John F. Armstrong Timeline: 1880-1882
January 17, 2017By the end of the 1870s, Irish-born John F. Armstrong (1845-1893) was a successful merchant in Augusta, Georgia. He was also active in the Georgia Democratic Party and involved in Irish-American relief efforts for Irish tenant farmers.
The Fire Bell Tower in Augusta, Georgia was a fire tower equipped with alarm bells at the intersection of 8th and Greene Streets. Built in 1860, it was dismantled in the 1890s. Image courtesy of the State Archives of Georgia at http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/
JF was likely already involved or was beginning to get involved with the Clan na Gael by 1880. In 1881, American Fenians, some of whom were Clan members, began a dynamite campaign, known as the Dynamite War (1881-1885), in Great Britain.
JF was a founding member of the Augusta chapter of the Irish National Land League of America in 1881. The following year, in 1882, he was chosen as a delegate to the state Democratic convention.
During the Land War (1879-1882) in Ireland, Luke Armstrong, JF’s brother, was arrested under the Coercion Act in January of 1882 for “inciting to pay no rent”. He was released from Enniskillen Gaol in mid-July 1882.
JF Armstrong Timeline: 1880 to 1882
In 1879, after crop failures and with mass evictions looming, the Irish National Land League was founded to fight for fair rents and agrarian reform. Led by Michael Davitt and Charles Stewart Parnell, the Land League organized demonstrations to disrupt evictions and boycotted landlords and tenants that went against the principles of the League. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.
1880
January 2nd-March 12th: Charles Stewart Parnell, Irish Protestant landowner, Irish Member of Parliament, and leader of the Irish National Land League, toured the United States with the backing of the Clan na Gael. (Golway, pp. 126-128)
January 28th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: List of names of people and their contributions to the Irish Relief Fund. J. F. Armstrong was one of the committee members appointed to collect funds.
March 7th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 3: Letter from a committee made up of the mayor of Augusta and three other citizens, one of whom was John F. Armstrong.
It stated that money from the Irish Relief Fund was being enclosed to help the destitute citizens in their parishes and asked that people be helped regardless of their religion. Thank you letters from the clergy were also published.
March 11th: Charles Stewart Parnell founded the Irish National Land League of America, the American counterpart to the Irish National Land League, in New York a day before he returned to Ireland. (Golway, p.127)
August 16th – Thomas Joseph “Joe” Armstrong (1880-1938), the fifth child of Sarah McAndrew Armstrong and John F. Armstrong, was born in Augusta, Georgia.
1881
No day or month, Slater’ Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland (1881), p. 19: Luke Armstrong, JF’s younger brother, was listed under “Grocers and Dealers in Sundries” in Tubbercurry in County Sligo.
January 12th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 1: Meeting held in Augusta to form a local chapter of the Irish National Land League. John F. Armstrong was called upon to speak and offered several resolutions, which were passed. (Note: Article is hard to read. John F. Armstrong ran the end of the meeting, but it is not clear if he was elected an officer.)
January 14th: A small bomb planted by American Fenians exploded near Manchester, England at the military barracks at Salford. The explosion killed a seven year old boy and injured three others. (Golway, pp. 131-2)
February 22nd, Augusta Chronicle, p. 1: At the end of an Irish Land League meeting in Augusta, John F. Armstrong proposed several resolutions in support of Charles Stewart Parnell and land reform in Ireland. One of the resolutions stated that the use of force could not bring about the needed changes. All of the resolutions passed.
March 16th: A bomb planted by American Fenians was found at the residence of the Lord Mayor of London. (Golway, p. 140)
May 26th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Alexander H. Stephens visited Augusta and attended a picnic of St. Patrick’s school with Mr. Jno. F. Armstrong.
June: Two Irish-Americans carrying dynamite-laced cast-iron pipe were arrested in Liverpool. (Golway, p. 140)
August 11th, St. Joseph Weekly Gazette (St. Joseph, Missouri), p. 7: The Clan na Gael held its first national convention at the Palmer House in Chicago. George C. Betts, an Episcopal minister in St. Louis, was listed as the organization’s “permanent secretary”. Former Irish political prisoner Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, leader of a pro-dynamite faction, was at the convention.
October 18th, Freeman’s Journal (Ireland), p. 6 upper right-hand corner: Luke Armstrong was listed at a meeting of the Tubbercurry (County Sligo) branch of the Irish National Land League. Like other branches across Ireland and the world, they protested the arrest of Charles Stewart Parnell and other leaders of the Land League under the Coercion Act. They resolved to continue to fight for the goals of the League.
November: Irish exile and prominent Clan na Gael member, John Devoy, started publishing The Irish Nation newspaper. (Golway, pp. 142-144)
December 3rd, Chicago Daily Tribune, “Erin’s Hope”, p.1 0: A national convention of Irish Societies was held in Boston from November 30-December 2nd. The Rev. George C. Betts served as chairman. Delegates voted to raise money to support the Irish Land League’s No-Rent policy.
