From the Boston Selectmen’s Records, Aug. 9, 1736: “By a List from the Impost office, It appearing that Nineteen Transports were just Imported from Cork in Ireland, in the Brigt Bootle, Robert Boyd Commander, accordingly the said Master was sent for, Who appear’d And the Select men Ordered him to take effectual Care to prevent any of the said Transports from coming on Shoar from said Vessell, the said Master promised Accordingly that they should not come on Shoar, That he was obliged by his orders to Carry them to Virginia, Whither he was bound, and that in the meantime he would keep a Strict Watch on board his said Vessell to prevent their escape.”
James Cochran, an Irish boy, is mentioned in the Massachusetts records. He was captured by Indians, but escaped and brought back a couple of scalps as evidence of his experience. The Boston News Letter, April 29, 1725, says of him: “James Cochran, ye youth that came into Brunswick with two scalps, came to town on Monday last, and on Tuesday produced ye same scalps before ye Honorable Lieutenant Governor and Council, for which he received a reward of two hundred pounds. And for ye further encouragement of young men and others to perform bold and hardy actions in ye Indian war, His Honor ye Lieutenant Governor has been pleased to make him sargeant in ye forces.”
A gallant officer, who has almost been forgotten, was Gen. John Greaton of the Revolution. He was a native of Ireland. Augustus Parker, writing in the Boston Transcript, says of him that he belonged to the first company of Minute Men raised in America, in 1775, and was chosen major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of Heath’s regiment. After the battle of Lexington he was engaged in the skirmishes about Boston, until he joined that memorable expedition to Quebec in the winter through the woods of Maine, where the army suffered untold hardships. He served through the war, was one of Washington’s most trusted officers, was mustered out October, 1783, and died the following December, worn out in the service of his country. Gen. Greaton’s father kept the Greyhound tavern on Washington street, opposite Vernon street, in Roxbury, Mass.
Rev. Cotton Mather was born in Boston, Mass., Feb. 12, 1663. He was a Puritan, hard and fast. In 1700 he delivered a sermon in honor of the arrival of Gov. Bellomont, calling it a “Pillar of Gratitude.” In this sermon occurs the following: “There has been formidable Attempts of Satan and his Sons to Unsettle us: But what an overwhelming blast from Heaven has defeated all those attempts.... At length it was proposed that a Colony of Irish might be sent over to check the growth of this Countrey: An Happy Revolution spoil’d that Plot: and many an one of more general consequence Than That!” Mather was rather late in his opposition to Irish comers, for they had been arriving in this “Countrey” before he was born. Were he alive to-day he would doubtless realize that instead of checking the country’s growth, they have greatly contributed to that growth.
Passing through Bridgeport, Conn., by train recently, we recalled the Rev. Robert Ross of that place. He was a son of Irish parents, and was ordained to the Congregational ministry in 1753. His biographer states that he was a remarkable man, six feet in height and well proportioned. His presence was imposing, and his ruffled shirt, wig and cocked hat seemed peculiarly in keeping with it. But he most strongly impressed himself upon the community through the warmth of his patriotism, and the decisiveness of his political convictions. He became a man of influence on the patriotic side and proportionally obnoxious to the royalists. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he preached on the text, “For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart.” A company of soldiers, raised to join the invasion of Canada in the fall of 1775, mustered in his door-yard and was commended to God in a fervent prayer by him before starting on their expedition.
The dangers encountered by Irish immigrants who came over in the old days of sailing vessels is well illustrated by the following incident: The ship Lime with 123 passengers sailed from Portrush, Ireland, July 26, 1738, bound for Boston. Three days after leaving Portrush she was leaking badly, so she put into Killybegs where twelve days were spent making repairs. She again sailed, but had to put into Galway to be again repaired. While at Galway, John Cate, the master, died of smallpox, and Matthias Haines, the only mate, was afflicted with the same disease. While at Killybegs and Galway 25 of the passengers deserted the ship, and but little blame could attach to them for so doing. With the captain dead and the mate sick, the contractors hired Gabriel Black as master of the vessel. She finally sailed from Galway on Sept. 19, and reached Boston harbor Nov. 16, 1738. Mention of the incident may be found in the N. E. Historic, Genealogical Register, Oct., 1897.
In 1630, Governor John Winthrop and others of the Massachusetts Bay Colony “hired and dispatched away Mr. William Pearse, with his ship of about two hundred tons, for Ireland to buy more” provisions. As he did not return as soon as expected, “many were the fears of people that Mr. Pearce who was sent to Ireland to fetch provisions, was cast away or taken by pirates.” In February, 1631, however, he arrived at Boston, Mass., bringing the following supplies: “34 hogsheads of wheat meal, 15 hogsheads of peas, 4 hogsheads of oatmeal, 4 hogsheads of beef and pork, 15 cwt. of cheese, butter-suet, etc. These supplies were in good condition, and a day of thanksgiving was ordered by the governor.” (Frothingham’s Charlestown and Drake’s Boston.) A second ship appears to have arrived about this time, for the colonists near by “lifted up their eyes and saw two ships coming in, and presently the newes came to their eares, says one among them, that they were come from Ireland full of victualls.”
In Stackpole’s History of Durham, Me., is an interesting reference to Martin Rourk, at one time town clerk of that place. Rourk was born in Ireland about 1760, and came to America about 1773. He spent two years in his uncle’s store at St. John’s, and went to Boston, Mass., in 1775. He became clerk in the company of Capt. Lawrence of the Patriot army, and subsequently married his widow. In May, 1775, Martin Rourk is mentioned as in a picket guard, having enlisted in April of that year. He reënlisted several times, was at Ticonderoga in 1776, and is mentioned as a sergeant after 1777. He settled in Durham, Me., about 1784, and in 1796 bought a twenty-acre lot of Thomas Mitchell, was town clerk in 1790–1807, and is spoken of as an excellent penman. He was also “the foremost school teacher” of Durham. He died in 1807. His children were Jane, John, Hannah, William, David, Samuel, Silence, Cyrus, and Jacob H. Some of these had the name changed to Roak before 1820. John, one of the sons, wedded Joanna Larrabee and had seven children.
IRISH IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1790.[[4]]
BY EDWARD O’MEAGHER CONDON, NEW ORLEANS, LA.