http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification 720 http://catalog.wrhs.org/collections/search?freeformQuery%3Dirish;expand%3Dsubject;f1-subject%3DMacWilliams,%20William,%201841-1887. Results for your query: freeformQuery=irish;expand=subject;f1-subject=MacWilliams, William, 1841-1887. Tue, 28 Jul 2020 12:00:00 GMT http://catalog.wrhs.org/collections/view?docId=ead/MS4886.xml William MacWilliams (1841-1887) was born in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland, to a Presbyterian and Ulster Scottish family, the fourth son and only child of William McWilliams (1801-1880) and Elizabeth Russell. This family had strong Irish pro nationalist political leanings, believing in a united, independent and non-sectarian Ireland. They supported the United Irishmen movement which sought to overthrow British rule. In addition, Williams' grandfather fought with the rebels at Ballynahinch and Antrim in Northern Ireland in the 1798 uprising. William received a primary school education, and as a youth, was fascinated with the history of Ireland and the stories of various nationalist movements. He later involved himself in nationalist activities, and in doing so, endangered himself, resulting in his parents sending him to America after arrests were made in Belfast and Down in 1859, to avoid imprisonment. MacWilliams came originally to New York and then moved to Pennsylvania where he married Elizabeth... http://catalog.wrhs.org/collections/view?docId=ead/MS4886.xml Wed, 01 Jan 2014 12:00:00 GMT