A History of the Irish Settlers in North America, from the earliest period to the census of 1850

246 Pages·1855·14.539 MB·English

by  Thomas DÁrcy McGee

A HISTORY
OF
THE
IRISH SETTLERS
IN
NOETH
AMERICA,
FROiM THE EARLIEST PERIOD TO THE CENSUS OF 1850.
BY THOMAS D'ARCY McGEE,
iOTHOK OF "LiVE8 OF THE IRISHWRITERS," "ART McMURBOQH," "O'OOHNIM
AND HIS FRIENDS," ETC., ETC.
"WeTshtewatrhrdeethfeirssttaarctosfeamhp-ieradeytpaaksets,Itsway5
Thefourthshallcloseit,withtheclosingday?
Earth'snoblestempireisthelast."
BishopBbbkklt. A.D.1730.
Inclyte,genshominum,mJlite,pace,fide.
St.Domaios,o/PiuoU.
SIXTH EDITION
BOSTON:
PATRICK DONAHOE.
3 FRANKLIN STREET.
1855.
-.\%^ 240607
t-
\'>
EnteredaccordingtoActofCongress,intheyear1850,by
THOMAS D'ARCY MoGEE,
itttheClerk'sOfficeoftheDistrictCourtoftheDistrictofMasaachuaattc
STBRBOTVPED BT
HOBA RT & KOBBINS;
MBW ENGLAND TYPE AND STBRBOTYPB FOUNDBRT,
BOSTON.
TO
MY EMIGRANT COUNTRYMEN
IN
THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA,
AS
ACKNOWLEDQITENT OF THE MANY KINDNESSES RECEIVED DUEWO MT
SECOND RESIDENCE AMONG THEM,
CTftls Volume
18 AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.
'
TUE U
AOUO
THK FIl
—YORK
AJ
THE IB
BEBKl
THE EMI
OANAl
OPFVINO
MAJOB
LINE-
THE CAN
EEMAi:
SITLLIV
TORY
,
IR—ISHMEN
CAP'
UEUTE
©ISSATISP,
—MOTAS
"M.
CABAL
LANTKY
DELPHI
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I.
—
TUB LEQEN—D OF "OREAT IR—ELAND" AND OF 8AINT BRANDAN .N.OR.WEGIAN
ACCOUNT IRISH ACCOUNT ITAUAN AND SPANISH ACCOUNTS, 17
CHAPTER
II.
— — —
THE FIRS—T IRISH EMIGRAN—TS, IN BARBA—DOES IN PENNSYLV—ANIA IN NEW
—YORK IN MARYLAND IN VIROINLA IN THE CAR0UNA8 IN KENTUCKY
ADVENTURE OF SIMON BUTLER IN DELAWARE 23
CHAPTER
III.
— — —
THE IRISH IN MASSACHUSETT—S IN NEW HAMPSHIRE IN MAINE BISHOP
BERKELY IN RHODE ISLAND HIS QIFT TO YALE COLLEQB S3
CHAPTER
IV.
— —
THE EMIOR—ANTSIN ARMS —ADVENTURE OF JO—HNSTARK THE IRISH BRIOADB IN
CANADA INDIAN WARS PEACE OF 1763 DAWN OF THE REVOLUTION, 39
CHAPTER
V.
—
0PF'»I1N0 OP THE REV—OLUTIONARY ERA —IRISH AT BUNKE—R's HILL DEATH OF
MAJOR—h'CLEARY GENERAL KNOX TUB CLINTONS THE PENNSYLVANIA
LINE moylan's dragoons, 44
CHAPTER
VI.
— —
THE CANADIAN EXPEDITION —DEATH OF MONTGOMERY %CRIAL RE—FUSED V» HI8
REMAINS BY THE BRITISH RETREA—T OF THE INVADING CORP—S THOMPSON,
SULLIVAN AND GATES—IN COMMAND ADVANCE OF BURGOYNE STARK's VIC-
TORY AT BENNINGTON SURRENDER OF BUBOOYNB 49
CHAPTER
VII.
