Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-07-04
WHOLE NO. 11S.

pecuniary means Of support, and those
/ means being soon exhausted, he was re-
duced To the state of a common laborer
to obtain subsistence. His character
was that Of frank and honest man, en-
hsened with the glee and the jocose hui
mour of a true son Of Erin. Whether
his wife was Newport, or an Irish wo-
nnn, we have not, to our sorrow. the
means Of ascenaIpine; il is, however
presumable, that he LETT his home unep-
numbered with wife or children, and mar
ricd after he had settled here. But we
have heard it related NY several Of those
who knew him well, that he was careful
to have his children ro =, istered, because
as he used to say, when rallied upon the
Subject, "there is but one life between
me and a peerdom." His eldest SON
was bouud MS an apprentice to Cap
tain Beard, who in those days COM.
manded merchantmen belonging to this
port. fhis was the youth, who, we
have reason to believe, shared in tho
honor of taking Porto Bello, in 174O;-
for in l74I, when Admiral Vernon was
returning to England from his command
on the West-lndia station, a merchant
ship bound from London to Jamaica,
was spoken, and on an enquiry for news
papers, the Captain Of that ship sent two
late papers on board the flagship for tho
qualification ofthe Admiral afterhis long
absence. In perusing one of ,ose pa
pers, the Admiral exclaimed, ah' the
Baron of Kinsale is dead! The steward
quickly carried .hat news TO a young
gallant tar of the forecastle, whose name
was COurcy. 'Is he dead, then by the
powers something will come to me -
The steward reported this reply to the
Admiral, who ordered the young sailor
to his presence. My lad, what is your
pame? DE Caurcy, sir. Where were
you born' In Newport, Rhode-Island,
sir. Are YOU related to the late Thomas
de Courcy, Baron of Kinsalei He was
my uncle, sir, he was my fathers elder
brother. What induced your father to
leave Ireland and settle in Newport, X.
l.? That reason was my fathers secret,
your honour, and not mine. Well my
ad, return to your station, and whatever
nay be your change of condition here
ltier, hope that you will continue to do
'our duty faithfully TIL you shall be dis
'hargcd; Your honour may rely upon
hat" We hold this anecdote from tho
ate Capt Benjamin Pierce, who din
ID wrth de Courcy at kinsale many
ears after he took possession of his title
nd estate. lie was man Of bensvo-
ent feelings, for he preserved as long as
e lived kind remembrance of tire
'lace of his birth, and strong attach
nent to the man who protected and in
tructcd him in his boyhood. No Rhode
SANDER ever carle, to his knowledge,
within fifty miles of his residence, with
mt receiving an invitation to his hos
itabIc maasinn, and the worthy Capt.
Beard received ms token Of de Courcy's
ratitudc, cask of wine annually, to
ne year of his death.
We have examined all that remains Of
re town Registers Of the first 40 years
fhe 18th century, and have found
othng to shed the least light upon the
the family and connections of
e dc Courcy, who found an asylum
ere, but we believe that his death pre-
,ded that of his brother, the Baron of
insale. We had strong reasons for
lyig, that it was with feelings Of sor-
Nv that we could not give an explicit
count OF this family, for those feelings
C enhanced by grievous loss inlict-
upon our whole community by the
me cause. II is really painful to turn
cr the mutilatcd remnants OF our Town
~
'nerally respected by all civilized ma
ms. The fiiation, and consequently
Z rights aud fortunes Of families, often
pend upon the preservation Of the re-
rds. To pillagc or TO destroy them,
an act So much the more atrocious, as
must be done in malicious villany,
thout the least prospect of benefit to
IN by whom the act is committed
nose Of Newport were, nevertheless,
rred off by the British commanding
cncral when he evacuated the town i'm ~
ovember, 1779. The vessel in which
,y were embarked, was shipwrecked
d sunk in llurl-gate, on its way to. M
Drk The case containing the Re-
rds, was many weeks afterwards re-
vered, but those authentic memorials
marriages, births, deaths, and Of con-
yances of property, were almost Who'll
destroyed. This high misdemeanor
st be attributed to Gen. Prescott;
ether it were committed byhis order,
his permission, or by his negligence:
in every case it is the duty Of tho
officer in a station purely
itary, TO see that no act be perpetra-
within his command, that may bring
grace upon the arms and character oil
nation.