1882
Sometime in early 1882: Clan na Gael leader, Alexander Sullivan, traveled to Paris to demand half of the treasury of the Irish Land League for Clan use. He returned to the US with approximately twenty thousand pounds or one hundred thousand dollars of Land League money. (Golway, pp. 144-145)
Januray 22nd, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: It was reported in the Cork Herald that Luke Armstrong, shopkeeper in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, Ireland and brother of John F. Armstrong of Augusta, was arrested under the Coercion Act for “inciting to pay no rent”. He was taken to Armagh Gaol. It was noted that he had visited his brother in Augusta nine years earlier. (Irish Nation, 18 Mar 1882, below stated that Luke Armstrong was listed among the prisoners at Omagh Gaol as of 1 Feb 1882.)
February 22nd, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Father Sheehy of Limerick, Ireland gave a lecture at the opera house on “landlordism” and the situation with Ireland with the arrest of the leaders of the Land League. Father Sheehy was introduced to the crowd by John F. Armstrong.
February 25th, Irishman (Ireland), p. 5. Letter published to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from prisoners at Omagh Gaol arrested under the Coercion Act about disease and poor conditions at the prison. The prisoners asked to be moved to another prison or be released. Luke Armstrong was one of the prisoners who signed the letter.
March 18th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: John F. Armstrong chaired the evening reunion of the Hibernian Society members and introduced the proposed toasts.
March 18, Irish Nation (NY), p. 3: List of the Land Leaguers arrested in Ireland under the Coercion Act as of February 1st, 1883. Luke Armstrong, John F. Armstrong’s brother, was listed in Omagh Gaol in County Tyrone.
March 31st, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Local members of the Irish Land League met to establish a permanent chapter in Augusta. John F. Armstrong was elected president. Fr. Quinlan was elected the chapter’s delegate and John F. Armstrong the alternate to the Irish National Land League national convention in Washington.
April 1st, Dublin Weekly Nation (Ireland), p. 12: In Tubbercurry, County Sligo, local bands and a group of cheering residents welcomed home Nicholas H. Devine, who had just been released from Armagh Gaol due to ill health. In the evening, a bonfire was lit and people cheered Mr. Devine and Luke Armstrong, who was still being held in Enniskillen Gaol under the Coercion Act.
April 26th, Derry Journal (Ireland), p. 3: April 23rd letter to the editor of the Freeman from Luke Armstrong, a prisoner at Enniskillen Gaol in County Fermanagh under the Coercion Act. Armstrong requested that the newspaper publish his letter of April 18th to the Chief Secretary for Ireland. Armstrong claimed that prison authorities had refused to mail the letter and had returned it to him after three days. He wanted it known “…that I despise official threats, and I again state that I am detained here under false pretenses that will not bear investigation”. In the letter to the Chief Secretary, Armstrong stated that he had been jailed almost four months and demanded to be tried for his alleged crime of “…intimidating people to pay no rent”.
May 2nd, Freeman’s Journal (Ireland), p. 6: Irish Member of Parliament Thomas Sexton asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if it was routine for the governor of Enniskillen Gaol to withhold letters the prisoners have written to the Chief Secretary, specifically Luke Armstrong‘s letter of April 18th. The Chief Secretary replied that he was not aware of any policy of routinely withholding letters written by prisoners at Enniskillen Gaol. Although the governor did refuse to mail Luke Armstrong’s letter, he did offer to give it back to him. Furthermore, the Lord Lieutenant did again review Armstrong’s case on April 18th, but he was not released.
May 6th: Chief Secretary of Ireland and Undersecretary were stabbed to death with surgical knives in Phoenix Park in Dublin. An assassination group known as the Invincibles claimed responsibility for the Phoenix Park murders.
May 9th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: The Augusta chapter of the Irish Land League met to condemn the recent assassinations of Lord Cavendish, Chief Secretary for Ireland, and Thomas Henry Burke, Undersecretary, on May 6th in Phoenix Park in Dublin. The chapter pledged to continue its support for lawful change of the land laws in Ireland. John F. Armstrong chaired the meeting.
May 18th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Annual meeting of the Irish Land League in Augusta. President Jno. F. Armstrong oversaw the election of new officers. The new president, E. J. O’Connor, appointed Armstrong to the Executive Committee.
May 27th, Irish Nation (NY), p. 2: The Irish Nation reported that the Augusta, Georgia chapter of the Irish Land League met to condemn the Phoenix Park murders but stated support for self-rule in Ireland. John F. Armstrong chaired the meeting.
June 17th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Announcement that the Executive Committee of the Richmond Democratic Party was to meet that day at noon. John F. Armstrong was one of the members of the committee from the Fourth Ward.
July 1st, Freeman’s Journal (Ireland), p. 6: Irish Member of Parliament Thomas Sexton asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if the case of Luke Armstrong of Tubbercurry would be reviewed soon, since he had been imprisoned under the Coercion Act for six months and his business was suffering. The Chief Secretary said that Mr. Armstrong had not yet been in prison for six months. He had been arrested on January 2nd, 1882 and his case would, therefore, be reviewed once again on July 3rd.
