Keith Spence, Esq., to whom the above letter was written, was purser on board of the U. S. Frigate Philadelphia when she grounded, and was captured by the Turks in the bay of Tripoli, and at this time was a prisoner in the Castle of Tripoli, and a witness of the gallant conduct of his son and countrymen. He also witnessed the recapture and destruction of the Philadelphia, by his friend Decatur, "an achievement, viewing the manner in which it was accomplished, and the circumstances attending it, equals any thing of the kind on record."

In 1822, the manly protest of Captain Spence, as senior naval officer of the United States, in reply to the proclamation of Francisco Morales, General-in-Chief of the Spanish forces on the Main, threatening with imprisonment and death. all foreigners found in the Spanish colonies, whose countries were at war with Spain, was much applauded. "The conduct of Captain Spence," said a leading writer, "has been honorable to humanity and the country which gave him birth. His noble, manly and dignified Protest does him great honor, and will be read by Americans with pleasure."

In 1826, Captain Spence was assigned to the command of the West India Squadron. He d. 26th Sept. of the same

year.

The Cutt family, maternal ancestors of Captain Spence, according to Brewster and Adams, as stated in their Annals of Portsmouth, settled in New Hampshire previous to the year 1646. Brewster says that "they were the largest landholders in Portsmouth in 1660." His maternal grandfather, John Cutt, was appointed by the King the first President of New Hampshire, and in 1760, President Cutt convened the first Assembly ever held in that Colony. His maternal uncle, Gen. William Whipple, commanded the 1st New Hampshire Brigade at the surrender of Burgoyne, was a member of the Continental Congress from New Hampshire, in 1776, and signed the Declaration of Independence.

HON. CARROLL SPENCE, son of Captain Robert Trail Spence and Mary Clare Carroll, was educated at St. Mary's College, where he was graduated and received the degree of A.M. At Dickinson College he received the degree of L. L. B. In 1842, he was elected to the Legislature of Maryland, and in 1854 was chosen Presidential Elector. He received the degree of LL. D. from St. Mary's College. In 1854 he was appointed Minister to the Sublime Porte, by President Pierce, and under very difficult and extraordinary circumstances, made

the first treaty ever concluded between the United States and Persia. A New York paper, speaking of Hon. Carroll Spence, said, "Mr. Spence has represented this country near the Sublime Porte during an exciting period of European politics, and has proved himself a diplomatist of no little ability. His powerful protest in behalf of the unfortunate Greeks, at the commencement of the war, induced the Turkish Ministry to rescind their harsh measures against them, and obtained for him the thanks of every lover of humanity. (For his interference in behalf of the Greeks, he received the thanks of the King of Greece, and a tender of a decoration, which he declined.)

"His earnest appeal to the Sultan for religious toleration in the Ottoman Empire, was instrumental in procuring the late firman in behalf of the Christians there, while it was, chiefly, owing to his strenuous efforts that the exiled patriots from the Principalities were permitted to return to their country. As a striking proof of his influence with the Turkish Government, he has lately prevailed upon it to send two of its principal officers to procure a Steam-Line-Battle-Ship in the United States."

HON. CARROLL SPENCE m. his cousin, Rebecca Carroll, dau. of Charles Ridgely Carroll and Rebecca Anne Pue, and had child., viz., Kate Stiles Spence, and Rebecca Carroll Spence.

JAMES CARROLL, son of Mary Clare Carroll and Nicholas Maccubbin, m. in December 1787, Sophia Gough, dau. of Harry Dorsey Gough, of Perry Hall, Baltimore County, and had child., viz., James Carroll,-Harry Dorsey Gough Carroll, who m. Eliza Ridgely, dau. of Gov. Charles Ridgely, of Hampton,-Prudence Gough Carroll, who m. John Ridgely, son of Gov. Charles Ridgely, of Hampton,-and Charles Ridgely Carroll.

JAMES CARROLL, eldest son of James Carroll and Sophia Gough, m. 7th Nov. 1811, Achsah Ridgely, dau. of Gov. Charles Ridgely, of Hampton, and had child., viz., Charles Ridgely Carroll, d.,-Sophia Carroll, d.,-Prudence Gough Carroll,-James Carroll,-Priscilla Ridgely Carroll, d.,—and Achsah Ridgely Carroll.

HON. JAMES CARROLL, son of James Carroll, and Achsah Ridgely, m. 5th Oct. 1837, Mary Wethered Ludlow, dau. of Robert C. Ludlow, U. S. N., and Ann Catharine Wethered (see WETHERED) and had child., viz., Achsah Ridgely Carroll,-Sally Wethered Carroll,-James Carroll, b. 27th Nov.

