Welsh Journals

44 BYE-GONES. Mar. 4, 1891. of "A List of the Inventories of Church Goods, temp. Edward VI.," as well as "English Heir¬ looms," "Marylebone and St. Pancras," "Burials at the Priories of the Black Friars," " Last Year's Explorations in Asia Minor," "A Recent Find of Roman Fibular, &c, near Buxton," and the usual Notes, Library Gossip for Archaeologists, &c, which are always an attractive feature of this publication. The Cosmopolitan Magazine for February con¬ tains a paper, by the Hon. T. L. James, ex-Post¬ master General, illustrated with portraits, on " The Welsh in the United States." The writer, in his introductory remarks, mentions an interesting fact. " One singular thing is to be noted in con¬ nection with early Welsh emigration. Native- born Welshmen always look back with fond affection to the mountains and hills of their own country. When they came to America and began to settle in the state of New York, instead of taking up their residence in the beautiful and picturesque Mohawk valley they selected the wild and uninhabited portions of Steuben, simply be¬ cause it was mountainous, and its scenery re¬ minded them of Snowdon and the mountains of their own beloved land. The Hollanders, on the contrary, following out the same geographical analogy, occupied the flat portions of the country beause'it was so much like the fatherland they had left." In another passage he says :—" From a clannish point of view the Welsh in this country cannot be called a social race. The Scotch have their national games, and love to meet one another in quaint old ale-vaults, where they indulge in a quiet game of shuffle-board; native-born English¬ men frequent the few chop-houses that are still left in New York ; the Frenchman hovers around the ' French quarter,' near Bleecker-street; the Italian is to be found in a restaurant kept by his countryman, where he can eat macaroni a la Milanaise and drink chianti; but for Welshmen there is in New York no common place of resort. They are strictly orthodox in their religious belief, and are not given to even the most innocent amusements ; they, of course, look upon excessive drinking as a grave sin, and dancing is considered immoral." But the Welsh have started various national and benevolent societies, the earliest, the Welsh Society of Philadelphia, dating from 1800. "Among the Puritan pilgrims who came over in the Mayflower several were of Welsh origin or descent. Captain Jones, the commander of the vessel, was a Welshman. In the list of passengers were Thomas Rogers, Stephen Hopkins, John Alden, and John Howland, the latter of Governor Carver's family; two distinguished citizens of New York—Moses H. and Henry Grinnell— descended on their mother's side from John How- land. Captain Reynolds of the Speedwell, which had to put back, was also said to be of Welsh origin." The writer goes on to say that " Oliver Cromwell's real name was Williams," and that it is said " he took the name to entitle him to inherit some property" ! It is inconvenient for this theory that the name of Oliver's father was Crom¬ well and that his mother's name was Steward. Among the signers of the Declaration of Independence seventeen were of Welsh birth or origin, and men of Welsh race have often dis¬ tinguished themselves in the history of the United States. The Cosmopolitan contains a variety of illustrated articles, grave and gay, MARCH 4, 1891. NOTES. A MURDER AT GRESFORD, 1819.—Perhaps the following relic of an Oswestry printer is worth insertion in your columns. Kington. James W. Lloyd. MURDER, WHICH WAS COMMITTED BY DAVID COOKE, ALIAS GHALLINOE, UPON THE BODY OF THOMAS JOKES, IN THE PARISH OF GRESFORD, NEAR WREXHAM, ON Tl'ESDAY, JUNE 29, 1819. The particulars of this horrid transaction are as follow : The members of a Beneficial Club (to which David Cooke and Thomas Jones belonged) had met atGresford, according to annual custom, to proceed in regular procession to Church to hear Divine Service, and afterwards to dine together at their Clubroom. The greatest harmony and good humour prevailed amongst them until the evening, when a disagreement occurred between David Cooke and the Landlord. Jones (brother-in-law to the Land¬ lord) advised Cooke^ to go home (whose house was nearly opposite), which he refused to do, as, he said, he "was determined to be revenged upon him." Cooke left the house a short time after; and the Landlord advised Jones to stop until Cooke was likely to be in bed, as he had declared he would not mind knocking him on the head. Jones stopped about a hour and a half, and then went towards his house. He had not proceeded far when Cooke (who was lying in wait) knocked him down; he then kicked him on his temples, his back, and near the groin, which caused his instant death. Jones's wife, who was near them at the time, cried out, "Murder!" Cooke immediately swore he would "murder her, too, if she did not hold her noise ! " He was soon after apprehended. _ A coroner's in¬ quest was held on Thursday following, and a verdict was retured (sic) of " Wilful Murder against David Cooke, alias Challinor." We are sorry to add that the deceased has left a widow and nine children to lament the loss of a kind and industrious husband and father. SALTER, OSWESTRY, PRINTER. SACHEVEREL AND SELATTYN CHURCH. As the restoration of this ancient church is now