Hon. Thomas Dongan, the Irish governor of the province of New York, 1683–’88, was a wise and just man. He founded representative government in New York, and the Charter of Liberties given the colonists at that time has greatly served to perpetuate his fame.
In a general return of Col. William Thomson’s regiment of Rangers, Sept. 20, 1775, occur the names Lieutenant Richard Brown, a native of Ireland, and Lieut. David Monaghan. Of the drummers, three were born in Ireland. The command was operating in the South.
A paragraph in the Virginia Historical Magazine states that Davis Stockton came from Ireland, with Michael Woods, and lived for some time in Lancaster county, Pa. About 1734 Stockton went to Albermarle County, Va., where he patented large tracts of land. He died in 1760.
William Preston was born in Ireland, 1730. He was captain of a company of rangers in Virginia in 1755–’56, and was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1766, 1767, 1768 and 1769. During the Revolution he held important commands in southwest Virginia.
Sir William Johnson, an Irishman, “of Johnson Hall, in the County of Tryon, and Province of New York,” in his will, 1774, mentions bequests to William Byrne, of Kingsborough; Patrick Daly (“now living with me”); and Mary McGrah, daughter of Christopher McGrah.
In June, 1794, Capt. Harding arrived at Portland, Me., from Ireland, in the brig Eliza. He brought about 200 passengers, men, women, and children, “chiefly farmers and weavers,” an “honest and industrious set of people.” (Maine Historical and Genealogical Recorder.)
Bryan Lefferty was attorney and private secretary to Sir William Johnson and became surrogate of Tryon county, N. Y. Johnson’s will is believed to have been drawn up by him. Sir William’s farm manager was an Irishman named Flood. (Simms’ Frontiersmen of New York.)
In August, 1795, the brig Eliza, Capt. Wm. Fairfield, arrived at Salem, Mass., from Belfast, Ireland, with 89 emigrants. Among them were Samuel Breed, James and Sarah Dalrymple, John and William Lemon, the Dunlap family, and others of note. (Felt’s Annals of Salem.)
One of the first military organizations in Albany, N. Y., enlisted in the Revolution, included David MCCarthy, James MCCarthy, John McEnry, David Sullivan, William Magie (Magee), Morris Welch, and other men whose names indicate Irish extraction. They signed the roll in June, 1775.
William McMahon was a taxpayer in Falmouth, Me., in 1777. Mention of him is made in the Maine Genealogist and Recorder. The same publication speaks of Edward Clarey and Patrick Manan as having belonged to Capt. John Hill’s military company of Berwick, Me., in October, 1740.