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 McGie, John Christie, John Brannigan, John Connelly, Andrew Cannon, William Blake; 1744, Andrew Carroll, Anthony Glin; 1745, Benjamin Daly, John Carr, Bryan Nevin; 1746, Donald McCoy, Hugh Rogers; 1747, Timothy 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 were almost entirely Presbyterians. The first Presbyterian clergyman in New York was Rev. Francis McKemie, born in Ireland, who arrived here in 1707. He was a brave and fearless man, whose pulpit utterances led to his trial for libel, upon which he was acquitted. The large Catholic exodus did not begin until after our Independence had been achieved.

A prominent citizen of New York in the eighteenth century was Sir Peter Warren, born in County Meath also born in County Meath in 1715, whose life is a romance. Warren was a very heavy real estate holder in the city, owning 260 acres here, much of his holdings being of land which since has become enormously valuable. Warren Street is named after him. He was a prominent social figure in Colonial life. Among the names of those who were active in commercial life in New York City, prior to the Revolution, are many Irish-men, who figured as some of the most successful and reputable merchants of their time. Such were the two Wallaces, Alexander and Hugh, who were in business from 1750, Hugh being the second President of the Chamber of Commerce; Miles Sherbrooke, one of the founders of the Chamber in 1768, and a member of the Committee of Correspondence, the advance guard of the Revolution; Patrick McDavitt, an auctioneer in Kings Street, from 1768; Alexander Mulligan, an importer of Irish goods, beef, linen and other commodities; Hercules Mulligan, a merchant tailor; Oliver Templeton, an auctioneer; Daniel McCormick, also an auctioneer.

During the time of the Revolution and following it, we find the names of Michael Connolly, dealer in lumber; William and James Constable, in the West Indian, China and Indian trade; the Pollacks, Carlisle, George and Hugh; John Haggerty, an auctioneer; William Edgar; John Glover; John W. and Philip Kearney, commission merchandise; John and Nathan McVickar, linen drapers; Alexander McComb, a fur dealer and then a land speculator, who invested heavily in city real estate; and Michael Hogan, in the commission and shipping business, who owned, and in memory of his birthplace in County Clare, named the northern part of his holdings, Claremont. All these men were representative, flourishing men, who stood as high in public esteem as any of the residents of the city of that day. They were all either Irish by birth or by immediate descent. How many of their poorer fellow-countrymen were then here we have no means of knowing, but it is significant that while the Jews had a synagogue here from 1730, there was no Catholic place of worship from the time when Dongan had Mass said within the Fort until the year 1786.Lieutenant-General John Maunsell was born in 1724, the son of Richard Maunsell of Limerick, a member of Parliament from 1741 to 1761. Commissioned as an ensign in 1741, he was at the sieges of Louisburg, Quebec, Montreal, Martinique and Havana, during which time he rose to be Captain and finally in 1761 Major of the 60th or Royal Americans.

 He was gazetted for gallantry Lieutenant-Colonel of the 83ed Regiment October 31, 1762, and was thereafter transferred to the 27th Foot (Iniskillings). He had received for his services a grant of land adjoining Major Skene's at Whitehall (old Skenesborough). Coming to New York City, he married for his second wife Elizabeth Stillwell, widow of Captain Peter Wraxall, at Trinity Church, June 11, 1763. He lived here with his wife at Greenwich, in the Ninth Ward, in property belonging to Oliver DeLancey, until he sailed for England with other loyalists in May, 1755, leaving his wife behind him. Returning for her in 1776, he then went to Kinsale, in Ireland, where he had received an appointment which he had requested in order to avoid serving against the Colonies. October 19, 1781, he was gazetted Major-General on half pay in the Irish Establishment. Living in London until 1784 he resided in New York continuously thereafter, his city house being at 11 Broadway. He was made Lieutenant-General October 12, 1793. He owned a farm of 60 acres on Harlem Heights, between Morris and Watkins places, the site now being divided by St. Nicholas Avenue. he died July 27, 1795, and was buried in the Bradhurst vault in Trinity Cemetery.

Another striking figure of pre-Revolutionary days, and an aggressive, if unpopular one, was Hugh Gaine, the printer. And it is strange that after Bradford and Franklin, the two great figures in the early history of printing in America should be those of Irishmen_ Gaine in New York and Matthew Carey in Philadelphia. Gaine has been a much-abused man and was very unpopular during the Revolutionary period, but he is an example of a successful business man. Born at Belfast in 1726, he was apprenticed at an early age to James McGee, a printer there. He emigrated to New York in 1745 "without basket or burden," and secured employment with James Parker at wages of $1.25 a week. He went into the business of bookselling in 1752 in partnership with William Weyman, a former apprentice of William Bradford. A characteristic advertisement of the period is the following: "To be sold by Weyman & Gaine at their House on Hunters' Key, next door but one to Mr.Perry's, Watchmaker; Bibles of different Sizes, with and without the Common Prayer; gilt and plain Common Prayers of most sorts, Church and meeting Psalm Books, History of the New Testament, History of the Five Indian Nations, Account of the Earthquake at Lima, Ovid's Metamorphosis, Virgil, Cornelius Nepos, Mariners' Compasses, Scales and Dividers, Writing paper by the Quire or Sheet, also choice good Bonnet Papers."

