John C. Gore - Crack Shot

When last we visited with John C. Gore, he was an ardent abolitionist. He was also touchy about wandering Irishmen.




Boston Daily Atlas June 21, 1851


Shooting Case in West Roxbury


Mr. John C. Gore, a respectable and wealthy citizen of West Roxbury, says the Transcript, was brought before Trial Justices Gaston and Allen, on Thursday morning at Jamaica Plain, on complaint of Michael Fenaghty, for shooting said Fenaghty with a gun loaded with powder and shot. It appeared on trial, that the complainant, who was an Irishman, just arrived in this country, was going about the town in pursuit of labor, and that on the 16th he was seen by the defendant and others near defendants premises; and that on the morning of the 17th he came into the field, where defendant was at work, and asked employment without success; after which he started up the street. The defendant thinking him a suspicious looking character, and feeling somewhat irritated, from having had his buildings twice set on fire, soon followed after, taking with him a fowling-piece which he had in the field for the purpose of shooting birds. On emerging from a grove of trees between him and his house, he saw the complainant looking into the parlor window, and, as he thought, attempting to raise it. He immediately called upon the complainant to desist, but he not doing it immediately, defendant raised his gun and fired - five shot entering through the skin into the leg and hand of the complainant. Complainant admitted to going to the door, and not being able t get in proceeded to the window, but denied trying to open it or to get in. Though no serious injury was done complainant, the Court thought the means used to expel the trespasser was quite unjustified, and ordered the defendant to recognize in $300 to a higher Court.

Hibernians On Parade

As much as Jamaica Plain is known for its Irish population, there were very few relevant acknowledgements of the fact in the Boston Globe until the turn of the century. This article describes a parade through the streets of the district, from Hyde Square to St Thomas church and back to Curtis hall. As someone who marched in many parades, this wasn't a parade - it was a campaign! They certainly weren't shy about marching on side streets. I never marched on streets like Green and McBride - during the 1960s parades were kept on main streets like Centre and South. McBride and Jamaica streets were the historical heart of Irish Jamaica Plain, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they took the route they did.

The speech given at Curtis hall tells us something about the times. There were obviously questions about the loyalty of Irish-Americans being asked, or there would be no reason to speak on the topic.



Boston Daily Globe May 30, 1898


Big Hibernian Turnout.

Jamaica Plain Has a Parade, Concert and Lecture.


There was a monster Hibernian demonstration in Jamaica Plain last evening. It consisted of a parade, a musical program and a lecture by Hon Thomas J. Gargan in Curtis hall.

Divisin 51 of Jamaica Plain had charge of the affair, and at their invitation nearly all the Hibernian divisions of Suffolk county participated in the parade and listened to the program at the hall.

The parade formed at Hyde sq and marched over the following streets: Centre, Green, Call, Keyes(McBride), South, Jamaica, Woodman, St Joseph, South to Curtis hall.

[a parade listing followed]

At the hall an entertainment, consisting fo an overture by the orchestra; soprano solo, Miss Bella Boyle; tenor solo, Richard McMunn; national airs, Bunker Hill cadet band; comic selections, Frank Leslie; recitation, Nicholas Lawless; solo, Miss Mary Donovan; selections by Thomas F. Meagher band of Cambridge; song, John H. Finley, was given.

Rev Fr Charles F. Donahoe then introduced Hon Edward J. Flinn, the presiding officer, who introduced the speaker of the evening, Hon Thomas J. Gargan. Mr Gargan delivered an address on "The Fidelity of Irish Americans to the Rebublic."

The lecture and entertainment was in aid of the school for the blind, now in course of construction in the St Thomas parish.

Patrick Meehan - RIP

Many people think that they could write a book about their lives. Patrick Meehan seems to have kept himself busy enough to deserve volumes. An immigrant from Ireland, Meehan worked in different businesses, lived in different states and made his fortune in helping to build Jamaica Plain and Boston. Looking at a Jamaica Plain map of his time, you find yourself saying "there's another Patrick Meehan property, and another, and another." He seems to have kept his holdings mostly in one small area, between Washington street and the railroad tracks. Perhaps he liked to keep an eye on all his properties. His home was on Washington street, a stone's throw from B.F. Sturtevant's blower works, the largest factory in the area. Clearly, this was not a man who wanted to take a country estate and live among bankers and lawyers. Someone needs to do some digging and give this man the write-up he deserves.



Boston Daily Globe February 16, 1916


Patrick Meehan Dead. Extensive Real Estate Owner in Jamaica Plain and Formerly Prominent in Politics.


Patrick Meehan, a holder in much real estate in Jamaica Plain, and formerly very prominent in Democratic political circles, died yesterday at his home, 3451 Washington st, after an illness of several weeks.

Mr Meehan was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, on March 15, 1834, the son of Thomas and Katherine (McMorrow) Meehan. He came to this country in 1846. At first he went to work on a Connecticut farm. After a few years, he entered railroading, and was for a time with the old Boston, Hartford & Erie Road. Later he went to New Orleans and followed steamboating for a number of years.

In 1860 he returned to this State. He made a fortune in the constructing business and settled in Jamaica Plain with his family.

He next turned his attention to real estate and at the time of his death owned much property on Washington st and along the length of Green st. He was one of the original organizers of the Boylston Brewery, later selling out his interests.