July 6th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: At the Irish Land League picnic, John F. Armstrong announced the evening’s program at 6 p.m. would start with a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
July 14th, Freeman’s Journal (Ireland), p. 6: Irish Member of Parliament Thomas Sexton asked the Chief Secretary for Ireland why Luke Armstrong of Tubbercurry, who had been jailed over six months under the Coercion Act, had been placed in solitary confinement for two days and why he had not been given a reason for the punishment. Mr. Sexton also pointed out that Armstrong’s business had been hurt by his absence and wanted to know if the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland had reconsidered his case. The Chief Secretary replied that Armstrong was placed in solitary confinement for two days because he had destroyed furniture. He had been told of the charge and had denied it. It was under investigation by the Inspector-General of Prisons. In addition, Armstrong’s case had been reviewed by the Lord Lieutenant on July 3rd, but he had decided against releasing him. Mr. Sexton then asked the Chief Secretary how many men from Sligo arrested under the Coercion Act remained in jail, since it had been ten weeks since the First Lord of the Treasury had announced that all prisoners not accused of violence beyond intimidation to not pay rent would be released. The Chief Secretary said that only three persons and Luke Armstrong were still in custody from County Sligo. The Lord Lieutenant would review their cases based on how their release would affect their counties.
July 19th, Freeman’s Journal (Ireland), p. 7. Luke Armstrong, who had been imprisoned under the Coercion Act for over six months, was released and arrived home in Tubbercurry the previous Monday. The town celebrated by lighting tar barrels in the evening and a band played music.
September 26th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Fourth Ward Democratic Club of Richmond County appointed a committee to coordinate with clubs from the other wards in the city. Jno. F. Armstrong was appointed a member of the committee.
September 27th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Fourth Ward Democratic Club of Richmond County met. John F. Armstrong was one of the members appointed to the nomination committee.
October 29th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 8: Richmond County Democrats nominated James R. Randall to run for Alexander H. Stephens seat in Congress. J. F. Armstrong was selected as one of the delegates to attend the state Democratic convention.
November 15th, Augusta Chronicle, p. 4: Fr. Ryan gave a lecture on Ireland to the Irish Land League of Augusta the previous evening. He was introduced by John F. Armstrong.
References
(1880 – 1882). Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 2014, from http://www.genealogybank.com **Note: See dates and page numbers above.
(1880 – 1882). Irish Nation. Retrieved 2014, from http://www.genealogybank.com **Note: See dates and page numbers above.
Chicago Daily Tribune. “Erin’s Hope.” 3 December 1881, p. 10. Accessed in April 2017 at Newspapers.com.
Derry Journal (Ireland). “A Challenge From Enniskillen Prison – To the Editor of the Freeman.” 26 April 1882, p. 3. Accessed in March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0001123%2f18820426%2f093
Dublin Weekly Nation (Ireland). “Welcoming An Ex-Suspect Home”. 1 April 1882, pp. 12-13. Accessed in March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0001424%2f18820401%2f090
Freeman’s Journal (Ireland). “Meetings of the Branches: Tubbercurry Branch”. 18 Oct 1881, p. 6. Accessed March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000056%2f18811018%2f025
Freeman’s Journal (Ireland). “Parliamentary. The House of Commons. Luke Armstrong.” 1 July 1882, p. 6. Accessed March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000056%2f18820701%2f023
Freeman’s Journal (Ireland). “Parliamentary. The House of Commons. Mr. Luke Armstrong; the Sligo Suspects.” 14 July 1882, p. 6. Accessed March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000056%2f18820714%2f023
Freeman’s Journal (Ireland). “Parliamentary. The House of Commons. Petitions From Ireland. The Suspects.” 2 May 1882, p. 6. Accessed March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000056%2f18820502%2f029
Freeman’s Journal (Ireland). “The Suspects.” 19 July 1882, p. 7. Accessed March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000056%2f18820719%2f038
Golway, Terry. Irish Rebel: John Devoy and America’s Fight for Ireland’s Freedom. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998. Print.
Irishman (Ireland). “The Prison Pest House. Omagh Jail a House of Disease.” 25 February 1882, p. 5. Accessed March 2017 at the British Newspaper Archive at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0001423%2f18820225%2f031
Moody, T.W. and F.X. Martin, Editors. The Course of Irish History. Dublin: The Mercier Press, 1993. Print.
O’Brien, Gillian. Blood Runs Green: The Murder That Transfixed Gilded Age Chicago. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2015. Print.
Slater’ Royal National Commercial Directory of Ireland. 1881, p.19. Accessed March 2017 at Findmypast.com at http://search.findmypast.com/record?id=ire%2fiet0035%2f0564&parentid=ire%2fiet0035%2f0564%2f052
St. Joseph Weekly Gazette (St. Joseph, Missouri), “A Secret Convention – The Clan na Gael Council Now in Session in Chicago”. 11 Aug 1881, p. 7, Accessed March 2017 at Newspapers.com.