that I have about that time that will take me away from Washington and
probably will not allow my return in time, would suggest that you do
not figure on my making any remarks at the meeting.
With best wishes for the Society’s success,
Very truly yours,
BIRD S. MCGUIRE.
[Illustration:
MR. BERNARD J. JOYCE.
Of Boston, Mass.
One of our most earnest and learned members.
]
January 12, 1909.
MR. THOMAS ZANSLAUR LEE,
_Acting Secretary-General_,
49 Westminster Street, Providence, R. I.
_My dear Judge Lee_: I have deferred writing you on the subject of
attending the forthcoming banquet of the American Irish Historical
Society in the hope that I might find it possible to be present.
However, I am doomed to disappointment. I cannot, much as I regret it,
find a way to be with you and our friends to share in the festivities.
That you will have an edifying and jolly good time goes without saying
and I regret exceedingly my inability to share in it. With cordial
best wishes,
Sincerely yours,
A. C. EUSTACE.
January 7, 1909.
MR. THOMAS ZANSLAUR LEE,
Providence, Rhode Island.
_My dear Mr. Lee_: It is with sincere regret that I am compelled to
advise you of my inability to participate in the annual exercises of
the American Irish Historical Society in Washington, D. C., January
16. I assure you it is a grievous disappointment to me, but conditions
are such that it will be impossible for me to leave Utah at the
present time.
Please convey to my fellow-members my very best wishes for the
continued prosperity of the Society. With my best personal regards to
yourself, I remain,
Yours very truly,
JOSEPH GEOGHEGAN.
WASHINGTON, D. C., January 8, 1909.
THOMAS ZANSLAUR LEE, Esq.,
Providence, R. I.
_Dear Sir_: I regret that an engagement to consecrate an altar at
Columbia, S. C., on January the 17th will deprive me of the pleasure
of joining you at the reception at the White House January 16.
With best wishes for the New Year, I remain
Very sincerely yours,
D. J. O’CONNELL.
ELMIRA, N. Y., January 7, 1909.
Hon. THOMAS Z. LEE,
_Secretary-General, etc._,
Providence, R. I.
_My dear Judge Lee_: I am just home from the Appellate Division of our
Supreme Court at Albany, and have your kind invitation to attend the
dinner of the American Irish Historical Society at Washington on the
16th inst. as the guest of the Society.
I very greatly appreciate the honor of this invitation and I have
delayed answer for a day trying to arrange my engagements so that I
could have the pleasure of meeting with the Society on that occasion,
but I am very sorry to find that it will be impossible for me to reach
Washington for the 16th. I cannot tell you how deeply I regret my
enforced absence.
With kindest regards to yourself and the many members of the Society
to whose hospitality I am so indebted, and with cordial thanks for the
honor of the invitation believe me,
Faithfully yours,
D. C. ROBINSON.
NEW YORK, N. Y., January 4, 1909.
THOMAS Z. LEE, Esq.,
_Dear Sir_: Justice Hendrick acknowledges notice of the general
meeting at Washington and expresses regret that owing to the pressure
of court duties it will be impossible for him to attend.
Very truly yours,
EDWARD T. MCCRYSTAL,
_Secretary_.
NEW YORK, December 31, 1908.
MR. THOMAS ZANSLAUR LEE,
_Acting Secretary-General American Irish Historical Society_,
49 Westminster Street, Providence, R.
I.
_My dear Sir_: I regret exceedingly that I cannot go with you and be
present at the reception to the American Irish Historical Society by
His Excellency President Roosevelt, as I anticipate being away from
New York about that time.
I believe you will have a very pleasant time and my best wishes go
with you.
With all the compliments of the season, believe me,
Fraternally yours,
RICHARD DEEVES.
NEW YORK, December 31, 1908.
FRANCIS J. QUINLAN, M. D., 33 W. 38th Street, City.
_Dear Sir_: Yours with enclosure received. Regret to say I will not
have the pleasure of attending the annual meeting of the Historical
Society at Washington, as I expect to be in the South at that time.
Trusting you will have the usual good time, I remain
Very respectfully,
JOHN F. KEHOE.
DUBUQUE, IOWA, January 2, 1909.
THOMAS ZANSLAUR LEE, Esq.,
_Dear Sir_: I beg to inform you that Archbishop Keane is not home, nor
is his return expected for some months. It will therefore be
impossible for him to accept the kind invitation of the American Irish
Historical Society.