1841, d. 16th Feb'y 1842,-James Carroll, b. 20th April 1843, d. 24th Jan'y 1846,-Mary Ludlow Carroll,-Sophia Gough Carroll,-Harry Dorsey Gough Carroll,—and Catharine Ludlow Carroll.

CHARLES RIDGELY CARROLL, son of James Carroll and Sophia Gough, m. 21st Nov. 1823, Rebecca Anne Pue, dau. of Dr. Arthur Pue, and had two sons and six daus., viz., James Carroll,-Charles Arthur Carroll, who m. 13th July 1871, Sallie H. White,-Rebecca Carroll, who m. Hon. Carroll Spence, Sophia Gough Carroll, who m. 5th Feb'y 1852, George B. Milligan,-Susan Carroll, who m. 26th Dec. 1850, Thomas Poultney,-Achsah Ridgely, who m. 1st Nov. 1855, William Shippen, of Philadelphia, Mary Carroll (now d.), who m. Robert M. Denison,-and Gough Carroll, who m. in 1871, Edwin Schenck.

The following notes are carefully extracted from papers and documents in possession of the Carroll family:

"The Sept of O'Carroll was early established in Lowth, being then popularly styled Princes of Orgeil. Previous to the English invasion, immediately after the great Synod of Mellifont in 1152, is recorded the expulsion of their chief from that country, of which he had been the acknowledged lord, from Drogheda to Asigh in the County of Meath. These annalists, however, notice O'Carrolls as Chiefs of Orgeil and Ely O'Carroll down to the year 1193; and it is especially recorded that when in 1166, on the eve of Strongbow's invasion of Ireland, Roderic O'Connor, then king of this country, seeking to ascertain the feeling of allegiance towards himself, encamped with an army hereabout, Daniel Carroll, with the other chiefs of Lowth, came into his tent, delivered hostages for their fealty, and received in return, as related in the Annals of Innisfallen, a present of two hundred and forty beeves.'

"The O'Carrolls were, at that time and previously, settled in a territory of Tipperary, from them called Ely-O'Carroll. The death of Amergin Carroll, Lord of Ely, is recorded in 1033. This inheritance comprised the present Barony of Lower Ormond, with that of Clonlisk and part of Ballibritt in the King's County, and to the Sleive Bloom Mountains in the Queen's. The name was one of power and possession in the Counties of Cavan and Leitrim (vide Annals of Innisfallen, and King James' Army List; Funeral Entries Dublin Castle). "In 1168 died John Carroll, Bishop of Ross.

"In 1171 Charles Carroll, Lord of Orgeil, joined Roderick O'Connor, the last native King of Ireland, in the ineffective siege of Dublin, then occupied by the English. In 1178 he made a gallant and successful attack upon De Courcy, and, dying in 1189, was interred in the Abbey which he had founded for Cistercians at Mellifont.

"In 1327 John Carroll became Archbishop of Cashel. "Thomas Carroll became Bishop of Tuam, 1349.

"Fergan Carroll surrendered his possessions (1615) to Edward the Sixth, who restored them to him on English tenure, with the addition of the dignity of Baron. (See Sir Bernard Burke, and vide Records of Parliament.)

"Perrot's Parliament of 1585 was attended by Lord Carroll of Ely (vide Records of Parliament.)

"In the Office of Arms of Dublin is recorded the death of Sir Wm. Carroll, August 15th, 1630 (vide Office of Arms).

"Amongst the active measures concerted by James I for reducing Ireland, a commission was appointed for ascertaining the bounds and limits of O'Carroll's County, commonly called Ely O'Carroll.' (See Surveyor General's Office, 1641.)

"On 11th of April, 1691, 1,500 men, commanded by General Carroll, came to Inniskean, with a design to have that place as a step further upon our frontiers. (Vide Story's History.)

"The attainders of 1691 included those of John Carroll of King's County, John Carroll (who is buried in the churchyard of Dunkerron, near Roscrea), and John Carroll of the County Sligo also Eugene Carroll of the Queen's County. (Vide Attainders 1691.)

"1549. Carroll submitted to Lord Justice Brabazon, agreed to find foot and horse, surrendered Ely O'Carroll, and had it regranted and was created Baron of Ely. (Vide Betham MSS. vol. iv. p. 287. Also Burke.)

"1460. The counties of Kilkenny and Tipperary paid Carroll for peace. (Betham MSS. and Sir Bernard Burke, vol. iv. p. 166.)

"1540. One of the accusations against Lord Deputy Grey was that he took O'Carroll's castle from a loyal Carroll. (Betham MSS. p. 264.)

"O'Carroll, Prince of Ely, was taken prisoner by James, 3d Earl of Ormond, 1399, but made his escape 1400.

"Ellen, only dau. of Pierce Butler, eldest son of Sir Edmund Butler of Roscrea, whose younger brother, John of Kilcash, was father to Walter, 11th Earl of Ormond, was wife