REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL.
The American-Irish Historical Society is on the threshold of its fourth year of existence. We are strong in numbers, representative in character and devoted to a patriotic work.
Our growth as an organization has been rapid, but not unstable; widespread, but healthy; vigorous, and of permanent value.
We have solid reason to be proud of what the Society has accomplished during the three years it has been in the field. We have been accorded a generous welcome from historical societies long in existence; our advent has been hailed with satisfaction; our motives praised; our publications eagerly sought.
To-night we meet in New York city for the third time, and for the third time we are indebted to our New York members for unbounded hospitality, kindliest service and tireless efforts to make our annual gathering a success.
During the year just closed, ninety-two new members have been admitted to the Society, and ten of our brothers have died. These deaths of the year removed from our ranks the following: Hon. Patrick Walsh, Augusta, Ga.; Col. Patrick T. Hanley, Boston, Mass.; Hon. John H. Sullivan, Boston, Mass.; Hon. Eli Thayer, Worcester, Mass.; Dr. William F. Cummings, Rutland, Vt.; Mr. Joseph J. Kelley, Cambridge, Mass.; Mr. William Slattery, Holyoke, Mass.; Rev. George W. Pepper, Cleveland, O.; Rev. Denis Scannell, Worcester, Mass.; and Mr. Edmund Phelan, Boston, Mass.
Since our last annual gathering in this city, meetings under the auspices of the Society have been held in Providence, R. I., Newport, R. I., and Boston, Mass. In each instance great interest was manifested in the mission of the organization, and new members were secured.
Among those in attendance at the Providence meeting was Hon. John D. Crimmins, our esteemed general vice-president. On that occasion he subscribed $500 to forward the interests of the Society, this being the largest individual gift the organization has thus far received. Among the speakers at this meeting were the Rev. S. B. Nelson, an Irish Presbyterian clergyman, and Rev. Frank L. Phalen, a Unitarian.
At the Newport meeting, the mayor of the city, Hon. Patrick J. Boyle, a member of our Society, presided and delivered an address of welcome. Addresses were also made by Hon. Charles E. Gorman of Providence; by Rev. Louis J. Deady, a Catholic rector of Newport; by City Solicitor Brown of Newport; by Dennis H. Tierney of Waterbury, Conn.; by Hon. John C. Linehan of Concord, N. H., and other gentlemen.
At the Boston meeting, President-General Gargan presided, and there were addresses by Hon. Patrick A. Collins of Boston and a number of others.
Nor, during the year, has the Society been idle in the field of research. Of our members: Mr. Edward Fitzpatrick, Louisville, Ky., has contributed a paper on “The Irish Settlers of Kentucky”; Mr. Daniel M. O’Driscoll, Charleston, S. C., has written on “David Hamilton, an Irish Soldier of the American Revolution”; Mr. Thomas F. O’Malley, Somerville, Mass., has devoted much investigation relative to “The Early Transportation of Irish Men, Women and Children to the West Indies, to Virginia, and to New England”; Hon. John C. Linehan, Concord, N. H., has prepared a paper “On the Irish Pioneers of Texas”; Mr. M. E. Hennessy, Boston, Mass., on “Men of Irish Birth or Extraction Who Have Attained Distinction in American Journalism”; and Mr. Joseph Smith, Lowell, Mass., on “The Irish Brigade of Rochambeau’s Army in the American Revolutionary War.” Mr. Thomas Carroll, Peabody, Mass., a member of our Society, recently delivered an historical address at a church anniversary in that place.
Two of the leading works by our members during the year are those of Rev. John J. McCoy of Chicopee, Mass., and Rev. James H. O’Donnell of Watertown, Conn. The former has written a history of the Catholic diocese of Springfield, Mass., and the latter of the Catholic diocese of Hartford, Conn. Both these productions are rich in reference to early Irish settlers, that of Rev. Father O’Donnell being practically a history of the Irish in Connecticut.
The annual bound volume of our Society is now in press. It will be larger than the book we issued last year, will be illustrated and will contain many papers, addresses and other matter of historical and literary value.
At our last annual meeting, the matter of a publication fund was discussed and referred to the council of the Society for action. The council subsequently decided to issue a circular letter inviting contributions to said fund.
It was decided to send out these circulars immediately after some important gathering under the auspices of the Society, when they would be likely to attract special interest. The launching of the United States torpedo-boat O’Brien, at Elizabeth, N. J., was finally decided upon as such event.
Owing to unavoidable delay, however, this launching has not yet taken place, and thus a desirable opportunity has not, up to this time, presented itself to formulate the circular. I would suggest, however, that this meeting possesses the desired prominence as a Society event, and that the circular can now be sent out within the next week or two.
During the year, Dr. Thomas Addis Emmet of this city has voluntarily subscribed $100 toward the publication fund, and four New York gentlemen—Mr. Myles Tierney, Mr. Stephen J. Geoghegan, Mr. James McGovern and Mr. John J. Lenehan—have each forwarded a check for $50 in payment of life membership fee. Mr. William Gorman of Philadelphia, Pa., has also become a life member.
In April next, the historic town of Lexington, Mass., is to have a great celebration of the anniversary of the battle of April 19, 1775, and our Society has been invited to be represented on that occasion.
Some months ago, a Franco-American Historical Society was organized at Boston, at which an official of our Society was present and made an address of congratulation. The new organization will devote itself to the French chapter in American history.
In conclusion, I desire to say that the correspondence of the Society has already become of considerable volume. Inquiries from all sections of the country are being constantly received. The writers seek information or data of an historical nature relative to the Irish and their descendants in the United States. These inquiries are promptly answered, and, in return, we receive much valuable material.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas Hamilton Murray,
Secretary-General.
The foregoing report was accepted and adopted.