Scottish Emigration from Ulster and The Scots-Irish in the Southern United States

 Two articles here

Scottish Emigration from Ulster 

                                              (The Scots-Irish) 
                                                by Janet Cook 

                                                     and

The Scots-Irish in the Southern United States: An Overview by Katharine Garstka | Oct 16, 2009 Katharine Garstka, researcher and writer for more than 30 years, turned her attention to genealogy about ten years ago.   The Southern United States today is home to people of many different cultural backgrounds, so that genealogical research in the area may lead one to ancestors of various nationalities. One of the principal groups of settlers, however, was the Scots-Irish, a group of people whose influence is still widely felt in the south. While many people have heard the term, perhaps in relation to their own heritage, not everyone knows precisely what it means. Who were the Scots-Irish? The term Scots-Irish is generally used to refer to people whose ancestors originated in Scotland, but who lived in Ireland, sometimes for several generations, before emigrating to America.  They are also called Scotch-Irish or Ulster Scots.  Considering the impact this group of people made on the new world, a better term might be the one coined by historian David Hackett Fischer, writing in Albion's Seed, who called them borderers.  Borderers encompassed a number of other settlers who shared many of the traits of those Scots who first settled in northern Ireland and then migrated to North America. These closely related peoples were from the borderlands of northern England, southern Scotland, and the north of Ireland. Once in America, they formed a more-or-less cohesive unit, if that can be said of a people who nurtured a proud and sometimes argumentative spirit, and a distain for authority. They tended to settle in large kinship groups, and often shared the same surname, a fact that made record-keeping confusing and has continued to pose problems for genealogists.  The beginning genealogist should not worry if he finds a woman marrying a man of the same surname -- they were not necessarily first cousins, but were likely from the same large kinship group that had settled together in the new world, just as they had lived in neighboring areas of the old. The Scottish Migration to Ulster Why did these Scots go to Ireland in the first place?   First of all, Scotland was a very poor country in the years prior to the 1600s--most of its inhabitants lived at subsistence level, working small farms and keeping a few sheep or cows. An expanding population wanted more and better land, and was prepared to go wherever it could be found. Starting around 1600, Scots began to migrate to northern part of Ireland, where there was fertile land that was only sparsely settled.  It is a short journey of just a few miles across the sea from the lowlands of Scotland, and thus an easy trip to make. Wallace Castle This unofficial migration was only the beginning. After the first few years, the British government instituted the Plantation of Ulster in 1609. The Plantation was the organized colonization of land that had been confiscated from the O'Neills and O' Donnells as part of the pacification of Ireland. The English authorities intended to solve the problem of the rebellious Irish by encouraging English and Scottish settlers to move into the troubled area, and therefore colonists were required to be English-speaking and protestant.  From 1690 to 1700, an estimated 50,000 Scots migrated to Ulster, an area that includes all the counties that are currently in Northern Ireland today. The Scots-Irish Migration to America So why did they leave Ireland a few years, or in some cases, a few generations, later? The answer lies in the changes that took place in Ulster starting around the turn of the century. The 1704 Test Act required that all crown officials be of the Anglican faith; this regulation eventually included all those in the military, or employed by civil service, municipal corporations, and educational institutions.  The Scots-Irish, devoutly Presbyterian, were not only excluded from any sort of power, even their clergy was stripped of its authority to perform marriages. (Thus the genealogist seeking information may need to look at Anglican marriage records.) Other factors were at work, too. Repressive trade laws favored England at the expense of the Irish exporters. Rack-renting, a system whereby land rents were raised exorbitantly whenever a lease expired, began to bankrupt farmers.  