— —
IR—ISHMEN IN THE UNIT—EDSTATES NAVY COMMODORE—BARRY CAPTA—IN MAOGEB
CAPTAIN O'BRIEN MIDSHIPMAN MAGDONOUGH PURSER MEASE BARRY'S
LIEUTENANTS, MURRAY, DALE, DECATUR, AND STEWART, 53
CHAPTER
VIII.
—
DISSATISFACTIONATCERTAIN—CONGRESSIONAL PROMOTIONS GENERALSROCHEFER-
—MOY ANDANDREW LEWIS THE—CAMPAIGNS OF 1777 AND 177—8, IN NEW JERSEY
"MAD—ANTHONY WAYNE" ADJUTANT GENERAL HAND "THE CON VAY
CABAL" COLONEL FI—TZGERALD, AIDE DE CAMP TO WASHINGTON, HIS 0/L-
LANTRY AT PRINCETON CONTRIBUTION OF THE IRISH MERCHANTS OF PHILa
DELPUIA, 67
1*
—
VI CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
IX.
IBIBIIMEN IN CIVIL BRRVICE DURING T—HE RKVOLCTIONART ERA POLIOT OF THI
riltnT CONdllhHfi TOWAIIOH IKKLAM* CIIARLKH TIIOMI'HON, UP —AUlJIlKUA, 8KO>
RIC'IAUV—TO Ct»N(lIlK!<» Tllb; DKCLARATIOM OF —INDKi'lCNDUNt'E KIUIIT IHI9U
atUNUHA T—HE FtllKllAL OOKHTMUTION AUU1>TEU HlX IHISU AUTUORHUKTIUT
IlUHTHUUEfiT EARLY lUlSJH UOVERMOHH, ti4
CHAPTER
J X.
— —
COLONIAL PENAL LAWS R—ISE OF CATHOLIC MISSIONS WASHINGTON'S REPLT TO
THE CATHOLIC AUmiE83 8T. MAHY'h CULLEOE, 73
CHAPTER
XI.
mSH SERVIC—ES TO EDUCATION A—ND SCIENC—E IN AME—RICA—ALL—ISON—CHARLES
THOMPSUM DAVID RAM8AY FULTUN OOLLES ADRIAN MATTHEW CA-
BEYI, 81
CHAPTER
XII.
—
WASHING—TON, PRESIDENT PARTY ORGANIZATION INTO FEDERALISTS—AND REPUBLI-
CANS INFLUENCE OF JEFFERSON OV—ER THE IRISH COMMUNITY THE UNITED
IRISH ORGANIZA—TION IN AMERICA —ADAMS, PRESIDENT THE ALIEN AND
SEDITION LAWS THE FEDERAL RIOTS HON. RUFU8 KINO 86
CHAPTER
XIII.
— —
JEFFERSON, PRE—SIDENT THE REFUGEES O—P 1798 SAMPSON AND MACNE—VIN
T, A. EMMET THE—BROTHERS BINNS BU—RR AND BLENNERHA8HETT THH
RIGHT O—F SEARCH MADISON, PRESIDENT JOHN SMILIE, UNITED STATES
8ENATUR WAR 90
CHAPTER
XIV.
—
niE IRISH IN—THE AMERICAN NAVY DUBINO THE WAR OF 1812-1—5 ORIGIN Of
THE WAR CAPTAIN BOYLE's CRUISE CAPTAIN BLAKELY COMMODORES
SHAW, MACDONOUGU, AND STEWART, 98
CHAPTER
XV.
— — —
/HEWAR BT LAND— BATTLESO—N THE NORTHERN FRONTIER MASON O'NEALB
L.VNDI—N0 OF GENERAL ROBS —TREATMENT OF NATURALIZED CITIZENS TAKEN IN
ARMS SUCCESSES OF B—OSS ANDREW JACKSON ON—THE MIS.SIS.SI.PP.I HIS
OAREEa AND CHARACTER BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS PEACE, 108
CHAPTER
XVI.
