The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-06-23
Colonel Sullivan is Promoted
by President Polk.
PRECEDED MAMMALIAN INTO MEXICO
Met the Emperor's Fate Some
Twenty Years Before.

The late "Long John" Wentworth
loved to tell of the first Irishman who
ever set foot in Chicago, says Count
William J. Onahan in the New World.
He appears to have been at all times
friendly to the Irish people, as the fol-
lowing anecdotes and "reminiscences
will show. These are his words:
The judges of the election of 1890
were Russell Hancock, the first lawyer
to settle in Chicago; General John B.
Beaubien,. one of the judges in 1896,
and James Kinzie. The clerk was
Medars B. Beaubien. The names of
the voters in 1890 indicate large influx
of the Anglo-Saxon race, but among
them was one Irishman, probably the
first Irishman that ever trod the Chi
cago soil. The first thought that oc-
Cured to me was: "What could bring
an Irishman out here all alone? Who
was to help him celebrate St. Patricks
day? Who. was to attend his wake?"
His name was Michael WEIGH. What
have the many Irish aldermen been
thinking of that they have never given
us in honor of their first settler a
Welch avenue, Welch street, a Welch
schoolhouse, or a Welch fire engine?
The next thought that occurred to me
was: "What could he be doing out
here all by himself?" Now, what would
an Irishman naturally do when he
found himself here all alone, hundreds
of miles from any other Irishman? He
was bugler. He blew his horn. He
was a discharged soldier, having faith
fully served out his time. He stopped
long enough to vote the straight Jack
son ticket, and then joined Jesse
Browns rangers and marched on to
clear the Indians out of the way for his
coming countrymen, who were already
aroused by his bugle's blast, as his
patron, St. Patrick, had cleared the
snakes out of his way in the land of his
nativity. .....
There is prevailing impression that
1rishmen never go anywhere except in
squads. But the history Of the Ameri-
can continent will prove that Irishmen
have ventured as far alone upon ha-
zardous explorations as any other men.
But he dislikes to stay alone. Like the
honey bee, when he finds good thing
he wants some others to come and help
him enjoy it. My original congression-
al. district extended north to the Wis
consin line, west to the Rock River val
ley, south so as to embrace Princeton,
La Sale, Bloomington, Urbana and
Danville. had to travel all over this
district with horse and buggy and
visit the sparse settlements. I often
found an Irishman cultivating the soil
alone But when I made second visit
I found some more Irishmen there, or
else the original one had gone. Went
worth of Boston, in his journal under
date of 1912, tells us of one Darby
Field, an 1rishman, who could not rest
contented after his landing in America
until he had climbed to the top of the
White Mountains. He was the first
s,an to ascend Mount Washington.
When ,ked why he went he replied:
Merely u take look at the country"
The Official dispatches of one of the
battles of the Mexican war commended
the conduct OF Private Sullivan of one
of our Chicago regiments. In the bat
tie he had advanced, before his COM
pany had engaged in single combat,
upon Mexican officer and killed him.
called President Folks attention to
the report and asked for Sullivan's pro-
motion. He referred the matter to the
acknowledgement. Time passed along
and no appointment was sent to the
senate. I called upon the adjutant-
general and he read ME letter from
Sullivan's superior officer commencing
his courage and general conduct, but
strongly protesting against his appoint
ment as lieutenant in the regular army
on account of his deficiency in West
: Point education. 4 appealed to the
president, and it did not take long to
satisfy him + nod fighting in the
war would nee all de6cien-
cies in educa, nro-