MERRY EVENING AT GREGSON SPRINGS

The Butte Daily Post, Butte, 1912-03-05, p.4

Summary

Sub-head: "James J. Regan Is Guest of Honor at a Formal Affair." Formal banquet at Gregson Springs the previous evening (Monday Mar 4 1912) honoring **National AOH President James J. Regan**. Sixty-odd Irish-American admirers from Butte. Decoration scheme by Jimmie Hurley — "large oil paintings of the late D. J. Hennessey and Marcus Daly, green and gold, stars and stripes, potted palms, flags of the two countries, and the monogram of the Hibernians." This **confirms D. J. Hennessey is deceased by March 1912**. Marcus Daly (the ACM founder) had died 1900. Paired portraits of the two define the Butte Irish pantheon. **Toasts:** - "Our Distinguished Guest" — P. J. Brophy - "Montana" — Rev. Father Batens - "My Impressions of an AOH Banquet" — Former Mayor Charles P. Nevin - "Political Experiences" — Attorney Maurice J. English - "The Ladies" — C. E. Meagher - "American Citizenship" — Walter Breen - **"Irish Characteristics" — Judge Jeremiah J. Lynch** - "Robert Emmet" — James B. Mulcahy - **"The Press" — Deputy County Attorney John V. Dwyer** - "The Host and Hostess" — Jno V. Dwyer Mr. Regan addressed "Our Order" — brilliant; told of the work expected of and the unusual support owed to Irishmen. Mr. Daly expressed his pleasure at the honor and toasted the state president of the Ladies' Auxiliary. Songs: Mr. Hugh Daly, Miss Eileen Daly, Master James Daly, Thomas Coalman, James Murphy, Mike Sheehan and Walter J. Shay, and an Anaconda quartet. "The Wearing of the Green" closed the evening. Recitation by Michael Gavigan. Piano selections by Miss Mulvahill. Mr. Regan left for Anaconda accompanied by John J. O'Meara and other Hibernians; will attend the Anaconda Hibernian meeting that night; tomorrow Hibernia hall Centerville for a joint meeting with the Ladies' Auxiliary. **Those present:** James J. Regan, John J. O'Meara, Rev. Father O'Kennedy, Rev. Father McCormack, Rev. Father Batens, Rev. Father Joyce, John P. O'Neill, P. H. Kenny, F. J. Dervin, D. H. Crowley, Henry Crangle, James T. Finlan, M. J. Walsh, Mike Murray, Charles P. Nevin, Barney McGrade, J. V. Dwyer, M. J. Sheehan, Thomas J. Moran, Maurice Drohan, P. J. Boyle, John C. Murphy, J. J. McCarthy, T. J. McCarthy, James F. Hurley, M. J. Gavigan, J. E. Trew, W. J. Sewell, L. Whelan, John Ferns, W. K. Dwyer, Walter Breen, C. E. Meagher, Thomas Prendergast, P. J. Brophy, James A. Canty, J. J. Lynch, L. P. Donovan, Larry Duggan, T. F. Nolan, Dan Leahy, John Gribben, Patrick Scanlan, T. J. McGuire, Patrick Craig, **James Murphy**, **James J. Murphy**, C. H. Gallagher, Charles Kennedy, Marco Medin, John J. Holland, Dan Lynch, John Quilty, J. J. Crowley, M. J. English, T. J. Kelly, James Brennan and James A. Berry, James B. Mulcahy, John Condon, James Cummins and Walter J. Shay, representing the press. ARCHIVE SIGNIFICANCE. (a) **CRITICAL DISAMBIGUATION:** the attendee list contains BOTH "James Murphy" AND "James J. Murphy" — separate entries. This confirms what the user's filing has long suggested: these are TWO distinct individuals at the same Butte Irish-American function. The James J. Murphy (with middle initial) is the JJM-Centerville-AOH figure; the bare "James Murphy" is plausibly the later 1927-d. James J. Murphy (= person_james_j_murphy_butte_died_1927), or a third unrelated individual. Lump-bias does not apply here — the printer made the distinction. (b) **D. J. Hennessey's portrait on display alongside Marcus Daly's** establishes him as deceased by March 1912 and as a Butte Irish-American patriarch figure on par with Daly. (c) National AOH President Regan's visit puts Butte on the national AOH map and gives JJM proximity to the order's top national leadership two years before his county presidency.