— — —
JACKSON, PRESIDENT UNITED STATES—BANK "THE IRI—SH VOTE" EDWAKD
KAVANAOH, MINISTER TO —PORTUGAL SENATOR PORTER J—ACKSON's PARTIAL-
ITY TO IRISH EMIGRANTS HIS INFLUENCE ON UIS PARTY HIS CHABA.OTER,
113
CHAPTER
XVII.
— — —
SPREAD OF CATHOLICIS—M ORGANIZATION I—NTO DIOCESES WESTERN MISSIONS
BOUTHKRN MUSIONS BISHOP ENGLAND CHABLESTOWN CONVENT BDBNED,
~
A. D. 1834 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY, 121
CONTENTS. vn
CHAPTER
XVIII.
— —
IMPKARTiIrUANN MMYOMVIKMMTKIINYT—FDRIRIISR—HKLAJNoI)rRNAIIT^NI—TEIA)IIIRIITSAITIIMOKNN PORTII"Ka—CATRHKOII'.KIADL RUMKANTTIII-K
CNION" with KNOI.ANU INPtllKNC—i'; OF MR. «)'CONNKI.L TIIK ATTKMI'TKI*
REVULUTIUNAKY MUVUMENTUF 1848 HYMPATIIY WITH ITd l>Hl.NCll>Ll':!i, . 131
CHAPTER
XIX.
— —
THK IRWH FAMINES OF 1«16-7 AND 1848 —AMERICAN SYMPATHY MEKTtNOH IN
—FHILAOELPIilA, DOSTO* iNU NEW YUR—K NATIONAL HKETINO IN WA8HINUTi)N
TU£ MACEDONIAN AND JAMESTOWN REFLEC'TIUNS 135
CHAPTER
XX.
— —
•'NATIVE AMERICAN—" MOVEMENT OF 1844 THE PHII^ADELPHTA RIOT—S THEIR
PROUABI.E OKIOIN CONIIUOT OP THK MILITARY AND MAOI—STRATKS .SIMILAR
MOVEMENTS IN NEW YORK, BOSTON, AND OTHER TOWNS RE-ACTlON HK-
FLEUTIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN THIS CONTROVERSY, . . . 142
CHAPTER
XXI.
— —
•OUTH AMERICAN REVOLUTIONS— COOPERATION OF—THE UNITED —STATES IRI—SH
STAFF OF—SIMON BOLIVAR T—HE O'HIOGINSES MACKENNA— O'CONNOR
O'CARROLL CAPTAIN ESMONDE O'REILLY THE O'BRIENS ISSUE OF THK
SOUTH AMERICAN STRUGGLE 148
CHAPTER
XXII.
— —
THE IRISH IN MEX—ICO SAN PATRICIO C—OUNTY MACOEE'S INCU—RSION ANNEXA-
TION OF—TEXAS WAR WITH—MEXICO TAYLOR's—OAMPAIONS MAJORGENERAL
BUTLER COLONELO'BRIEN COLONEL HACKEE MAJOR GORMAN, . . 167
CHAPTER
XXIII.
— —
SCOTT'S CAMPAIGNS COLON—EL RILEY BRILLIANT CHARGE—OP KEARNEY AND
HACREYNOLD'S DRAGOONS RRIGAD—IERGENERAL SHIELDS HIS RECEPTION ON
RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES SENATOR FOR ILLINOIS 162
CHAPTER XXIV.
— — —
KEW STATES—OP THE SOUTH-WEST —HON. W. R. KINO JXTDOE PHELAN TUB
SHARREYS IRISH MILLIONAIRES BEIRNE OF VIRG—INIA,MULLANPUT OF MIS-
SOURI, M'dONOOU OF NEWORLEAN<), DANIEL CLARICE ARKANSAS, .... 171
CHAPTER XXV.
—
»EW STATES OF THE NORTH-WEST SENATORS CASS AND—FITZGERALD OP MICHI-
GAN, AL—LEN OF OHIO, AND HANNEO—AN OF INDIANA HON. MR. RYAN OP
ILLINOIS HUGH O'NEIL—OF INDIANA THE DOWLING—S LIEUTENANT-GOVERN-
OR BYRNE, OF WISCONSIN IRISH PIONEERS IN IOWA REFLECTIONS, . . 179
CHAPTER XXVI.
