One of Pennsylvania’s best-kept secrets, the Molly Maguires fought for workers and sometimes clashed with the law. Read on to learn more about them.
If you’re from the Western portion of Pennsylvania, you probably already know plenty about the state’s long history with the mining industry. But do you know Molly Maguire? If not, that’s not surprising—the Molly Maguires weren’t a single person. They were a secret society dating back to 19th-century Ireland, and one which made its mark on Pennsylvania’s history. But what exactly did they do? How did they get started? Was Molly Maguire ever a real person? And how does a secret society go from rural Ireland to Pennsylvania coal country, anyway?
Well, it’s a long story, peppered with legends and missing pieces, and it doesn’t even start with mines. It starts with agriculture, and the ways that oppressed workers can look to strike back. Let’s have a look at the wild, transatlantic ride of the Molly Maguires, and how they shaped Pennsylvania history.
Once upon a time in Ireland
The origins of the Molly Maguires, sometimes known as the “Mollies,” are not well recorded (they were, after all, a secret society). But historians agree that they began in rural Ireland in the 19th century. At the time, Ireland was under British control, and tenant farmers were subject to intense restrictions. Some of these included diminishing rights to cultivate crops on public land, which took away a vital source of income and food for many working-class farmers. The Molly Maguires engaged in active resistance by plowing formerly public land so it could once again be used for crops, smashing fences to open the countryside back up to common ownership, and more.
The Mollies weren’t the only secret resistance group in Ireland, but they made their name, in part, through the disguises they wore. Many of the Mollies were men who would dress as women to conceal their identities, leading to the “Molly Maguire” name, which was chosen specifically to honor an Irish widow who had started a group agitating against corrupt landlords. The Mollies even published a list of aims and rules (including a prohibition against religious discrimination, and an encouragement to respect landlords who treated their tenants well), under the title “An Address From ‘Molly Maguire’ to Her Children.”
From the Emerald Isle to the Keystone State
So, how did the Mollies go from defending Irish tenant farmers to fighting for Pennsylvania coal miners? Well, it started with a panic. Specifically, the Panic of 1873, an economic collapse similar to the Great Depression but which had a stronger impact in Western Europe, specifically Britain, Ireland, and France, than in the United States. The panic led to economic stagnation and unemployment, which kick-started large-scale immigration. That immigration included a large number of migrants from Ireland, where many of those involved with the Mollies had been struggling financially even before the Panic, to the United States, where economic opportunities were greater.
Many landed in Pennsylvania and sought work in the coal mines. The new Irish Americans brought their ideas and memories of “the old country” with them. And for some, that included having been a member of, or otherwise connected to, the Molly Maguires. So, when the mining bosses weren’t treating their workers right, it was time to bring Molly into action once again—this time, in her new American role.
Molly on strike!
The conditions in coal country were brutal for the miners. Coal mining was physically draining and highly dangerous, especially in a time before workplace safety regulations. Moreover, wages were often low, and miners faced ever-increasing demands to speed up coal production or face unemployment.
The horrors of the system were thrown into especially sharp relief following the Avondale mine disaster, a tragic accident where over 100 miners were killed, and where many believed that the lack of emergency exits from the mine contributed to the loss of life. This disaster spurred strike action by the miners, starting in Avondale and spreading across the state, culminating in 1875 with a coal miners’ strike that would come to be known as The Long Strike.
Before and during The Long Strike, acting under strict secrecy, the Mollies were spurred into action, including some that were destructive or even violent. The Mollies and their allies in the unions engaged in acts of sabotage, brawls with mining company enforcers, and may even have arranged multiple murders of high-ranking mining officials. Due to their nature as a secret organization, the Mollies felt empowered to commit criminal actions against the mining bosses when they deemed it justified.
A spy in Molly’s place
The mining companies, and law enforcement, were fed up with the strike—and with the actions of the Mollies. But how to take down an organizing body that didn’t even admit to its own existence? Well, you’ll need a mole. Not the animal (although they would likely feel right at home in the dark underground coal mines), but a spy.
Enter the Pinkertons. The infamous detective agency placed James McParlan into the Mollies to record their members, plans, and actions. McParlan successfully infiltrated the Mollies under a false name and was eventually initiated as a full member. In 1875, during the Long Strike, he reported his findings from the operation, leading to the arrest of over 60 men. The mass arrests of the Molly Maguires hobbled the strike action, and the Long Strike finally came to an end. Moreover, 20 of those who were arrested in the operation were eventually convicted and executed for crimes associated with the strike action.
From “the Mollies” to the Ancient Order
While you won’t find the Molly Maguires around today, you may find members of an organization that, while not a secret society, certainly has links to them. The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish-American organization (“Hibernia” being an old Latin name for Ireland) that some say traces its roots to the Mollies. Unlike the Mollies, the Ancient Order has never been associated with criminal action. Also, unlike the Mollies, the Ancient Order is an explicitly Catholic organization, and remains the oldest and largest Irish Catholic lay organization in the United States. Today, they host events to promote Irish culture in America, raise money for charitable causes, and more.
Even if you’re not Irish American, you can still raise a toast to the Molly Maguires in Pennsylvania at one of three different Molly Maguire’s restaurants and bars across the state. At Molly Maguire’s Irish Pub in Jim Thorpe, you can enjoy a traditional Irish menu in a 19th-century building. In Phoenixville, Molly Maguire’s Irish Restaurant and Pub offers traditional Irish and American fare in a fun, casual atmosphere, while Molly’s Pub and Grill in Altoona features cocktails, pub grub, and live music. Whichever you choose, be sure to remember the struggle for Pennsylvania workers’ rights while you toast “Slainte!”
