Page:The Cambridge History of American Literature, v3.djvu/197

The Old School i79 field Francis (1789-1861), genial friend of letters and literary- men and last of a series of literary doctors which included Cadwallader Golden/ David Hosack, Hugh Williamson, and Samuel L. Mitchill, not to mention Benjamin Rush and David Ramsay^ who lived elsewhere. Francis's Old New York (1858) is a charming description of the city under a generation then vanishing. Others of the group were: Henry Onderdonck, Jr. (1804-86), who wrote Annals of Hempstead (1878), Queens County in Olden Times (1865), and other books on Long Island history; Gabriel Furman (1800-53), who left a most accurate book in his Notes . . . Relating to the Town of Brooklyn (1824); Rev. Francis Lister Hawks (i 789-1 866), best remem- bered for his History of North Carolina (1857-58) and his documents relating to the Anglican Ghurch in the colonies; and Henry Barton Dawson (i 821-1889), a turbulent spirit who served history best as editor of The Historical Magazine. John Romeyn Brodhead (1814-73), whose transcripts have been men- tioned, wrote an excellent History of New York, i6oQ-i6gi (1853-71). He was one of the best esteemed members of the New York group. Two Gatholic historians added much to its efficiency: Ed- ward Bailey O'Gallaghan (1797-1873) and John Dawson Gil- mary Shea (1824-92). The first was an educated Irishman, an agitator in the Canadian rebellion of 1837 who fled for safety to Albany when the uprising collapsed, and a historian of good ability. His History of New Netherland (1846-48) and the Documentary History of New York (1849-51) introduced him to the reading public. He became connected with the office of Secretary of State in Albany, edited the ten volumes of Brod- head's transcripts, and brought out many other documents and reprints, always working hard and conscientiously. Shea, who was educated to be a Jesuit priest but withdrew from his novi- tiate before taking final vows, was most interested in church his- tory. His largest work was a History of the Catholic Church in the United States ( 1 88 6-92) , in four volumes ; but he is best known in secular history for his studies in the French history of North America. His Cramoisy edition of the Jesuit Relations ( 1 857-66) andhis editions of Gharlevoix's History of New France (1866-72), ' See Book I, Chap. ll. ' See Book II, Chap. ii. 3 See Book II, Chap. xvii.