— —
THE CENSUS OF 1850 IRISH CONTINGENT TO—THE POPULATION OF THE UNION
C—HARACTEROF FORMER IRISH—EMIORATIONS THE PO—LITICAL REFUGEESOF 1848
FATHER MATHEW'S VISIT MILITARY COMPANIES POSITION AND REQUIRE-
MENTS OF THE IRISH IN AMERICA, 187
APPENDIX. 197
INDEX.
«ii1fion, Dr 81 McDowells 26
Admin,Frofeaaor 83 Mc.Donough.James 66
Diirry,Conitumlore, 53 MMc(l'hli)tolnioenst,;h,Commodore 12016
Byrne, Proft^nmir I7fi McOee. (TexlanChief) 157
Iterksly, liiriliop 37 McGee. CaptainJhinos 6A
HHliieiikionleyr,hHHCHa|i>'ititi.iiiH 00W<5) M.tM'cltiirriaitdhersPnraer, 12062
Diiiiiii, nrciihrra McGrady. Major 28
Boyle,Cii|Miiiii OS McUinnes. Captain, 41
Briiiiiliiii,Siiiiit 2(1 McKee. Colonel 102
BBrruycakne,iiQrioivlpcrRnor 2710 MMccKMtuihanohHoMna.niTuhlosmaa,(Signer) 6678
BiiilnrFamily '2H MrNevin, Dr 01
Biiiler. IMitjiirGeneral, )()8 McReynold^i. Major, 163
Burke, Mr., 87 MeiiHo Matthew, 156
Calh(.ut(, Hon. J.C 97 Montgomery, MajorGeneral, 50
Carey, IVFaiihew 85 Moore Dr 1IS
Caru'ill, Hll^ll ;}5 Moore,(iovornnr, 'liJ
Carriill. Hem. Charles, (Signer) 6S Moorn.General 69
Carroll. Hon. Daniel 70 Moylan,General, 43
Carroll,Arehhiyliop 75 Nixon,ColonelJohn 67
Carroll, IVIaiorGeneral 10!)
Cliiuon,Colonel Cliarlea, 25 O'Brien,General 154
Clinton,theBroirierH 47 O'Rrien. Captain 160
Colics, ChrlHiopher 82 O'Rrien.Captain 56
Conway.General, 50 O'Ciirroll. Colonel 164
Coffee,General, IIW O'Coiuior's. Me.^^.srs., 131
Deverenx.General 14^ O'Connor. Colonel 154
DDoulnilearpl,y,CGatp-tnaeirnalJohn, 146"7< OO''DFolnaohjeirit.v.CiRipolviiHiDrGeneral, I1'5289
O'Higgina.CaptainGeneral, 150
Emmet,T. A 92 O'Higgins. General 161
England, KishtRev.Dr 122 O'Leary Colonel 148
Esnionde,Captain 153 Oliver, Robert 80
FFFFiiuittltzztMacoieenmrr,analnlHddsu,b,eCrHotl(,omn,elT,homaa, 837&123l OOOOr'''rRRN.eeeiiallHllloeyyn..,.JGHJoeeohnnhenrnryal 11107551466
GGGGaiaalllllllleaaa.gggsphhhieeeerrr,,,,CRLKaeipvet.uatiDenrnant 1111B201(225) PPPPioearktptetpee.ernr,.S.eHHrGoogenneo..arnAgtMle.e,xander, 1174311324
Gorman,Major, 160 Ramaay. Dr 81
HHHoaogngadan,n,AdGje.neGreanle,ral 426^70^ RRRReenoytarlndheo,edlgdHFesoe,.nr.HmDoorGn.y.,.,,(EGS<eilngwenarerardl),(Signer), 85667778
•rvine,General, 52 Rutledge,Hon.John 69
Jackaon,MajorGeneral, 107 Samp.son, William, 90
" President, 113 Shaw,Commodore, 100
KKanvoaxn,aGgehn,erHaoln.H.E,., 14164 SSSmhmiiieltlihde.a,.JHGaoemnne.esr.Jaol(hSnigner), 1696673
Leavins.Captain 98 Stewart,Commodorft, 102
Lewis.General 57 Stark,John, 40
Levins. Rev. Dr 129 Sullivan, 36
Logan,James 24 Sullivan,General, 43
Logan,ColonelB., 27 Sullivan,Governor, 71
Lynch, Dominick 74 Sullivan,Hon. William 72
tyynncchh,,HHooini.. TThhoommaaaa,Jr.,(Signer), .... 6688 TTahyolronrt,onG,eoMraget,he(wS.ign(eSri)gner), 6677
IMVcIKasconnna.Colonel 1150(3. TThh«o^m>pmps8oonn,.HGeonne.raClharWlielsl,iam,... .... 6626
MMMcccCACllfaaerreyy,,,RCMoaljoonre,l, 424775 WWaalysnhe,,WM.ajJ.o,rGeneral, •16332
McClary,Capiaia S2 Young,Measrs. 87
INTRODUCTION.
