The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-06-24
The Scotch-Irish in America.

The Scotch-Irish in America
1t is known, or should be, to most readers o
The Journal, that tine early settlers of Belfast
W. re descendants of the Scotch emigranti
from the north of Ireland who came to tn
New World to escape the burdens imposed up
on them at home and that they might have full
scope for their industry. In the spring O.
1913, sixteen families, among who appear thu
names of Barnet, Clark, Glendennuin, Gregg
McKeen, Mitchell, Morrison, Nesmith ant
Steele, whose sons and grandsons were promi
nent in the foundation of Belfast, settled or
tract of good land above Haverhill, Mass,
called Mortified, and joined by others soon
built up town, which, in commemeratlon OF
the place whence many Of the members had
emigrated, was called Londonderry: 1.-THE trait
most distinguishing the character of the first
settlers" says the historian of Londo nderry
"and the most valuable in its influence, was
the If steadfast adherence to enlightened reli-
gious principle, land to all the forms and duties
of devotion" They were also mindful of the
means of education. Schools received public
attention at an early period. Thelgreater pro
portion could read and write, while few were
more highly educated. Wherever a London
derry man was found, there, with few excop.
tions, was found a steadfast supporter of pop
ular instruction, as we'll as of other civil in.
situations. This is true of the Scotch Irish
who settled in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
elsewhere in this country, and these traits
have continued to characterize their descend.
ants.
The pioneers of Londonderry first introduc.
ed the potato into New England, land to the lit
tie colony belongs also the credit of bringing
into general use the hand-card, the foot-whee
to every New England town. Under these
conditions,by the rapid increase Of the settle.
ment, and by constant accessions from abroad
Londonderry became popuous, thriving and
wealthy. These facts are CLEANED from the
first volume of Williamson's History of Bel
fast, to which the reader is referred for details
of the early settlement of our city by families
from Londonderry. who named it for the
great shipbuildi.,g city in Ireland. Our pres.
ent concern, however, is with a book of wider
scope by Prof, Henry Jones Ford of Prince
ton University, "The Scotch-Irish in America, "
and which is admirably summarized in the fol-
lowing extract from the Preface:
This book tells the story of the Ulster Plan
tation and of the influences that formed the
character of the people. The causes are traced
that led to the great migration from Ulster.
and the Scotch-Irish settlements in America are
described. The recital of their experiences in
wolves an account of frontier manners and
stoms, and of collisions with the Indian
tribes. The influence of the Scotch Irish set
Elements upon American institutions is traced.
particularly in organizing and propagating the
Presbyterian church, in spreading popular ed
ucation, and in promoting the movement for
American national independence. In concu-
sion, there is an appreciation of the Ulster
contribution to American nationality.
This leaves little to be said by the reviewer
save that the book shows painstakipg research
by the author-who visited Ireland in his
quest for material at the original source-and
the practiced pen of an accomplished journal
list. Prof. Ford before becoming member OF
the faculty at Princeton was for many years
an editorial writer on the daily press of Balti-
more, Md, and Pittsburg, Pa, and while thus
engaged was student of economics, etc, and
the author of many valuable treatises. He has
written a number of books. and the present is
the second he has published this year. The
following paragraph (pages 231 1922 is of local
interest:
Andrew and Reuben Gray took part in the
expedition which Governor Pownall of Massa-
chusetts fitted out in 1853 to capture from the
French the mouth of the Penobscot river, and
the Grays were in the guard of twenty men
who accompanied the Governor when he &C.
cupied an abandoned French fort and hoisted
the Kings colors. The place is now known as
Castine, on the east side of Penobscot bay. A
strong fort was erected and settlement began
in this region, the two Gray brothers being
among the first to take up land. Several other
brothers followed them and eventually their
Grays are now in large numbers in the lower
Penobseot country. and other Scotch-1rish
families abound, such as the Wears, Orrs and
the west shore of Penobscot bay, opposite
Castine, and up the river, about thirty miles
north is Bangor, the State capitA. (This is an
error of the author). Bangor in Ulster is on
the southern shore Of Belfast Tough, about
twelve miles east of Belfast.
This fact was noted in The Journal after a
visit to Belfast. Ireland. by the present writer
in 1901.
THE SCoTcH-IRIsH IN AMERICA, By Henry
Jones Ford. Princeton University Press, Prince
7 nn