PC(USA), the child of PCI?

Steve B has challenged my claim that the Irish Presbyterian Church is the mother church of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Ye of little faith.

The so-called 'father of American Presbyterianism' is the Reverend Francis Makemie (1658-1708). Makemie was a native of Donegal and was commissioned by the Presbytery of Lagan (sometimes written Laggan), also in county Donegal, in 1682 and sent to the new world as a missionary to the Americas. He was not sent by the Church of Scotland; though his education at Glasgow University has lead to some confusion about his relationship with the Scottish church over the years. Wikipedia is often reliable, but its article on Makemie is scant and its claim that he was ordained in Scotland is inaccurate. I have that on the authority of my good friend Dr Bert Tosh, a noted scholar of Irish Presbyterian history.

In 1706 he (Makemie, not Tosh) moderated the first presbytery organised in North America, formed in Philadelphia having brought over four other Irish Presbyterian ministers to build parishes on the Eastern shore.

The Irish Republic issued a stamp in Makemie's honour in April 1982 on the tercentenary of his arrival in America. No sign of a stamp for Bert Tosh yet, but I'll keep you informed.