Rev. Erasmus Kelly, a native of Pennsylvania, was born in 1748, and came to Newport about 1771. On the outbreak of hostilities he removed to Warren, R. I. When the British overran the latter town they burned the house in which he resided together with its contents. He removed to Connecticut and later to Pennsylvania. At the close of the Revolution, he returned to Newport, and died there on November 7, 1784.

In February, 1801, there died in Newport, Mrs. Lucia C. Grattan. She was the widow of Colonel Grattan, cousin-german to Henry Grattan, the Irish orator. Her brother was Lord Viscount Falkland. An obituary notice states that “Her remains were interred with every mark of respect.”

Among the Newport marriages noted in the Trinity church records are the following: Miles Coursey to Abigail Williams, December 13, 1713; William Cook to Catherine Fallon, August 20, 1723; John Murphy to Mary Casside, March 1, 1732; James Gallagher to Bathsheba Fairchild, March 21, 1736; John Rourk to Ann Drower, January 23, 1742; Patrick Delaney to Margaret McFarling, October 29, 1742; Patrick Rogers to Eleanor Dowling, October 29, 1742; Edward Murfee to Catherine Fitzgerald, October 25, 1743; Patrick Durfey to Elizabeth Lacy, January 17, 1748; Patrick Cenfill to Meriam Powers, October 15, 1752; Edward Pye to Deborah Bourke, January 4, 1756; John Brown to Mary Kelly, March 13, 1756; Thomas Collins to Margaret Bourke, May 29, 1756; John Dwyer to Elizabeth McDaniel, October 10, 1756; Thomas Holland to Mary Dwyar, June 1, 1775; James Dillon to Sarah Dupay, October 13, 1778; James O’Brien to Margaret Dunton, November 23, 1778.

In the records of Newport, the following additional early marriages are noted. To simplify matters the writer gives only the year in which each marriage took place: William Mackey and Eliza George, 1737; Ebenezer Murphy and Mercy Reynolds, 1739; Michael Sullivan and Elizabeth High, 1740; John Lashley and Katherine McKane, 1740; Robert Odlin and Mary Conner, 1742; Patrick Farrell and Rachel Beere, 1742; John Mulholland and Elizabeth Hooper, 1742; James Harkins and Amy Higgins, 1743; Timothy Egan and Hester Wilson, 1745; James Murphy and Margaret Pitman, 1746; John Vial and Elizabeth Donnelly, 1747; John Donnelly and Jane Mence, 1747; Joseph Tally and Elizabeth Naps, 1747; George Smith and Sarah Tally, 1747; William Byrn and Jemima Jant, 1747; Daniel McGow (or McGowan) and Miss Donnelly, 1747; Jeremiah Ross and Mary Brayton, 1749; Elisha Newcome and Elizabeth O’Brien, 1751; James Hickey and Mary Carr, 1752; Thomas Jones and Mary Higgins, 1753; John Dyer and Mary Hickey, 1754; Jeremiah Heffernan and Elizabeth Mackee, 1755; William Cowdry and Mary Murphy, 1756; Michael Ryan and Leah Kelly, 1756; John Magee and Phebe Fairchild, 1758; Mr. Ross and Katherine McGowan, 1758; John Wyatt and Martha Magrah, 1759; John Fairbanks and Amey Heffernan, 1760; Alexander Mullen and Mary Chapman, 1760; James Bourk and Eleanor Whiting, 1761; Edward Kenney and Patience Chadwick, 1762; Nathaniel Locke and Mary Burk, 1764; Daniel Dennison and Amey Murphy, 1766; Lawrence Carroll and Susannah Holden, 1768; Daniel Read and Ann McMahon, 1793; Eleazer Read, Jr., and Elizabeth Murphy, 1795.

From which it will be seen that the Irish began coming to Newport, and were numerous there, at much earlier periods than has been generally supposed.

Irish Names in Rhode Island Previous to 1776.

The following is a list of Irish surnames found in the official records[[19]] of Rhode Island, and in books, papers, and documents relating to the history of the latter. The names appear as early as the year mentioned in each case, but in some instances may have been represented at even an earlier period:

HISTORICAL PAPERS AND ADDRESSES.