The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-24
THE IRISH IN NEW HAVEN
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north, the mining of the middle and ag- ricultural products of the south were allowed to fall away, leaving very little work for the vigorous manhood of Ire land. The almost continual wars which England carried on rendered some re- lief to the pent up energies of the young men, who volunteered to follow the cross of St. George and who fought faithfully to uphold the honor of the red flag of England, with the hope that they would be rewarded for their faithful services, and might return to their native heaths and enjoy the blessings of peace in their own nation. But their hope soon turned to de- spair, for in 1901 the final union was passed, and the sons of Ireland began to look towards the settling of new home The soldiers of England re- turning from America brought news of the free country beyond the sea, where the great Washington had de- ,feated the veterans of Britain, though fresh from the conquests of Europe, and sent home in disgrace the gene rals of George IT., who had then for the first time experienced the bitter ness of defeat.
 No wonder the young men turned to the new country, where all were equal before the law, and where class dis functions by accident of birth were un- known. But times were hard in Ire land, money was not plenty and the passage was high, so it was only pos sible for one of the family to leave those near and dear to them and em- bark for that distant shore where they were satisfied to labor and toll, not only for their own support, but for the comfort of that aged mother, who at his departure "Gave him every shilling she had within the till.'
 The uncertainty of the future, which confronted the young emigrant, is best Illustrated by an advertisement which appeared in the Connecticut Gazette on January 5, 1764.
 t'Just imported from Dublin, a par eel of Irish servants, both men and wo- men, and to be sold cheap by Israel Boardman at Stamford.
 The result of the sale was not pre- served for us, but let us hope they found humane masters.
 It was perhaps little episodes like the above that lent a forbidding phase to the practice of emigration, for the presence of an Irishman as early as 1895 outside the cities of Boston, New York or Philadelphia was as great a curiosity as would be the presence of a negro to-day herding cattle on the '~-hills of Kerry.
 On the 18th of January, 1796 the fol- ! lowing advertisement appears in the Connecticut Journal:
 The Roman Catholics of Connecticut are hereby informed that a priest is now in New Haven, where he vii reside for some time. Those who wish to make use of his ministry will find him by inquiring at MT Azel Kimberly's house, Chapel street.
 The success of this clergyman's en- terprise is not narrated but we believe there were very few if any, Irish in New Haven before 1917. There were some French and Spanish Catholics here, and it was to these perhaps the advertisement above mentioned ap- pealed, for the trade between this city and the East Indies was then begin ming to assume the proportions which made our city famous 40 years after.
 The first Irish men to invade New Haven as far as I can learn came in 1877, for in that year MT. William At water who now lives on Trumbull street and perhaps who would be bet ter known to you by introducing the gentleman, as the father of William J. Atwater, informs me that when he was a little boy in 1877, working in a carpenter shop on Artizan street, news was brought to the men up stairs that two Irishmen were outside. As the boss was away every one employed in the shop hurried down to see what manner of men they were and great was their disappointment, when they found they were very ordinary looking indi- viduals, having no distinctive features and being entirely without horns. The shop men still in doubt as to their hu- manity tempted them, by asking ii they would have some cider, being oi a hospitable nature they felt it would be fmpolite to refuse, so young At water was sent to the tavern for z quart of Jamaca rum.
 The two strangers proved their hu manity by finishing the quart in tht most approved manner and in doing sC paid the penalty of their credulity They had up to this time furnished great amusement to the carpenters b, their peculiar songs, and quaint say ings the stock of which being evident ly exhausted, to continue the entertain Inent, they proceeded to fight the audi ence, a proceeding which was agains good taste, and the poor fellows sool found themselves in the lookup, wher, they had an opportunity to meditat on the preversity of human happiness
 When they came before the justice explanations were made by the car penters, whereupon the judge, let then go with the admonition to be nor careful in the future of New Englan, cider, which was imported from tn West Indies
 About this time considerable worl was being done on the state highways which tended to attract the labou from the cities, but we have no posi- tive knowledge how many men wer attracted to New Haven by these i'm provements.
 But it is certain that there were a least 12 Catholics in New Haven befor 1920, for it is narrated that Catholi priest said mass on the steps of the ol state house, which at that time stoo on Temple street and the altar con