Sincerely yours,
M. BARRY,
_Secretary_.
BOSTON, January 5, 1909.
T. Z. LEE, Esq., Providence, R. I.
_Dear Sir_: I am sorry I will be unable to attend the meeting of the
Society in Washington. Am very sorry I cannot be there.
Very truly,
F. L. DUNNE.
CHICAGO, January 4, 1909.
THOMAS ZANSLAUR LEE, Esq.,
_Acting Secretary-General, American Irish Historical Society_,
49 Westminster Street, Providence, R. I.
_Dear Sir_: Your esteemed favor announcing the forthcoming annual
banquet of the Society at the Hotel Raleigh in Washington, and also
the reception to be given to the Society by President Roosevelt on
January the 16th is received, and for which accept thanks. I regret
exceedingly that it will be impossible for me to be present on that
occasion. I have been somewhat ailing for several weeks past and am
recuperating so slowly that I fear I will be unable to get away from
my home at the date of your banquet. Should I feel able to do so,
however, it will afford me great pleasure to be present, as I always
enjoy the annual dinner of the Society.
With best wishes, Very truly yours,
P. T. BARRY.
29 BEACON STREET, BOSTON, January 13, 1909.
_Dear Judge Lee_: The meeting in Washington comes at the time of our
annual firm meeting and I regret exceedingly I shall not be able to be
with you. I trust you will have an enthusiastic meeting.
Cordially yours,
THOMAS B. LAWLER.
BOSTON, MASS., January 15, 1909.
MR. THOMAS Z. LEE,
_Acting Secretary-General, The American Irish Historical Society_,
49 Westminster Street, Providence, R.
I.
_My dear Mr. Lee_: Your esteemed favor of the 6th inst. reached me
during a trip in the West and I appreciate very much indeed your
remembrance of me by your kind invitation to be the guest of your
Society at the annual banquet in Washington, D. C., on the evening of
January 16, at the Hotel Raleigh, and also to attend with you a
reception at the White House by President Roosevelt.
Although it will be impossible for me to accept these courtesies, I
beg to express my great appreciation of the same and to assure you
that it will always be my pleasure to at any time entertain the
Society at my home in Lexington whenever it is their pleasure to visit
our good old town.
Very sincerely yours,
GEO. W. TAYLOR.
ELIZABETH, N. J., January 15, 1909.
_My dear Judge_: My absence this evening I exceedingly regret. I trust
the dinner and meeting will be pleasant and interesting. What heart
does not dilate with feelings to this night’s occasion, and what a
host of interesting recollections spring up in the mind when we
reflect upon the time when Irishmen came to the shores of this country
in the spirit of holy zeal, leaving the land of their birth, braving
the winds of Heaven and the angry wrath of the mighty Atlantic,
landing in the wilderness and planting the seeds of a holy religion as
well as laying the foundation of the mighty and greatest of all
republics.
I am with you in spirit this evening and I hope the effects of our
good Society will establish its prestige in every city and town of
this country of ours.
Yours fraternally,
JAMES L. O’NEILL.
NORFOLK, VA., January 15, 1909.
To the American Irish Historical Society,
Hotel Raleigh, Washington, D. C.
_Gentlemen_: Until today it was my intention and hope to be with you
in Washington tomorrow. Conditions beyond control will prevent,
consequently my greetings must be conveyed by mail.
Fraternally yours,
JAMES W. MCCARRICK,
Vice-President for Virginia.
Mr. T. Z. LEE,
_Acting Secretary-General_,
49 Westminster Street, Providence, R. I.
Mr. Patrick M. Keating presented and read the following memorial to the
late Hon. Thomas J. Gargan, former President-General of the Society,
which was adopted by unanimous vote:
MEMORIAL OF THOMAS J. GARGAN.
“The members of the American Irish Historical Society by this memorial
desire to pay a tribute of love and respect to the memory of their
late associate and President-General, Thomas J. Gargan, and to express
their appreciation of his character and ability and their recognition
of the great loss the Society has sustained in his death.
“His parents were among the pioneer Irish emigrants who came to this
country in the early part of the nineteenth century and settled in
Boston, where he was born about sixty-six years ago.
“In early life he was engaged in mercantile pursuits, but the practice
of law strongly attracted him and he was admitted to the bar in the
year 1875. As a lawyer he was not merely a successful practitioner,
but an ornament to the profession, scorning to descend to dishonorable
tactics or to adopt the acts of a pettifogger.