People

James Joseph "James J." Murphy (b. 1883 Ardgroom; d. 1938 LA)(as printed: James J. Murphy)
role: banquet attendee · family confidence: 10 flag
James J. Murphy (Butte, d. 1927 age 58)(as printed: James Murphy)
role: banquet attendee · family confidence: 10 flag
The attendee list explicitly lists BOTH "James Murphy" AND "James J. Murphy" — separately. This is the strongest single piece of evidence in the archive that these are two distinct Butte Murphys at the same events. Attributing the bare "James Murphy" provisionally to the 1927-d. James J. Murphy record (whose 1927 obit is the basis for that person record); could be a third individual.
Jeremith J. Lynch (Ballycrovane)(as printed: Judge Jeremiah J. Lynch)
role: toast speaker irish characteristics · family confidence: 10 flag
Third independent confirmation of Judge J. J. Lynch's given name as Jeremiah (after 1910-09-13 AOH state convention and 1911-03-17 banquet attendees).

Also mentioned

James J. Regan · national_aoh_president_honoree
D. J. Hennessey · deceased_portrait_on_wall
Daniel J. Hennessey, founder of the Hennessey Mercantile company in Butte — CONFIRMED DECEASED BY MARCH 1912. The 'late D. J. Hennessey' phrasing is explicit. His portrait paired with Marcus Daly's defines the Butte Irish pantheon. Worth a person record on the back-pass.
Marcus Daly · deceased_portrait_on_wall
Marcus Daly, founder of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company; died 1900. National-context figure.
P. J. Brophy · toast_our_distinguished_guest
Rev. Father Batens · toast_montana
Charles P. Nevin · toast_my_impressions_aoh_banquet
= the C. P. Nevin who in 1911 toasts 'Our City' and in 1924 is Democratic county exec chairman. Three-decade Butte civic career.
Attorney Maurice J. English · toast_political_experiences
C. E. Meagher · toast_the_ladies
Walter Breen · toast_american_citizenship
James B. Mulcahy · toast_robert_emmet
Deputy County Attorney John V. Dwyer · toast_the_press_and_host_and_hostess
= the John V. Dwyer recurring through the cluster (Asst County Attorney 1910, banquet attendee 1911, Centerville degrees conferrer 1910). Promoted to Deputy County Attorney by 1912.
John J. O'Meara · hibernian_state_president_attended
Jimmie Hurley · decoration_scheme
= James / James F. Hurley of the Hennessy store. Same man designed the 1911 Irish-American Ball decorations.
Hugh Daly · song
Miss Eileen Daly · song
Master James Daly · song

Places

Butte, Montana (primary)
Anaconda, Montana (secondary)
Centerville (district of Butte) (secondary)
Gregson Hot Springs (primary)

