-six delegates to the Convention for
ascertaining the Constitution were Irish: Read, McKean, John Rutledge,
Pierce Butler, of South Carolina, Daniel Carroll and Thomas Fitzsimmons.
The site of Washington is partly on the farm of Daniel Carroll, a cousin
of Charles, the signer, and was presented to Washington by him.
As regards the Continental Army it may be said that Mr. George
Washington Parke Custis, the adopted son of Washington, says in his
Personal Recollections, that Ireland contributed to the Continental Army
one hundred to one of any nation before the coming of the French. Among
the French, as is well known, there were many Irish. Others have put the
number of Irish in Washington’s army as high as fifty per cent. Since I
have not been able to get original records regarding the Irish in the
Revolutionary army I shall leave the question with the statement,
supported by fairly wide reading on the subject, that to put it
conservatively a very large number of the soldiers were Irish, or of
Irish origin, as were many of the officers. The question of the Irish,
composition of the army of the Revolution is being considered and an
investigation of the muster rolls is being made by one of our members,
so that in the near future the Irish contribution in this regard will
receive an unquestionable verification.
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick was founded at Philadelphia in 1771,
where Catholic, Presbyterian, Quaker, and Episcopalian were united like
a band of brothers. It was composed of the most active and influential
men. The devotion of its members to the cause of freedom was
acknowledged by Washington in a letter to the President of the Society
where he described the Society as “distinguished for the firmness of its
members to the glorious cause in which we are embarked.” Of the Society
seven were generals in the Revolutionary army. Wayne, Stewart, William
Thompson, Knox, Irvine, Hand, and Moylan, the latter being the first
President of the Society. This Society rendered material assistance to
the necessities of the army. At a time when everything depended on a
vigorous prosecution of the war it was found impossible to arouse the
public spirit of the Americans. In this emergency was conceived and
carried into operation the plan of the Bank of Pennsylvania, established
for supplying the army of the United States with provisions for two
months. Ninety-three individuals and firms subscribed and the amount
realized was three hundred thousand pounds. Of this twenty-seven members
of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick subscribed one hundred and three
thousand five hundred pounds.
John Sullivan and John Langdon, in 1774, seized the military stores at
Fort William and Mary at the entrance of the Harbor of Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, and thus enabled the so-called rebels to fight the battle of
Bunker Hill.
Richard Montgomery, who was born in the County of Donegal, Ireland, was
the first general of the Continental Army to fall.
It is quite evident, even from the present surface survey of the part
played by the Irish early in our history, that the Irish took a
prominent part in the settlement of the original thirteen colonies. It
seems strange, but yet it is true, that there is a paucity of
recognition of the splendid services of the Irish emigrant on the part
of some historians. Irish may be met with, however, everywhere in the
early records. By hardy pluck and upbuilding, energy and sterling
personality they made their way even in the face of prejudice and
bigotry which were occasionally met with.
At the present day men of the Irish race and Irish ancestry are at the
forefront in many lines of human endeavor, as might easily be shown by
the quotation of names and achievements. I feel that in this glorious
land of promise we have our eyes on the ideal and are ever improving,
ever growing, doing our duty as we go, and leaving the world better, not
only by deeds done and tasks performed, but better still by the cheering
word and hearty sympathy, by the shedding of radiant happiness and
buoyancy of spirit about us as the Irishman has been wont to do in all
times and in all climes. We Americans of Irish descent can hold our
heads high in the spirit of things done, in the fairness of our natures
and the purity of our motives, seeking pure justice and asking but the
favors that in all charity we give to others.
THE IRISH IN THE EARLY DAYS OF ST. LOUIS.
BY REV. CORNELIUS F. O’LEARY OF WELLSTON, MO.
“_Quae regio in terris nostri non plena laboris?_”
If our Mantuan bard could have looked into the not very distant future
he would have beheld a people immeasurably more cosmopolitan than the
Trojans, and infinitely more deserving of the above proud boast. Having
in mind the scattered children of the Gael, could he not ask with
greater truth: “What land on earth has not borne witness to our toil?”
Who has not heard of the military adventures of the ancient Gael
pursuing his conquering march to the very walls of Rome and dictating to
its proud citizens humiliating terms of surrender? It was on one of
these occasions that a Roman general complained of the severity of the
fine when the intrepid Gael added to the scale by placing thereon his
sword, uttering the _Vae Victis_ of the Conqueror.
Abandoning the course of horrid war, which is hell let loose, the men of
Erin turned their minds and hearts to Christianity. The land became
dotted over with churches and monasteries until the very place became
Religion. Then a beautiful chapter opens to us—the exodus of Irish
missionaries to foreign lands—to England and Scotland, to Germany and
France, to Belgium and even Italy, in allusion to which Darcy McGee
remarks that the sun rises in the West and sets in the East—“Ireland
enlightens Rome by the light derived from Rome”—
But the flight is far too long;
Weak the wings of worldly song;
David’s muse alone could rise
To a theme of such emprise
As to give in long array
Those who in that happiest day
Bore on faith’s bright flag unfurl’d
Erin’s name throughout the world.
Then came a dark night which brooded over the land, and Erin’s sons were
forced to emigrate to France and Spain and finally to America, that
Greater Island, by which name she was known ten centuries ago.
To pursue the history of the Irish in America is the pleasing and
fruitful task set before the members of this grand society, and so I
hope I am in harmony with its spirit and aim if I essay to trace the
footsteps of the Irish in the early days of St. Louis.
By the Treaty of Paris 1762 New Orleans and Upper Louisiana became the
property of Spain. The Kings of that country sent Antonio de Ulloa,
Viceroy of Louisiana, to establish Spanish authority here in 1767. The
French did not at first take kindly to Spanish domination, and so the
gentle Ulloa is ignominiously expelled from New Orleans. Spain, in its
anger, turned to an Irish officer in its military service, Count
Alexander O’Reilly, who soon brought the French of Louisiana to see the
folly of resistance. Count O’Reilly was born at Baltrassna, Co. Meath,
Ireland, A. D. 1722. He had seen much service in European wars, chiefly
under the flag of Spain. The following list of his titles shows the
prominence he attained in military life: Don Alexander O’Reilly,
Commander of Benfayon of the Order of Alcantara; Lieutenant-General of
the armies of His Most Catholic Majesty, Inspector General of Infantry,
and by Commission Governor and Captain-General of the Province of
Louisiana. Promoted to be Field Marshal, he was subsequently sent to
Havana, which he newly fortified and strengthened, and later was sent in
June, 1768, to recover Louisiana. Though never having set foot in St.
Louis, he is credited with having outlined its governmental policy.
In the year 1804, when the formal transfer of Louisiana occurred, we
find mention of John Mullanphy’s arrival in the village of St. Louis.
Born in 1758 near Enniskillen, Co. Fermanaugh, Ireland, John Mullanphy
entered the Irish Brigade in the service of France at the age of twenty.
At its dispersion, on the imprisonment of Louis XVI, Lieutenant
Mullanphy returned to Ireland, and in 1789 married Miss Elizabeth Brown.
Three years after this Mr. and Mrs. Mullanphy, with one child, sailed
for America, landing in Philadelphia, which became their home for a
time. They next resided in Baltimore, where they formed the acquaintance
of Rev. John Carroll, afterwards the first bishop of America, between
whom a strong friendship took root. Remembering the lines of Berkeley,
“Westward the star of Empire takes its way,” our citizen of the world
turned towards Kentucky, where he established his home in 1798. While
here his home in Frankfort became the stopping place of the early
Catholic Missionary, and the temporary chapel of the scattered children
of the Church. In 1804 Mr. Gratiot coming to Frankfort, his acquaintance
with Mr. Mullanphy grew into closest friendship, which led our hero to
move to St. Louis, where he was appointed Justice of the Peace. Here
fortune smiled upon him, but he was not the man whom riches could
corrupt. He made to himself friends of the Mammon of Iniquity, and so
filled his life with noble deeds. In 1827 he settled upon the Ladies of
the Sacred Heart twenty-four arpents of land, adjoining the village,
today worth millions, on which was a brick house, and gave them ready
money for its necessary furnishings. The condition of this bequest was
that the Sisters should care for and educate in perpetuity twenty young
orphan girls. Mr. Mullanphy assisted in establishing an orphan home for
boys. He likewise founded a home for aged and destitute widows, and,
assisted by Bishop Rosati, brought out the Sisters of Charity—the
spiritual daughters of St. Vincent de Paul—to take charge of a hospital,
the first of its kind in St. Louis, which is now called by his name.