“He filled various positions of honor and responsibility, both public
and private, faithfully and efficiently. He took an active part in
causes that brought into requisition the zeal, sympathy and interest
of worthy citizens and rendered valuable service to his city, state
and country. Whether it was a call for patriotic service for the
preservation of the republic or an invitation to join his fellow
citizens in aiding a people struggling for liberty, or in providing
relief for those who were afflicted by reason of some extraordinary
catastrophe—on all such occasions he responded cheerfully and
contributed his full share by word and by deed.
“While he rendered conspicuous public service as an American citizen
he was ever mindful of the land of his forefathers, and of the race
from which he sprung. In early manhood he became the president of the
Charitable Irish Society of Boston, which is one of the oldest
societies in this country, having been established in the year 1737,
and from the time the American Irish Historical Society was organized
he was interested in its welfare, and was honored about ten years ago
by being elected to the highest office within the gift of its members.
“His eloquence, copiousness of ideas and fluency of speech made his
orations edifying and instructive, and his voice, so rich and tender
and with depth of feeling, made the public addresses delivered by him
in memory of the late Mayor Collins and other distinguished men,
models of eulogistic oratory.
“But he was esteemed most highly by the members of this Society as a
true and kind friend, whose sunny temperament, sparkling wit, genial
humor and upright character won their love and admiration and will
long keep him alive in their memories.”
_Resolved_, That this memorial be entered upon the records of this
Society and that a copy thereof be sent to the widow of our late
fellow-member together with the assurance of the deep respect and
affection in which he was held by us and the expression of our
heartfelt sympathy in her sorrow and bereavement.
Mr. Keating’s eulogy followed the memorial and was an eloquent tribute
to our late President-General.
Mr. Gargan was born at Boston, Mass., October 27, 1844, and died at
Berlin, Germany, July 31, 1908.
The following memorial to the late Mr. James J. Phelan was presented and
read by Mr. Edward J. McGuire, and it was unanimously voted that the
same be adopted and that a copy thereof be sent to the family of Mr.
Phelan:
MEMORIAL OF JAMES J. PHELAN.
“James J. Phelan died at his country home at Allenhurst, New Jersey,
on August 3, 1908, in the sixty-first year of his age. He was a native
of the city of New York.
“His father was of Irish birth. His mother was a native of Maryland.
His father, John Phelan, came to New York in his early youth with his
father. They settled in Greenwich Village, afterwards known as the
“Old Ninth Ward,” early in the nineteenth century, and established a
successful business in the grocery trade. John Phelan was a man of
shrewdness and commercial ability, which qualities he transmitted to
his son. He was one of the Phelan family that distinguished itself in
the commerce of San Francisco in the pioneer days and still maintains
its high reputation there. John Phelan largely increased his fortune
by his relations to the trade with California in the decade between
1850 and 1860.
“James J. Phelan attended first the public schools and then the
commercial department of the College of St. Francis Xavier, of which
famous institution he remained a steadfast friend ever afterwards.
“In 1867, his father, intending him for a business career, established
him as the proprietor of a general store at Fordham, which was then a
village in Westchester County but which now forms one of the important
centers in the borough of the Bronx, New York City. He spent the
formative years of his business life in the conduct of this venture.
“In 1870, at the age of twenty-five, he formed the firm of Phelan and
Duval, which engaged in the wholesale wine and spirits trade and
became one of the important houses in its department. He continued in
active management of the affairs of this business until the year 1883,
when he took charge of even larger interests.
“The American Contracting and Dredging Company was formed about that
time among other things for construction work upon the Panama canal
under the French concessionaries. It controlled valuable patent rights
in dredging machinery. It secured several important contracts from
Count Ferdinand de Lesseps as president of the French company and
afterwards constructed fifteen miles of the Panama canal. It was most
successful financially and its careful management avoided serious
complications with the misfortunes of the Frenchmen. When its
contracts were completed it withdrew from the field. Mr. Phelan was
one of the master minds in this great work. Among his associates were
Eugene Kelly, Charles N. Fry and George Bliss of distinguished and
honorable memory in American finance, and Commander Gorringe of the
United States Navy, who will be remembered for his engineering success
in transporting the obelisk from Egypt to Central Park and setting it
in its place without a single mishap.
