first won success and laid the foundation of her fame. “Cornelius Heeney, born in Kings County, Ireland, in 1754, was another contemporaneous successful merchant. He was a bookkeeper for William Backhous, an English Quaker furrier, at 40 Little Dock (now Water) Street. John Jacob Astor was a porter and salesman there. When Backhous retired from business he turned it over to Astor and Heeney, who afterwards dissolved partnership. He was a very wealthy and a very charitable man, and his benefactions still continue, through the agencies he created, to maintain them. He was one of those who took title to new Saint Patricks, the other being Andrew Morris, a successful soapmaker, also born in Ireland. “A trio of great men who came to New York after the rising of ’98 were Thomas Addis Emmet, Dr. William James McNevin and William Sampson. The lives, high professional attainments and success of the first two are too well known to require more than a passing reference. They did immeasurable good in instilling respect for Irish characteristics and admiration for Irish genius. Emmet exercised a potent influence on the early political history of the country. His location in this city, instead of going to Ohio as he had intended, was due to the advice of Governor George Clinton, and was followed by his election as Attorney-General of the State within eight years after his reaching these shores. The monument to his memory in St. Paul’s churchyard is a fitting companion to the memorial to General Montgomery. He collaborated with Doctor MacNevin in the production of ‘Pieces of Irish History.’ Doctor MacNevin, in the midst of a busy and highly lucrative practice, and while acting as a professor in a medical college, found time to establish a bureau to obtain places for Irish servant girls, and to publish “Directions or Advice to Irishmen Arriving in America.” William Sampson, the third of the number, was born in Londonderry, Ireland, January 17, 1764. He held a commission in the Irish Volunteers, after studying at Dublin University and being admitted as a barrister. His sympathy with the patriots and his brilliant professional defense of members of the United Irishmen led to his arrest after the uprising and his confinement in prison for some time. After his release he was re-arrested in Portugal, whither he had gone for safety, and was imprisoned on the complaint of the British Government. Secretly taken to France, he finally came to New York, arriving here July 4, 1806. He then practised stenography, as well as his profession of the law, ranking second only to Thomas Lloyd, the great reporter of Congress, as a shorthand writer. His notes furnished the basis of many volumes of reports. But as a lawyer he was especially successful and made a reputation for wit, forcefulness, ability and integrity. His daughter married a son of Theobold Wolf Tone.