Besides his never-failing daily charities, he in times of scarcity gave
sums of money to the bakers to furnish bread to the hungry poor, and
when the cholera was raging employed a young physician, Dr. Henry, to
visit the sick throughout the surrounding country. Mr. Mullanphy died in
St. Louis in 1833. His only surviving son, Bryan, was also remarkable
for his great charities. In November the 14th, 1845, Judge Bryan
Mullanphy was chairman of the Committee of Catholic gentlemen who
founded the first conference of the St. Vincent de Paul society in the
New World. He also established an immense fund for the relief of
emigrants on their way to settle in the West.
The next Irishman who figured prominently in the early history of St.
Louis was Mr. Jeremiah Connor. He came to St. Louis in 1805. He was the
third sheriff of that city, appointed by Governor Wilkinson in 1806,
serving as such for four years and acting also as collector and
treasurer. He laid out Washington Avenue, one of the finest streets of
the city, through the center of his private property, which he
generously relinquished to the city without consideration. When Bishops
Flaget and Dubourg came to St. Louis in 1818, the latter to establish
his Episcopal residence there, Jeremiah Connor donated a thousand
dollars towards his reception. Later he gave the bishop the site
afterwards occupied by the Jesuit Church and College, known as the St.
Louis University.
[Illustration:
HON. ZENAS W. BLISS.
Lieutenant-Governor of Rhode Island.
A New Member of the Society.
]
Another son of the Emerald Isle, a man of ability and prominence, was
Joseph Charless, Sr., who was born in Westmeath in 1772. Being
implicated in the Irish rebellion in 1795, he fled to France and thence
to America in 1796. After a few years’ stay in Philadelphia he removed
to Louisville, Ky. He came to St. Louis in 1808, where he established
the first newspaper west of the Mississippi River—the _Missouri
Gazette_, the name being afterwards changed to _Missouri Republican_
when under the management of his son Edward in 1822. It continues to
this day under the name of the _St. Louis Republic_.
Alexander McNair, born in Pennsylvania of Irish parents, was the fourth
sheriff in St. Louis, succeeding Jeremiah Connor in that office. During
the war of 1812 he raised a company of Mounted Rangers of which he was
elected the captain. In 1816, when Congress established a land office
for the St. Louis district, he was appointed by President Madison the
first register of the same, and held office four years until he was
elected, in 1820, the first governor of the state.
Quite a large number of Irish settlers came to St. Louis, rowing their
own boat down from Pittsburg, and reaching St. Louis early in 1809. The
leaders were John McKnight and Thomas Brady, who had formed a
co-partnership in the east. They opened a store at once, and being
enterprising, intelligent men, the house of McKnight & Brady was not
long in acquiring prominence, and soon became extensively known for its
enterprise and public spirit. In 1816 they erected a double brick house
of two stories, which was opened as the Washington Hall—the seventh
brick house in St. Louis, and the first built for a hotel, in which, on
the twenty-second of February, 1817, the first observance of
Washington’s birthday, west of the Mississippi, took place by a public
dinner presided over by Gov. William Clark, brother of Gen. George
Rodger Clark, styled the Hannibal of the Revolution, who were of Irish
descent. Mr. Brady died October, 1821. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Dubourg
officiated at the funeral obsequies. Mr. Brady’s father-in-law was John
Rice Jones, then chief justice of the Supreme Court of the state.
