Robert Temple arrived at Boston, Mass., from Ireland, in 1717, with a party of Irish Protestants. He settled on Noddle’s Island, now East Boston, and had a house there that “contained elegant rooms suitable for the reception of persons of the first condition.” He commanded a company in operations against the Indians. He became a member of the Boston Charitable Irish Society in 1740.
George Taylor, a native of Ireland, died in Providence, R. I., in 1778. He taught school there for over 40 years, was for a number of years president of the Town Council and held other positions of trust and honor. He was a man of public spirit and witnessed events of the earlier part of the Revolution. The Providence Gazette states that “He was an honor to the country that gave him birth.”
Col. Israel Angell of the Second Rhode Island regiment in the Continental Line, has this entry in his diary under date of March 17, 1781: “Good weather. A great parade this day with the Irish, it being St. Patrick’s. I spent the day on the Point [West Point], and tarried with the officers.” This diary has been reproduced in printed form by Edward Field, secretary of the Providence, R. I., Record Commission.
Alexander Black, an Irishman, was a resident of Providence, R. I., as early as 1762. He was a merchant and was associated in business with James Black, and later with Alexander Stewart. Alexander Black died in Providence, 1767. In a notice of his death, which appears in the Providence Gazette, he is declared to have been “A fast friend to the liberties of America, and studied to promote the public weal.”
James Kavanagh, a native of County Wexford, Ireland, came to Boston, Mass., in 1780, during the Revolution, but settled at Damariscotta Mills, Me., and engaged in the lumber business. His son, Edward, became president of the State Senate of Maine, a member of Congress, United States charge d’affaires in Portugal, a commissioner to settle the northeastern boundary of Maine, and acting governor of Maine.
Edmund Fanning, an Irishman, was a victim of the Cromwellian confiscation, and fled at the time of the surrender of Limerick, 1651, and settled in Groton, Conn. His uncle, Dominick Fanning of Limerick, was one of the 21 persons exempted from pardon by Ireton and was beheaded at that time. D. H. Fanning and Walter F. Brooks, Worcester, Mass., are descendants of Edmund Fanning, the Groton settler.
Morgan Connor, a Pennsylvania soldier of the Revolution, was successively lieutenant, captain, major, and lieutenant-colonel commandant. He served in Col. Samuel Miles’ Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment; was wounded in the right wrist at Princeton; was called from camp by Congress in March, 1776, and sent South as brigade major for General Armstrong; was afterwards lieutenant-colonel of Hartley’s regiment.
John Brown, a native of Ireland, came to this country about 1760. He settled in Virginia, in the Warm Spring Valley, and had a tract of 400 acres. About 1778 he married Mary Donnelly. He commanded a company in the Revolution, and after the war was a justice for Bath County, Va., sheriff and treasurer of the county, major of the Second Battalion of militia, and a member of the General Assembly of Virginia.
Daniel Dulany, a native of Queens County, Ireland, was born in 1686. He was a cousin of Rev. Patrick Dulany, dean of Down. Daniel came to this country when quite young and settled in Maryland. He was admitted to the bar in 1710, became attorney-general of the province, judge of admiralty, commissary-general, agent and receiver-general, and councillor. He was in the public service of Maryland for nearly 40 years.
Edward Fox was born in Dublin, Ireland, 1752; came to this country, studied law and eventually settled in Philadelphia, Pa. He held various positions of prominence there; became secretary of the Bank of the United States, secretary of the American Fire Insurance Co., recorder of deeds for the county of Philadelphia, and treasurer of the University of Pennsylvania. One of his sons married a daughter of Gen. Stephen Moylan.