Themes

Story threads

Source type

news_item, public_meeting_report

Related sources

Transcription

transcription: complete · confidence high

# MERRY EVENING AT GREGSON SPRINGS ## James J. Regan Is Guest of Honor at a Formal Affair. *The Butte Daily Post, Tuesday, March 5, 1912, p. 4. (Page header "THE BUTTE INTER MOUNTAIN".)* Gregson Springs did itself proud last night in its entertainment of National President James J. Regan of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the 60-odd Irish and Irish-American admirers who gathered round the festive board to do honor to the distinguished chief of an olden order. On the walls hung large oil paintings of the late D. J. Hennessey and Marcus Daly. Green and gold, stars and stripes, potted palms, flags of the two countries and the monogram of the Hibernians were used by Jimmie Hurley in a decorative scheme that transformed the dining hall of the resort into a fairyland of color and beauty. During the banquet an orchestra and a number of vocal selections entertained. The menu card was distinctively characteristic of the occasion and paid tribute to different portions of the mother-isle. Personal favors were handed each guest as happy mementoes of the evening. The speakers imbued with the spirit of the gathering paid tribute to the worth of the order of which Mr. Regan is national head and Mr. Regan's address was received enthusiastically. The party went from Butte at 6 o'clock and returned at midnight. ## The Program. Toastmaster — John J. O'Meara, state president of the Hibernians, was toastmaster. Those who spoke to toasts were W. K. Dwyer of Anaconda, "Our Distinguished Guest;" P. J. Brophy, "Montana;" Rev. Father Batens, "My Impressions of an A. O. H. Banquet;" Former Mayor Charles P. Nevin, "Political Experiences;" Attorney Maurice J. English, "The Ladies;" C. E. Meagher, "American Citizenship;" Walter Breen, "Irish Characteristics;" Judge Jeremiah J. Lynch, "Robert Emmet;" James B. Mulcahy, "The Press;" Deputy County Attorney John V. Dwyer, "The Host and Hostess." Mr. Regan spoke on "Our Order." His address was a brilliant one. He told the Hibernians the work that was expected of them and appealed for unusual support of Irishmen by Irishmen. Mr. Daly expressed his pleasure at the honor conferred on him by the distinguished gathering and Mrs. Daly as state president of the Ladies' Auxiliary expressed to Mr. Regan the pleasure it was to her and Mr. Daly to entertain the national chief of the order at Gregson Springs. Songs were given during the evening by Mrs. Hugh Daly, Miss Eileen Daly, Master James Daly, Thomas Coalman, James Murphy, Mike Sheehan and Walter J. Shay and an Anaconda quartet. "The Wearing of the Green" was sung at the conclusion of the banquet by Miss Connolly of Anaconda. ## Church Represented. A recitation by Michael Gavigan was one of the happy events of the evening. Miss Mulvahill gave some piano selections. The church was represented by priests from the different divisions of the Hibernians in Butte. Many telegrams were received from absentees. Mr. Regan left this afternoon for Anaconda accompanied by John J. O'Meara, and other Hibernians. He will attend the meeting of the Hibernians in Anaconda this evening. Tomorrow evening he will be guest in Hibernia hall, Centerville, at a joint meeting of the Hibernians and the Ladies' Auxiliary. ## Those Present. The following were seated at the banquet board: James J. Regan, John J. O'Meara, the Rev. Father O'Kennedy, the Rev. Father McCormack, the Rev. Father Batens, the Rev. Father Joyce, John P. O'Neill, P. H. Kenny, F. J. Dervin, D. H. Crowley, Henry Crangle, James T. Finlan, M. J. Walsh, Mike Murray, Charles P. Nevin, Barney McGrade, J. V. Dwyer, M. J. Sheehan, Thomas J. Moran, Maurice Drohan, P. J. Boyle, John C. Murphy, J. J. McCarthy, T. J. McCarthy, James F. Hurley, M. J. Gavigan, J. E. Trew, W. J. Sewell, L. Whelan, John Ferns, W. K. Dwyer, Walter Breen, C. E. Meagher, Thomas Prendergast, P. J. Brophy, James A. Canty, J. J. Lynch, L. P. Donovan, Larry Duggan, T. F. Nolan, Dan Leahy, John Gribben, Patrick Scanlan, T. J. McGuire, Patrick Craig, James Murphy, James J. Murphy, C. H. Gallagher, Charles Kennedy, Marco Medin, John J. Holland, Dan Lynch, John Quilty, J. J. Crowley, M. J. English, T. J. Kelly, James Brennan and James A. Berry, James B. Mulcahy, John Condon, James Cummins and Walter J. Shay, representing the press.

Open questions

D. J. Hennessey — promote to a full person record. Death date is pre-March 1912 per this clipping; specific date to be researched.
James Murphy vs James J. Murphy as distinct attendees — needs a back-pass to re-audit every clipping where "James Murphy" without middle initial appears, since the lump-bias may have been too aggressive in some cases.