We may form an idea of the strength of the Irish contingent in early
history when we read of the following annals: 1818, Feb. 9—Erin
Benevolent Society. A meeting of Irishmen to form a benevolent society
was held at the house of Jeremiah Connor, Thomas Brady, Chairman, and
Thomas Hanly, secretary. A committee of five: Jeremiah Connor, James
McGunnegle, John Mullanphy, Alexander Blackwill and Arthur McGinnis,
were appointed to frame resolutions. Adjourned to meet Tuesday, 24th
inst., at 10 o’clock a. m., at the house of Thomas Brady.
1819, October 10—At meeting of Irish citizens held at the house of
Jeremiah Connor at which he presided, and James Nagle, Esq., acted as
secretary, adopted a constitution for the Erin Benevolent Society and
adjourned to Thursday 21.
October 21—Met pursuant to adjournment and proceeded to the election:
Jeremiah Connor, president; Thomas Hanly, vice-president; Hugh Ranken,
treasurer; Laurence Ryan, secretary; Thomas English, James Timon, Robert
N. Catherwood, Joseph Charles and Hugh O’Neil, standing committee; and
John Timon, Robert Ranken and Francis Rochford, visiting committee.
1820, March 17—The first observance of the day in St. Louis by a
procession of the society and a dinner at which a number of toasts and
sentiments were drunk.
Another historic character of Irish birth was Col. Luke E. Lawless, who
came to St. Louis in 1816. He was born in Dublin in 1781. He was called
to the bar in 1805. In 1810 he passed over to France and entered the
French military service under his uncle, General William Lawless. He was
appointed military secretary to General Clark—Duc of Feltre,—and
promoted to a colonelcy. On the return of Napoleon from Elba he read the
address of congratulation from his regiment to the Emperor. After the
final defeat of Napoleon, in 1815, he came to the United States, and
adopted his former profession of law. Governor Dunklin appointed him
Judge of the circuit of St. Louis. He died in 1846.
Another honored name of the early days is that of Charles Chambers, who
was born in Dublin, in 1784. His father, John Chambers, was one of the
oldest stationers and publishers of that city. He was a member of the
Society of United Irishmen, and was arrested in that memorable year,
1798. He accompanied to New York, Thomas Addis Emmet, Dr. McNevin and
Dr. Cummings. Charles Chambers came to New York in 1803. In 1817 he
married Jane, the third daughter of John Mullanphy. We find him in St.
Louis in the spring of 1819.
The Ranken brothers, Hugh, Robert and David, were born in Londonderry,
Ireland. They emigrated to America, remaining in Philadelphia for some
time. We find two of the brothers engaged in business as early as 1819,
the third brother, David, arriving as late as 1850. They had been very
successful in business.
In 1818 we find Capt. James McGunegle, a member and one of the founders
of the Erin Benevolent Society, appointed Deputy Quartermaster-General
for St. Louis. He purchased the Territorial Bank of St. Louis, which he
held until his death, in 1822. He was buried with military honors by the
St. Louis Guards.
About this time there came to America from gallant Tipperary a lad of
twenty, named Edward Walsh, Sr. He came to Missouri, where he soon made
his mark as a man of surpassing ability and indomitable courage. He
turned his attention to many of the great utilities of this progressive
age—from the mining industry to the construction of great lines of
railroads, and from street car projects to the banking business. It may
be truly said of him that he was a vital force in the life and
development of St. Louis and entitled to be numbered among the city’s
founders and promoters. He left a family of four sons and two daughters,
who added to the lustre of his name.
James Tomon came to St. Louis in 1819. He was a man of superior
character. His eldest son, John, became the much beloved bishop of
Buffalo, N. Y.
Dr. James O’Fallen, born in Athlone, Ireland, served as a surgeon in the
Continental Army under Washington. His wife was Frances Clark, the
youngest sister of General George Rodger and William. Dr. O’Fallen died
in Louisville in 1793, leaving two sons, John and Benjamin. In 1811,
John O’Fallen, then twenty years of age, fought under Col. Davies at the
battle of Tippecanoe, where he was severely wounded. While connected
with the army he won much distinction. He settled in St. Louis, of which
he became one of her most prominent and public-spirited citizens. He
died in 1865.