Irish Pioneers of New York City
By Hon. Victor J. Dowling, LL.D.

Among the North of Ireland emigrants to New York
are many who figured prominently in the religious life
of the colony. Rev. Charles Inglis, afterwards Rector
of Trinity Church, came here as a missionary in 1759.
In 1766 Philip Embury arrived, and helped to found the
John Street Church. He is among the pioneers of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in America. In that year
Paul Runkle, Luke Rose, Jacob Heck, Peter Barkman
and Henry Williams, all referred to as Irish Palatines,
landed. Charles White and Richard Sause, prominent
in Methodist circles, came from Dublin in 1766, and
later, John McClaskey and Paul Hick.

Major Henry Dawson left Dublin in 1760 and resided
here for many years, serving as Clerk of the Common
Council for twenty-six years.

Among the freemen of the city we find the following
significant names: 1740, Bartholomew Ryan; 1741, John
Ryan and John Lamb; 1743, Patrick Phagan, John Mc-
Gie, John Christie, John Brannigan, John Connelly, An¬
drew Cannon, William Blake; 1744, Andrew Carroll,
Anthony Glin; 1745, Benjamin Daly, John Carr, Bryan
Nevin; 1746, Donald McCoy, Hugh Rogers; 1747, Tim¬
othy Allan, Hugh Mulligan, James Welch, Hugh Gill,
John McGoers, Jr., Alexander McCoy; 1748, Philip
Hogan, Matthew Morris; 1749, Alexander Connelly,
physician. In 1761 the poll list included seventy-four
characteristic Irish names.

Immigration from Ireland to the colonies in general
did not become noticeable until 1718. It was then a
steady influx, though not very large in numbers, until
1755, when it fell off and remained of less amount until
after the Revolution. At the outset, the Irish families
immigrating w^ere almost entirely Presbyterians. The
first Presbyterian clergyman in New York was Rev.
Francis McKemie, born in Ireland, who arrived here in

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