Although the early settlers had leased their land for 31 years, these leases began to expire starting about 1718. In the years from 1714 to 1718, drought, sheep diseases, and smallpox took their tolls on the population; by 1718 they had had enough. That year 1,000 Scots-Irish emigrated to Boston, and from then on, ships took thousands to a new life in the new world. In fact, James Leyburn, writing in The Scotch-Irish, estimates that about 250,000 emigrants sailed to America between 1717 and 1775. The flood stopped briefly during the Revolution, but afterwards, even more left the northern counties of Ireland. Migration within the American Colonies Most of these early immigrants arrived in New England, making their way to Pennsylvania, largely because the Quaker-run colony was tolerant of different religious beliefs, whereas the Puritans of nearby areas were not so welcoming to the newcomers.  As more settlers arrived, they eventually filled in much of the backcountry, and began to make their way south to Virginia and the Carolina Piedmont.  Great Wagon Road The Scots-Irish, as well as large numbers of German settlers, followed the Great Wagon Road that traversed the 600 miles from Pennsylvania to Georgia, many settling along that path.  While the Germans and the Scots-Irish were not openly hostile to each other, they were separated by culture and religion and thus tended not to intermarry. Gradually the Scots-Irish moved south to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, which became a launching point for further migration to the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Eventually, with so many Scots-Irish settling in the south, Charleston became the second most important arrival port (after New York) for ships from Ireland. It's perhaps not surprising that the Scots-Irish would gravitate to the frontiers of American settlement, and that later, many of them were to be found on the rolls of Revolutionary War patriots. After carving out a new life in Ireland, their rewards were short-lived.  Then, when faced with governmental oppression and untenable living conditions, they opted for a new start in America. Once here, they weren't about to start over a third time. Irish or Scots-Irish? If you have ancestors who came from Ireland, they may be Irish, or they may be Scots-Irish. There are a number of questions you can ask yourself. Was your ancestor Protestant (especially Presbyterian)?  Did she depart from Ireland, but have a Scottish surname, like Campbell, McDonald, or Galloway?  Did he have a Scottish first name, like Angus or Duncan? Did she come from the Ulster region, for example, County Antrim, or County Down? Answers to these questions can yield important clues to guide you in your search. One of the customs the Scots-Irish brought with them concerns the names they bestowed upon their children. An eldest son was frequently given the name of his paternal grandfather, while a daughter would carry the name of her grandmother. Thus it is common to find a John with a son Andrew, and a grandson John, followed in turn with another Andrew, etc.  The choice of first names can also provide clues for the genealogist. The Scots-Irish often named their children from the Bible. They also used some Teutonic names like Robert and Richard, and were fond of border saints like Andrew, Patrick, and David. (St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.) Other favorites, like Archibald and Ronald, are not often found elsewhere. And of course Scottish heroes, like Wallace, Bruce, Percy, and Howard, lent their names to many Scots-Irish boys. Girls' names might also be taken from the Bible or a saint; common names for girls included Mary, Elizabeth, Anne, Catherine, Margaret, Janet, and Marion. Another thing to consider is the path taken by your ancestors as a whole. Did they leave from ports in Northern Ireland, especially in Counties Antrim, Down, and Londonderry (Derry)? Upon arrival, did they live in Pennsylvania, with subsequent moves to Virginia, or the Carolinas? Did some of their descendants move farther south, or to the west into Tennessee, Alabama, or Texas? These are the paths that the majority of Scots-Irish traveled.  The Scots-Irish played a large role in the settlement of America, particularly in the southern United States. Their experiences in settling new lands in Ireland, and then again in the American colonies, helped to develop a hard-working, fearless, and sometimes brash, spirit. Occasionally lawless and violent, the Scots-Irish nevertheless had a big influence on the history of the United States; their descendants populated many frontier areas, and aspects of their culture, customs, and speech are still visible in parts of the south today Some of the best resources for Scotch-Irish research are: Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, by David Hackett Fischer (Oxford University Press, 1989) The Scotch-Irish, a Social History, by James G. Leyburn (University of North Carolina Press, 1962) The Scotch-Irish, from the North of Ireland to the Making of America, by Ron Chepesiuk (McFarland & Company, 2000) Online Resources: GENUKI (http://www.genuki.org.uk/) This large, free site for genealogical information focuses on the United Kingdom and Ireland. Scottish Emigration from Ulster  (The Scots-Irish)