66
.
. 101
26
,
. 157
65
. 26
.
. K2t8t EUROPE AND AMERICA.
.
. 41
102
.. (M The fifteenth century in Spain (the point from which
67
,
. 19613 the discovery of America emanated) was marked by tlie
.
. K>6
. rH.() cessation of the Crusades, by treaties, made between the
. 1
27
.. 69 Moors and Christians of Spain and France, the Porte and
. 4S
. 67 Venice, of amity and commerce. Asiatic arts and lux-
. 164
. 160 ury, Asiatic idols, and Asiatic valor, had made deep and
. 56
.. 1i:5i4l sensible impressions upon Christendom. The schools of
. 154
.. 112599 Cordova, the chivalry of Grenada, the galleys of Fez, the
, 150
. 161 grandeur of the Soldan, exercised a moral despotism
...11804480 throughout Europe. What Russian power and Russian
. 71
. 156 pretensions are to Europe to-day, the Ottoman empire
.71
. 132 was to the Christian Europe of Columbus' youth.
. 42
. 114 The exact sciences were, as yet, in a rude and chaotic
... 868178 •': state. Astrology, alchemy, and both magics had profes-
. 67
.. 6679 sors and postulants. Medicine was little better than
.. 1(9100 ^ herbal traditions, or a litany of incantations. Amulets
. 163 1
., 1960672 blest byconjurerswere worn, and the—stars believed in by
,,. 4306 I the highest intellects. It was then, when star-gazers
.. 477132 advised kings to peace or war, when brazen heads were
.
67 fabricated by Albertus Magnus and Friar Bacon, when
, 67
6626 Aldrovandus had to dissect his own child, fearing to
, —
,132
. 63 touch another human body, with Fatalism enthroned ia
. 37
10 INTRODUCTION.
—
Asia, and Credulity in Europe, it was then, that Co-
lumbus turned his piercing vision towards the West.
Domestic slavery existed very generally through Eu-
rope. The lords of the soil exacted the services, lives,
and the very honor, of their serfs. The serf was chained
to his district and predestined to his profession. There
was no freedom of will, or mind, among the populace.
A
few trading towns had, indeed, wrung chartered priv-
ileges from their sovereigns, but these privileges were
confined to the class of master workmen, who held in
servitude the great body of the citizens and apprentices.
Chivalry had lost its charm, and was obsolete. The
age of Commerce, which was felt to be approaching, was
looked for exclusively in the East ; so that, even in the
knowledge of its own wants, Europe was in error.
Two great facts of this century precede Columbus, and
only two. The science ofgovernment was being studied
carefully in Italy, France, and Spain, and the science
of reasoning in the great colleges, since called universi-
ties. The fall ofConstantinople, in 1453, sent the learned
of the East for refuge into Italy, and new classic schools
began to assume a regular existence at Rome and Flor-
ence, Bologna and Ferrara.
While these mental possessions were beginning to
accumulate in Europe, in the wisdom of Providence, a
New World was about to become a sharer in their diffu-
sion.
Let us be just to the European thinkers of those days.
With much that seems absurd in the " schoolmen," and