John F. Armstrong Timeline: 1887-1890
March 8, 2018
Inscription on the gravestone of Sarah McAndrew Armstrong (c. 1846-1887) and John F. Armstrong (1845-1893), Image provided by Michelle Woodham, 2007, at Findagrave.com
1887
January 9, 1887, Letter dated January 9, 1887 from Kitty Armstrong in County Sligo, Ireland to her brother John F. Armstrong, digital copy of photocopy of letter: Family news from County Sligo. Kitty wrote that she hoped JF’s wife, Sarah McAndrew Armstrong, had recovered from her illness.
January 21, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Mortuary Notice – Death of Mrs. Armstrong”, p. 1, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 8 March 2018): Obituary for Sarah McAndrew Armstrong, the wife of John F. Armstrong, who died about four a.m. on 20 January 1887 after being ill for several weeks. The funeral was to take place the morning of 21 January 1887 at Sacred Heart Church.
February 13, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Devastation of Flames – $200,00 of Property Destroyed by the Fire Fiend – Masonic Theater and Building, With Globe Hotel, Entirely Destroyed – Benson & Co., J.B. White & Co., Daly & Armstrong, Bailie & Coskery, W. A. Ramsay, R. Leibscher and Central Hotel Among he Losers – The Wardrobes, Etc., of Mrs. Bowers’ Company Entirely Destroyed-Her Loss Over $12,000”, p. 1, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 4 July 2018):
Masonic Temple caught on fire and burned down. Daly & Armstrong Dry Goods, located on the Temple’s first floor, was destroyed. Employees in the store were able to save some of the stock before the fire, which had started upstairs in the theater area, spread downstairs. The fire started around five p.m., and flames blew out the front of the building two hours later.
February 13, 1887, New York Times, “A Big Fire In Augusta: The Opera House and Other Buildings Burned – Loss $200,000”, p. 7, New York Times (https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/02/13/103136764.pdf : accessed 6 July 2018): The fire started at the Opera House in the Masonic Hall and spread from there. Daly & Armstrong, located on the first floor of the Masonic Hall, lost $9,400 worth of stock, all of it insured.
April 6, 1887, Atlanta Constitution, “Coercion Condemned. Georgians Raise Their Voices Against The Matter. A Large Meeting In Augusta Addressed by Prominent Citizens-Resolutions of Sympathy Passed Unanimously and Cabled to Messrs. Parnell and Gladstone-Large Crowd”, p. 4, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): John F. Armstrong offered a resolution protesting the coercion bill. It was adopted unanimously.
April 18, 1887, Letter dated April 18, 1887 from Mr. JJ Flanagan of Tubbercurry County Sligo, Ireland to John F. Armstrong of Augusta, digital copy of photocopy of letter: Mr. Flanagan stated that JF’s sisters, Annie and Kitty, had left Ireland for America earlier that day against the wishes of their parents. He asked for JF’s help in convincing them to return home.
April 22, 1887, Letter dated April 22, 1887 from James A. Benson of Washington, GA to John F. Armstrong, digital copy of original: Letter about the Interstate Commerce Commission. Benson, like JF, was an Irish immigrant and successful businessman.
May 1, 1887, Letter dated May 1, 1887 from Kitty Armstrong in Brooklyn, New York to John F. Armstrong digital copy of photocopy of letter: Kitty outlined her and her sister Anne’s plan to work in New York several years and then return home to Ireland with their savings.
May 4, 1887, Letter dated May 4, 1887 from M. F. Kennedy of Charleston, SC to John F. Amrstrong, digital copy of original: Letter from Clan na Gael/United Brotherhood member about the Coercion Act in the British Parliament.
May 6, 1887, Letter dated May 6, 1887 from Kitty Armstrong in Brooklyn, New York to John F. Armstrong, digital copy of photocopy of letter: Kitty responded to a letter from JF and agreed to travel to Augusta.
May 8, 1887, Telegram from cousin Kate Leonard in Brooklyn to John F. Armstrong, digital copy of original: Informed JF that his sisters were leaving New York on the train at nine that evening.
May 12, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Local Brevities – All The Way From Sligo”, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 6 July 2018): Announcement that John F. Armstrong’s sisters, Ellen [sic] and Annie Armstrong were visiting from County Sligo and would return home in a month. Note: Kitty, not Ellen, was visiting JF with Annie.
May 21, 1887, Daily Inter Ocean (Chicago, IL), “Irish Funds Filched – A Clique of the Clan na Gaels Still Maintains That There Is A Heavy Shortage”, p. 4, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 March 2018): Reported split in the Clan na Gael over mismanagement of funds into two major factions: 1) Sullivan and Egan and 2) anti-Sullivan and Egan.
May 22, 1887, Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL), “The Clan-na-Gael Trouble”, p. 9, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 8 March 2018): Reported the CNG was “falling to pieces”. Prominent Irish American Michael Boland denied any connection to the secret organization, although he was purportedly one of its leaders.
May 27, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Local Brevities”, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 6 July 2018): John F. Armstrong’s sisters, Katie and Annie, returned to New York the previous day on their way back home to County Sligo, Ireland. They had been traveling in the United States for several weeks and visited their brother and his family in Augusta.
September 25, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Personal and General”, p. 13, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 6 July 2018): Announcement that John F. Armstrong had left on a business trip up North.
November 13, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Personal”, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 6 July 2018): Announcement that John F. Armstrong had left the previous morning for New York.
