The First Ward: Fingy Conners, The Sullivan Brothers & Mark Twain

A lot of research went into this book and it's very interesting. Buffalo NY (my former hometown) was once called The Queen City of the Great Lakes due to all the trade that took place. Goods would come through the Erie Canal to be shipped out to further ports on the Great Lakes. Grain would come in from the great plains and was stored in silos located along the city's waterfront to be shipped to ports along the Erie Canal. Huge steel mills were built there. Industry and commerce bustled. The story takes place as Irish immigrants migrated to the city. The characters are vivid and the history is most interesting. Growing up in Buffalo, I never knew that Abraham Lincoln visited the city on the way to DC for his first inauguration!! This is a history book, written like a novel! Very enjoyable!!

Richard Sullivan's 'The First Ward,' is the first volume of a five volume project. The book weaves together the history of the Sullivan family, Buffalo and Irish America in the 19th century. Historical figures such as Lincoln, Grover Cleveland, Millard Fillmore, John L. Sullivan and Mark Twain mingle with local characters such as Jack White, Doc Greene, Fingy Conner and One-eyed Pete, the fiddle player. Richard Sullivan does a skillful job of mingling fact and fiction to present a world that was violent, cruel, sorrowful, joyful and wonderful.

This author does an amazing job of retelling the actual history of Buffalo and WNY Through the eyes of his ancestors. Truly one of those “Can’t put it down,” books. A definite “must read,” for any local history buffs.

Great reading for anyone interested in Irish migration, Buffalo history, Urban Sociology, union organizing or who have connections to the Irish First Ward or South Buffalo. The author Richard Sullivan tracks his Irish roots from Ireland through NYC to Buffalo's Irish First Ward covering 1850 to 1899. Based on family stories, newspaper clippings, library materials and archives, Sullivan integrates his family's experiences living, surviving and advancing in an Irish neighborhood of high poverty, high crime, unhealthy and unsafe living conditions. The story covers family loyalties in an environment of political corruption, exploitation of Irish laborers (e.g., scoopers, dock workers) by the Irish Doc boss and bar owner. It documents the use of taverns to galvanize laborers for profit, exploitation and eventually union organizing. Sullivan's book provides an understanding of the need for and rise of unions during the early years of Irish migration and offers insight into how a community became economically and socially stratified.My brother and I loved the book. It is about the exact streets where our grandparents lived and Mom and her siblings grew up. One of the people featured in Sullivan's book was her uncle, Mike Regan, Chief of Police. Like many people born in the First Ward, my Mom loved the First Ward. She didn't know they were poor, had great friends, was allowed to roam the neighborhood and the lumber yards. She ends a short story about growing up in the First Ward with "Turn back, Turn Back. Time in your flight. Give me yesterday just for to-night."

An interesting look at Buffalo in the 1800’s! The history of the Irish in the “First Ward” comes to life. If you have ever lived in Buffalo, you will recognize many of the places mentioned. I fully enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading Richard Sullivan’s second book.