On August 3, 1752, Gaine alone commenced the publication of the New York Mercury at the same store, the subscription being twelve shillings per year, and advertisements of a moderate length were published for five shillings each. He sold books and stationery as well at this time, and his was one of two stores where theatre tickets were sold. After various migrations the business was finally located at the Bible and Crown in Hanover Square in 1745. During a bitter controversy caused by the attempt of the Presbyterians to curb what they thought was the undue dominance of the Episcopalians, a letter in the form of a petition ostensibly coming from the Irish residents in New York, was sent by a committee for insertion in the Mercury, to be published anonymously; but the letter was in bad English, misspelled and full of ridiculous exaggerations all purposely done and Gaine refused to print it as a reflection on the Irish nation, of which he was proud. The Mercury, in 1758, in announcing the fall of Louisburg, printed a wood cut diagram of the fortress, an unusual piece of enterprise for the times. That printers did not then consider advertising the principal features of their papers may be inferred from his apology in an issue of 1759: "We hope those of our customers whose advertisements are omitted this week will not take it amiss, it being occasioned by the agreeable advice received from the Fleet and Army at Quebec." In this connection it may be noted that in 1755 he had offered for sale "A very few brass mounted Broad Swords, late the property of his Most Christian Majesty; so that the purchaser, in case of a French war, will have the advantage of his enemies, as he can encounter them with their own weapons." He offered for sale at various times corkscrews, razors and wafers; playing cards, blacking balls and liquid blacking; boots, pumps and shoes; hogs' fat, shaving soap and German flutes; a parcel f choice Irish butter, lottery tickets and patent medicines.

Many books issued from his press, including a series of almanacs. But his bookselling and newspaper furnished his chief source of wealth. His paper was delivered in the city by messenger. We find him advertising in 1780. "Wanted, a Person that will engage to deliver this paper to the Customers in Town for twelve months or longer. Good encouragement will be given. He need not attend more than four hours every Monday." Printing paper being scarce, he continually advertised for rags to be brought to him for purchase and in 1760 he commenced advertising in this form: "Ready money for clean Linen Rags to be had at H. Gaines'." In 1773 a paper mill was established at Hempstead by him and two of his friends.

Among the important printing done by his press was "The Votes and Proceedings of the General Assembly," whereof the first volume appeared in 1764, the second in 1766. Appointed Public Printer by the colony, January 15, 1768, he also became the official City printer. General Gage's famous proclamation of June 12, 1775, was printed by him, the work being done here that it might remain a secret in Boston until published. Up to this time Gaine had given every proof of being in sympathy with the cause of freedom, so that he was forced to fly to Newark when the British occupied New York in 1776. The authorities seized his printing plant here and published the New York Gazette there from, using his name for a time as proprietor. Tiring of his exile, he evidently made terms with the invaders, for he returned to New York and his business was restored to him, the first issue of the resumed paper dating from November 11, 1776, leaving behind him his press at Newark, which was promptly seized by the patriots and a paper printed there-on for some time.

From this time on he was a thorough going Tory, and was the subject of particularly virulent attack from the Americans, the Pennsylvania Journal in 1777 for example enquiring: "Who is the greatest liar upon earth? Hugh Gaine of New York." But he lived through the turmoil and after freedom was obtained, he continued doing business. In 1788 against violent protest, he received the contract for printing the paper money for the State of New York. He was Treasurer and Vice-President of the St. Patrick's Society, a vestry-man of Trinity Church and an active Mason. He owned a country home at Kings Bridge Road, and a large tract of land at Canajoharie. He bought and sold land in the city, there being records of twenty-four parcels of land sold by himself or his executors.

Gaine died April 27, 1807, at the ripe age of eighty-one, and was buried in Trinity Churchyard. Two of his children had pre-deceased him, and three survived, as well as his second wife. His executors were his son-in-law, John Kemp, and his friends, Richard Harrison and Daniel McCormick, the latter already referred to. His lines had not fallen in pleasant places during the Revolution and his abandonment of the patriot cause was never entirely forgiven, but as a business man his integrity was never questioned.