He was chariman of the old Democratic Town Committee, when West Roxbury was a town, and he also was chairman of the Democratic Ward Committee for many years after the town's annexation by Boston.

He was married in 1864 to Miss Mary Sheehan, who died about four years ago. Surviving him are two sons, John J. Meehan, who was associated in business with his father; William P. Meehan, Harvard, '94, and Harvard Law School, '96, now a lawyer in this city, and four daughters, Mrs Albert J. Hill of West Roxbury, Mrs Frank I. Johnson of Fitchburg, Mrs Frank M. Flanagan of Brookline and Mrs Ward N. Boylston of Princeton.

The funeral will take place on Thursday morning with a solemn high mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 10 o'clock.






Richards, L.J., 1899. (copyright © 2000 by Cartography Associates.)
David Rumsey Collection

When I first saw this property on Amory Street at Boylston station, I assumed the owner lived here, but the obituary places him on Washington street. Maybe one of the sons lived here.







Count the Patrick Meehan properties.





A strange place for a real estate tycoon's home, no?

Foreign Labor, 1887 Style

The Boston Thread Works was between the railroad tracks and Washington Street at Keyes Street (that's McBride Street now). In the picture taken from a bird's-eye-view map of Jamaica Plain published by O.H. Bailey in 1891, it is on the left, marked 17 (open the full size picture to see the number). Ross & Turner was the sales agent for Boston Thread and Twine, so the names are confusing. They were across the street from what later became the Boston Gas company building, which became Jamaica Plain High School, and then English High School. The present buildings at the site do not appear to be from the Thread Works era.



Boston Globe August 29, 1887

Imported Female Labor.

Alleged Violations of United States Law.

Irish Flax Spinners Contracted to Boston Twine Manufacturers.

Five Girls Detained on the Catalonia by the Emigration Commissioner.

Information was recently received at The Globe office that a firm of twine manufacturers in this city was conducting a wholesale importation of foreign female help, and that for several weeks past Scotch and Irish factory girls ranging all the way from 17 to 30 years of age, in parties of from five to 10 each, have been arriving by Cunard steamers. It was reported that 60 operatives arrived by the same line of steamers two weeks ago, having a contract to work for a twine firm in Ludlow. It was also reported that five more girls were expected to arrive Saturday on the Catalonia.

As a similar case charged against a Providence firm a short time ago excited much interest, such importation being illegal, a Globe reporter was sent to investigate the matter.
The firm in question is that of Ross, Turner & Co., manufacturers of thread and twine, with a factory at Jamaica Plain. About 125 hands are employed, and at least 25 of this number are foreign female operatives, who have been in this country but a few months. They are rapidly learning the methods of manufacture and are superseding the "Yankees" as they call them. They are from the north of Ireland and Scotland, and are considered skilled laborers. They were induced to come to this country by the promise of good wages, to perform the same labor they have been accustomed to in the factories at home. It has been represented to them that their steamship passage was paid by friends in this country, who sent them tickets: but it is said the firm has paid it through their agent, Samuel G. Rea, and $1 per week has been deducted from their slender earnings by the firm until the full amount of the passage money, $21.25, has in each case been paid. Ninety cents per day and certain kinds of work were promised them, but it is estimated that less than half of them are receiving that amount, the balance being obliged, till places are mode for them, to put up with 85 cents, and in a few instances the youngest among them receive only the paltry sum of 80 cents per day.

The kind of labor has been objected to, and two weeks ago when a certain piece of work was assigned to them to do, which the Yankees had refused, they struck in a body. The difficulty was quickly adjusted and they only remained out one day, receiving a promise of different work. It has been given out that skilled laborers were required and that none could be obtained in this country; but the fact that they are required to do the same work as others already employed would seem to disprove the statement. The business is practically a monopoly, as in addition to the two above-named places there are but a few factories located in New York city, Patterson N.J., and in Ohio.

A call was made last evening on several of the operatives at Jamaica Plain. The first seen were two sisters, one 19 years of age, the other 21. The conversation was addressed to the youngest, who was barefooted with the merest apology for a dress. She said she was from the north of Ireland, and had done flax spinning since she was 10 years old. "I have been in this country for only a few weeks, and was induced to come here with my sister and a few other friends by an agent of the company, who promised us 90 cents per day and steady work. Tickets were furnished for our passage over here and 91 cents each week was to be deducted from our earnings by the company, but you see it will take five months for me to pay them, and it leaves me nothing to send to my folks at home, who are dependant on me for help. I am more fortunate than some and get $5.10 per week. My board costs me $2.50 and taking out the dollar for my passage, it leaves me $1.60 per week. Some girls I know have only $1.30 left a week.
"The work is not what I expected, and I shall only stay here till I pay the firm and then hire out for housework or go back home, where I made better wages than I can here. Besides, the hours are longer. I do not think the girls are treated fairly, and wish something could be done to prevent others from coming here.

Inquiries about a number of others elicited about the same replies, all being emphatic in denunciation of the firm and anxious to obtain other work.

[The article goes on to describe a search of passengers on an arriving steamship.]


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I found it interesting that these young women were not helpless victims. They were willing to walk off the job, and ready to go back home if necessary. Of course, the desire on the part of companies for foreign labor hasn't changed, has it?