“This, however, was but one of the important enterprises carried on by
Mr. Phelan with success. His ability in commercial and corporate
affairs was rare and as his remarkable grasp of great affairs and his
skill in their administration became known he was invited into
enterprises of the most important and lucrative character. He achieved
from them a large fortune as well as a high reputation in finance. He
died a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the City of New York.
“His active business life did not absorb all his energies. He was a
man who from his youth took active part in the political life of the
city. He joined also the societies working in the field of religion
and morality. He was fond of his friends and of social life. He was
always faithful to the traditions of the old Irish race from which he
was descended and active in its cause.
“In 1890 he became a commissioner of the Dock Department of the City
of New York on the appointment of Mayor Hugh J. Grant. He left upon
that office the impress of his ability in one of the most important
divisions of the affairs of the world’s greatest seaport, at a time
when millions of dollars were available and were spent in providing
for the oceanic trade of the port of New York. His service lasted four
years, when he resigned with the praise and good wishes of the entire
municipality.
“He was identified almost from his youth with the work of the Xavier
Alumni Sodality, of the Catholic Club and of the St. Vincent de Paul
Society. He rendered each of them great service, both as an officer
and as a member. He was a trustee of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum,
of the Catholic Benevolent Legion, of the Catholic Summer School and
of many other philanthropic societies. He was a member of many of them
in their struggling years and he gave his powers and his industry in
full measure to their proper development.
“He was a member of the American Irish Historical Society from its
establishment. He was always most interested in its work and devoted
to the cause for which it stood. His pleasant face will be missed from
its gatherings.
“He was married twice, the second time in 1881 to Marie Foran of New
York. He had four sons and four daughters, who with his widow survive
him.
“James J. Phelan was an example of the truth that in proper conditions
the men of the Irish race surely rise to eminence in fields in which
the current prejudice and error of the age deny that excellence is
possible to them. From small beginnings and in conflict with adverse
circumstances he rose to great fortune and conspicuous position in the
metropolis by the exercise of thrift, temperance, honesty and
intelligence. He met all sorts and conditions of men and asking no
favor he conquered success, holding fast at the same time to the
ideals of the race from which he sprung and the ancient faith to which
he was ever loyal.”
The following memorial to the late Thomas Hamilton Murray, former
Secretary-General of the Society, was presented and read by the present
Secretary-General, Mr. Thomas Z. Lee, and it was unanimously voted that
the same be adopted and that a copy thereof be sent to the widow of Mr.
Murray:
MEMORIAL OF THOMAS HAMILTON MURRAY.
“On June 5, 1908, Thomas Hamilton Murray, editor, genealogist and
historian, died at his home in Sea View in the town of Marshfield,
Massachusetts, in the fifty-first year of his age.
“He was one of the founders of the American Irish Historical Society
and its Secretary-General from the date of its organization until his
death. During his administration the Society grew in numbers and
influence, pursuing its good work and historical researches into most
of the states of the Union, until he saw it occupying the foremost
place in this country of any organization engaged in similar work. He
was proud of the Society and gave it his best efforts. To him every
individual member was personally known, and he took pride in
stimulating each with a sense of the responsibility undertaken in
making better known the Irish chapter in American history.
“Mr. Murray obtained his early education in the public schools of
Newton, Cambridge and Boston, Mass., and, when he reached his
majority, chose journalism as his profession. He was a close observer,
a ready writer and possessed a style direct and attractive. The seven
volumes of the JOURNAL edited by him bear eloquent testimony to his
literary ability. For a while he contributed educational, literary and
historical articles to the _Boston Pilot_ and enjoyed the coöperation
and friendship of its then editor, John Boyle O’Reilly; later he
became a member of the staff of the _Boston Globe_, where he remained
several years. Ben Palmer was editor of the _Globe_ at that time, and
the _Globe_ office was one of the best schools of journalism in the
country. With a well-regulated mind and a strong constitution, Mr.
Murray worked hard and the training there obtained well fitted him for
the life work he had undertaken and the filling of important positions
to which he was later called.
