BRIG.-GEN. JOHN R. McGINNESS, U.S.A. (Retired.).
Norfolk. Va.
The name Collins is found frequently in the early records. Edward Collins was a resident of Cambridge as early as 1646. He was a merchant. Christopher Collins, a shoemaker, lived in Dedham as early as 1645. William Collins was in Boston as early as 1646. He was the New England agent of Mathew Craddock of London, a merchant. John Collins became a “freeman” in 1646. Timothy Collins, a servant, was brought to Boston in 1764 on a schooner which came from Halifax and Cork. Four years later came a lad set down in the records as William Collen, brought here on a sloop from Windsor.
Ann Collins, a servant, arrived here from Ireland in 1767. Captain Palfrey Collins came into port in 1768. Clement Collins was one of a number of citizens who lodged their arms with the selectmen in 1774. He gave up a gun and a blunderbuss. Joseph Collins, on January 1, 1775, was nominated a watchman. In the company of which Captain Allen was commander in 1698 was Mathew Collins. In a public school kept here by Samuel Holyoke, Daniel Collins was a pupil in 1753. Thomas Collins, a farmer, came here in 1765 on a sloop from Fort Cumberland. John Collins was a constable in 1657. Henry Collins was made a freeman in 1636–7 and Edward Collins in 1640.
Healy was another name of which I find mention on numerous occasions in colonial days. William Healy, who was here as early as 1645, figured in a number of real estate transactions and had business dealings with Governor Dudley.
One of the leading Keltic families of colonial Boston was the McCarthys. Thaddeus McCarthy was here as early as 1666. He was an officer of the town in 1674 and a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1681.
One of his sons, if I mistake not, was Florence McCarthy, who became one of the leading citizens of the town, a man of wealth and a successful dealer in provisions. He was one of the founders of the first Episcopal church in New England. He was here as early as 1686 and died in 1712. He left an estate valued at £2,922, including his farm, which embraced the land in Roxbury on which the Marcella Street Home stood.
Another son was Captain William McCarthy, who was the best known ship-owner in the town. Still another was Thomas McCarthy. He was chosen a constable in 1727, but was not anxious to serve in that capacity. A fourth son was Thaddeus McCarthy, who was graduated from Harvard College, was pastor of the First Church in Worcester for thirty-seven years and became the father of fifteen children.
A brother of this Thaddeus McCarthy, the minister, was Captain William McCarthy, who served as quartermaster of the Fifteenth Massachusetts Regiment in the Revolution, and a son was Dr. Thaddeus McCarthy, who became a noted medical practitioner in Fitchburg, Mass., and Keene, N. H. A Charles Maccarty took part in the expedition against Quebec in 1690 and was badly wounded.
I will not vouch positively that I have stated accurately the relations to one another of these Maccarthys. There is a little difference in one or two statements in this matter by at least two good authorities, Bernard Cullen, author of The Story of the Irish in Boston, and the late Col. John C. Linehan of Concord, N. H., author of numerous articles on the early Irish residents of New England.
Now I am going to give you a few tid-bits, as it were, from the colonial records and other sources: