The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-03-23
Many Irish Names on tie Muster
Rolls of Troops Engaged in
French and Indian Wars.
American History not Giving Celts
Adequate Recognition for the
Part They Played.
Irish Historical Society Organized
for Purpose of Establishing
Their Claims.

The popular impression is that the
Irish did not begin TO come to New
England until the great lamine OF
lS4S, when the population of Ireland
was diminished several hundred thou
sands by starvation and Immigration.
writes Michael E. Henncss, in the
Boston Globe of Dec. II.
While it is true that many thou
sands did come to this country at that
period, and have since continued to
come, the Irish were not strangers to
New England before the great exodus
of AS.
American history has not given to
the colonial Irisllman his full share of
credit for the important part he
played in the founding and develop
ment of the country. The part the
Irish race took in the establishment
of Independence is recognized by his
toricnl writer's. so that in recounting
the deeds Of vnlor and statesmanship
of the men of Irish blood, We are able
to quote eminent and recognized au-
thorites In support OF the claim that
the Irish race did it's share in the
planting of the American colonies and
the establishment Of the Republic.
Because of this inadequate recosni-
tion OF the men of Irish blood, there
was organized Il few years ago the
Amcricnn-lrish Historical Society for
the purpose of seeing to :. that the
men of that race were given full
credit and honor for the part they
played in American history
The society has done much COM
mendablc work in this respect. AL
though tho research work Of the So
ciety was undertaken only Il few years
ago, and much yet remains to be done,
enough has been brought to light to
Irish blood have Il right to feel proud
Of the contribution of their race to
America and it's institutions.
DIR. Thomas Adds Emmct has given
INC SulbJcCL oI COlOHldI lIlSu
tion much study, and has brought
forth from musty archives much valu-
able Information on the subject. DR..
Emmett who Is q; direct descendant
of the martyred Robert Emmett says
that he finds that thousands of Irish
men and women were shipped into
New England in the 18th and 18th
centuries.
During the persecution of Charles /.
and while Cromwell was putting de-
fenscIcss women and children to the
sword, burning the homes and de-
vastating the estates of all who would
Tot deny their religion and swear al
legiance TO England, 100000 people left
ireland for the West Indies, Virginia
the General Court of Massachusetts
set off land for an Irish colony on the
| banks Of the Merrimac River. There
| were Irish settlements in Maine, New
| Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Is
land in the early Colonial Gays.
| Irish in French and Indian Wars.
| 1t is not difficult to find plenty of
Irish names on the muster rolls of the
| troops engaged in the French and In
dian Wars. They were not Scotch
Irish, either, a term which has come
into use in recent years, frequently
utilized by writer's and spe akers who
make 1t a point to attribute every
thing good to the Anglo-Saxon, or,
when forced by overwhelming evil
, dence to give credit to tn, Irish, refer
, t. them as Scotch Irish"
The little band of sturdy 1rishmen,
who founded the Charitable Irish So
ciety of Boston, It's years ago. did
rot call themselves Scotch Irish, al
though every one of them Was a Pro-
testant. The mythical Scotch Irish
shiboleth was unknown at that time.
The Irish Presbyterian was perse-
cuted as we'll as the Irish Catholic in
the penal days in Ireland and, like
many of their fellow Catholics left
tl.eir native land for America. where
they could worship God according to
the dictates of their conscience. ss
Maine. New Hampshire and ver-
45..s !, 3sI N 3.5ssssssss