The journal of the American-Irish Historical Society, Vol. IX, 1910Various
History
The journal of the American-Irish Historical Society, Vol. IX, 1910
Various
American-Irish Historical Society -- Periodicals; Ethnology -- United States -- Periodicals; Irish Americans -- Periodicals
“In New Hampshire,” writes John C. Linehan,[12] “as early as 1631,
according to military records, the first representative of the Emerald
Isle made his appearance in the person of Darby Field, an Irish
Soldier.” According to the same writer, in Vol. I., “Provincial Papers,”
1641 to 1660, are found such names as Duggan, Dermott, Gibbon, Vaughan,
Neal, Patrick, Buckley, Kane, Kelly, Brian, Healey, Connor, MacMurphy,
Malone, Murphy, Corbett, McClary, McMillen, Pendergast, Keily, McGowan,
McGinnis, Sullivan and Toole. Later records show that the Irish were
very numerous in the early days in New Hampshire, even long before the
settlement of Londonderry.
Londonderry, New Hampshire, was settled by Irish Presbyterians in 1719.
Few settlements were more prosperous. In the process of time, according
to Barstow, in his “History of New Hampshire,” page 130 (1853), the
descendants of the Londonderry settlers spread over New Hampshire and
Vermont.
Barstow speaks of them as Scotch, but as quoted by Linehan, p. 66, Rev.
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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