November 18, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Personal”, p. 8, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 6 July 2018): Announcement that John F. Armstrong had returned from a business meeting in New York the previous evening.
November 20, 1887, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Personal”, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 6 July 2018): Announcement that John F. Armstrong had arrived back home from New York, where he had been on private business.
1888
January 17, 1888, Atlanta Constitution, “The New Augusta Exposition – President Tobin Appoints a New List of Committees”, p. 7, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): John F. Armstrong was appointed to several committees for the Exposition.
February 24, 1888, Atlanta Constitution, “Savannah’s Floats. – A Great Day in the Forest City – Governor Gordon Reviews the Column – The Grand Night Display – Today’s Celebrations, Etc.”, p. 3, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): John F. Armstrong of Augusta, Georgia was one of the guests in Savannah of the military company the Jasper Greens. Kerr Boyce, postmaster of Augusta, was also a guest. Both Armstrong and Boyce spoke at the event.
March 2, 1888, Atlanta Constitution, “Topics in the Press”, p. 3, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): A one-paragraph tribute to John F. Armstrong of Augusta, Georgia.
June 17, 1888, Nebraska State Journal (Lincoln, NE), “Irish National League – Meeting of the Executive Committee at Cleveland – Resolutions Adopted”, p. 5, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): John F. Armstrong attended the Irish National League of America Executive Committee meeting, where he served on a committee of nine to decide the next convention date. He also served on the committee of resolutions.
July 10, 1888, Atlanta Constitution, “A New Investment Company Organized”, p. 2, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): J. F. Armstrong was elected president of the newly organized Irish Investment Company in Augusta, Georgia.
December 20, 1888, Atlanta Constitution, “Augusta, Ga.”, p. 2 (796), Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): Prominent Irishman John F. Armstrong of Augusta, Georgia walked into an open cellar on the way to the post office near his business. He escaped with several bruises and a gash on his nose.
1889
February 8, 1889, The Times (London, Greater London, England), “The Special Commission – Royal Courts of Justice “, p. 7, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 6 July 2018): English spy Henri LeCaron, aka Thomas Miller Beach, testified under oath to the Parnell Commission that John F. Armstrong was a “very prominent member” of the United Brotherhood/Clan na Gael.
February 10, 1889, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “After Beach All ‘Round – Mr. John F. Armstrong Contradicts The Spy’s Testimony – Ex-Senator Jones Denies the Fenian-Russian Alliance, Mr. Fitzgerald Has a Hit at Him-Certificate of the Death of M.J. Lomasing “, p. 1, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 7 July 2018): John F. Armstrong stated that Henri LeCaron’s testimony about JF’s 1886 meeting with Parnell was incorrect and thus brought into question the accuracy of LeCaron’s testimony on other matters.
February 16, 1889, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “The League Executive – The Next Convention to be held in Philadelphia “, p. 4, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 7 July 2018): John F. Armstrong of Augusta, Georgia attended the Council of the Irish National League of America in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Council sent a letter of support to the people of Ireland and Parnell and announced plans for a convention the following July.
May 4, 1889, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “City and Suburban Notes”, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 7 July 2018): It was noted that John F. Armstrong had left Augusta for Philadelphia the afternoon before.
June 7, 1889, Sun (Baltimore, MD), “Topics In New York. The Irish National League. Call For Conferences Saturday. Efforts to Get Rid of Chicago Influences and Embarressments – Collapse of the Ticker War – Business Matters.”, p. 1, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 July 2018): A possible split in the Irish National League of America over leadership and money issues threatened to destroy the organization. John F. Armstrong was listed as a member of the INLA’s Executive Committee.
October 17, 1889, Atlanta Constitution, “Personal”, p. 12, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 July 2018): John F. Armstrong was in Atlanta for the Collins banquet. It was noted that JF was a dedicated Irishman, among other praise for his accomplishments.
1890
January 22, 1890, Inter-Ocean (Chicago, IL), “Render An Accounting! Will There Be Another Accounting of Stealing from Irish Funds? National League Money Diverted to the Defense of Cronin’s Murderers. Dr. O’Reilly as He Appears Stripped of His Sacerdotal Robes. “, p. 12, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 July 2018): John F. Armstrong of Augusta, GA was named as a supporter of Alexander Sullivan. Sullivan was the former president of both the Irish National League of America and the Clan na Gael (aka United Brotherhood). As president of the Clan na Gael he ordered and financed dynamite campaigns in Britain in the early 1880s. He also took money from both the INLA and the CNG for his own personal use. In 1889, his main accuser in the CNG, Dr. Patrick Cronin, was murdered.
April 18, 1890, Gazette (Montreal, Canada), “No League Convention, At Least Until Mr. Parnell Gives His Permission-Afraid of Misleading Reports.” p. 1, Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 7 July 2018): John F. Armstrong of Augusta, GA was present at the meeting of the executive committee of the Irish National League of America in St. Louis.
May 10, 1890, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “Persons Paragraphed “, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 7 July 2018): John F. Armstrong was ill and confined to bed, but his physician thought he was improving.
June 3, 1890, Augusta Chronicle (Augusta, GA), “A Thoughtful Tribute. The Irish National League Pay Their Respects to Mr. Armstrong. “, p. 5, Genealogybank (https://www.genealogybank.com : accessed 7 July 2018): The Augusta, GA branch of the Irish National League paid tribute to Mr. John F. Armstrong who had been sick and unable to attend meetings.