“After leaving the _Globe_, Mr. Murray became court reporter for the
_Boston Daily Star_, then editor of the _Roxbury Advocate_, and
afterwards editor of the _Daily Advertiser_, a morning paper at
Shelton, Conn. He next became night editor of the _Morning News_, of
Bridgeport, Conn., but soon returned to day work and became editor of
the _Daily Record_ at Meriden, Conn., where he remained until called
to the editorial chair of the _Evening and Sunday Telegram_ at
Providence, R. I. After five years in this position, he became editor
of the _Lawrence Daily Sun_, and four years later took charge of the
_Evening Call_ at Woonsocket.
“He had long taken a deep interest in historical studies, particularly
in relation to the events and epochs of persons of Irish extraction,
and his lectures and writings showed not only his devotion to his
subjects, but a wide range of learning and research as well as a high
order of literary ability. In addition to his invaluable work for this
Society he was the author of many historical works, some of which are
as follows:
“The Libraries of Boston: Public, Semi-Public and Probate. (Boston,
1882.)
“The Old Schoolmasters of Boston. (Boston, 1884.)
“The Mason Name in New England History. (Boston, 1884.)
“The Thayer Name in America. (Boston, 1884.)
“The Irish Element in Connecticut. (Bridgeport, Ct., 1888.)
“From Dawn to Revolution. (Boston, 1889.)
“Thirty Historic American Families of Irish Extraction. (Boston,
1889.)
“Reminiscences of Life Along Narragansett’s Shores. (Providence, R.
I., 1890.)
“Rambles in Rhode Island’s South County. (Providence, 1891.)
“Some Early Irish Members of the Society of Friends in Rhode Island.
(Providence, 1894.)
“The Dorrance Purchase—An Irish Leaf from Rhode Island History.
(Boston, 1895.)
“The Dunlevy Family in Irish History; Sketch of the Clan’s Patrimony
in Ancient Ulidia. (Lawrence, Mass., 1895.)
“David O’Killia (O’Kelly), the Irishman; A Pioneer Settler at
Yarmouth, Mass., as early as 1675. (Boston, 1895.)
“Concerning the McGuinness, McGinnis Name. (Providence, R. I.,
1895.)
“The Irish Chapter in the History of Brown University. (Providence,
1896.)
“The Dempsey Name, Old and Puissant. (Denver, Col., 1898.)
“The Irish Soldiers in King Philip’s War—“Great Swamp” Fight. (New
York City, 1896.)
“The First Regiment, Pennsylvania Line, In the Revolution. (Boston,
1896.)
“The Irish Morrisons; A Glance at the Origin of the Clan Name,
Together with Reference to the Family’s Patrimony in the Ancient
Kingdom of Connacht. (Lawrence, Mass., 1896.)
“Some Patricks of the Revolution. (New York City, 1896–’97.)
“Five Colonial Irish Rhode Islanders. (Providence, 1897.)
“Some Facts Concerning the Irish Washingtons. (Boston, 1898.)
“Early Irish Schoolmasters in Rhode Island. (Washington, D. C.,
1898.)
“The French Chapter in American History. (Boston, 1899.)
“Matthew Watson, an Irish Settler of Barrington, R. I., 1723.
(Boston, 1900.)
“The Irish Moss Gatherers of Scituate, Mass. (New York City, 1900.)
“The Irish at the Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775. (Boston, 1900.)
“A Point Made Clear—The Brecks of Dorchester, Mass. (Boston, 1901.)
“Irish Settlers, Previous to 1742, in Portsmouth, N. H. (Boston,
1901.)
“The Story of Miss Fitzgerald. (Boston, 1901.)
“The Romance of Sarah Alexander. (New York City, 1901.)
“Early Irish in the Plymouth Colony. (Boston, 1901.)
“Charles MacCarthy, a Rhode Island Pioneer, 1677. (Somerset, O.,
1901.)
“Thomas Casey of Ireland and Rhode Island, 1636–1719. (Boston,
1901.)
“The Voyage of _The Seaflower_—from Ireland to Boston, 1741.
(Boston, 1902.)
“Early Irish Educators of American Youth. (San Francisco, Cal.,
1902.)
“A Glance at the Vanguard—Irish Pioneers in Colonial Massachusetts.
(Boston, 1902.)
“Richard Dexter, a Forgotten Irish Pioneer of Boston, Mass., 1641.
(New York City, 1902.)
“Hugh Gaine, Irishman, New York Publisher, 1752–1809. (Boston,
1902.)
“Gen. John Sullivan and the Battle of Rhode Island. (Providence,
1902.)
“The American Not an ‘Anglo-Saxon’ People. (Boston, 1902.)