by Janet Cook

Scottish emigrants from Ulster, the first to leave in companies sufficiently large to form settlements entered the United States by two routes: (I) by the Delaware River through New Castle, Delaware, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and (2) at Charleston, South Carolina.

1670 (about): Colonel Ninian Beall, pioneer Scot, settled in Maryland between the Potomac and Patuxent rivers. He was joined later by about 200 of his Scottish friends.

1683: Reverend Francis Makemie of Ramelton, sent to Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland, by the Irish Presbytery of Logan. He is considered to have been the pioneer minister of Presbyterianism in America.

1683: Snow Hill on the eastern shore of Maryland, was the cradle of American Presbyterianism.

1684: Many "Scotch-Irish" refugees found sanctuary in East New Jersey. Later, New Jersey was to become a Presbyterian stronghold.

1684 (about): The Rehoboth Church in Maryland was organized.

1690 and before: Presbyterian settlements in Somerset County, Maryland, included Snow Hill (now in Worcester County), Pitt's Creek, Wicomico, Manokin and Rehoboth.

1690 and before: There were twelve Presbyterian churches in America. Five in Maryland at Manokin, Rehoboth, Snow Hill, Wicomico and Patuxent; two in Virginia at Accomac and Elizabeth River; two in Delaware at Lewes and New Castle; one in Pennsylvania at Philadelphia; one in New Jersey at Freehold, now Tennant; and one in South Carolina at Charleston.

1700 to 1720: Presbyterian Churches were in Delaware at Head of Christina, Drawyers, Cedar Creek, Dover, Murderkill, and White Clay Creek or Lower Brandywine. In Pennsylvania, they were located at Norriton, Great Valley, Abington, and Upper Octorara. In Maryland, south of the Pennsylvania line, they were located at Rock and Lower Octorara. In South Carolina at Cainhoy, John's Island, Edisto, Bethel and Wilton. In New Hampshire at Londonderry. In New Jersey at Hope-well, Maidenhead, Whippany, and probably Baskinridge and Bound Brook. In New York at New York City.

1700: There were repeated and large colonies of Scotch-Irish and other Presbyterians that poured into the State of North Carolina before and soon after 1700.

1700: Reverend Archibald Stobo arrived at Charleston, South Carolina, to be minister of the Scotch Presbyterian Church.

1706: The first presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America was organized.

1714 to 1720: Fifty-four vessels brought "Scotch-Irish" to Boston, Massachussetts.

1718: A great number of "Scotch-Irish" arrived in New York to settle Orange and Ulster Counties.

1718 (4 August): Five small ships bearing 120 "Scotch-Irish" families arrived at Boston, Massachusetts. Fifty of these families were to settle Worcester, Massachusetts. Others settled the towns of Pelham, Warren and Blandford in 1741.

1719: Some "Scotch-Irish" families settled Martinsburg, Berkeley County, West Virginia, and established the congregations of Falling Water and Tuscarora.

1720 and before: Scotch-Irish settled in Goshen, Orange County, New York. Later, about four families from the north of Ireland settled along the Wallkill River in Orange County and Ulster County, NewYork.

1720 to 1730: Many Scotch-Irish settled in southeastern Pennsylvania near the Maryland border in Cecil County, Maryland, and in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the townships of East and West Nottingham. In New Castle County, Delaware, hundreds settled in the towns of Mill Creek and White Clay. Other settlements wee made in Chester County, Lancaster County and part of present-day Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

1723: "Scotch-Irish" settled in Voluntown (now Stirling, Windham County), Connecticut. They came from Massachusetts and New Jersey settlements.

1728: James Oglethorpe settled a colony of "Scotch-Irish" on the Altamaha River in Georgia. The settlement first was called New Inverness. Now it is Darien, Mclntosh County, Georgia.

1729 to 1783: Largest settlement of "Scotch-Irish" Highlanders in North Carolina along the Cape Fear River, then Bladen County, now Cumberland County, North Carolina.

1730 and before: Large settlement of "Scotch-Irish" in townships of Colerain, Pequea and Leacock in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

1732: James Pringle and other Irish Protestants from Ulster were granted a township twenty miles square called Williamsburg, to include the village of Kingstree, Williamsburg County, South Carolina.

1734: Williamsburg on the Black River and Camden on the Wateree River were settled predominantly by the Irish.

1734: Samuel Waldo of Massachusetts and others settled Warren, Knox County, Maine. This group was originally from the North of Ireland.

1736 (about): A colony of Presbyterians introduced into North Carolina from Ulster, Ireland. They went into Bladen and Duplin Counties. Descendants are now in Sampson, New Hanover and Duplin Counties.

1736 (about): A group of Presbyterians composed of "Scotch-Highlanders" began settlements that occupied most of Cumberland County, North Carolina, of that time.

1736: Henry McCullock introduced a colony from Ulster, Ireland, to settle his grant in Duplin County, North Carolina. The congregations of Goshen and the Grove started.

1736: In Duplin County, North Carolina, Henry McCullock settled 4,000 of his countrymen from Ireland on a tract of 64,000 acres.

1737 (about): Captain Lauchlin Campbell of Islay, a Highland soldier, visited America and was encouraged to settle here. After some difficulties with the officials, he settled the present town of Argyle, Washington County, New York.

1738: John Lindsay and others obtained a land grant in Cherry Valley, Otsego County, New York. Some settlers arrived here from Londonderry, New Hampshire, from Scotland and from Ulster, Ireland .

1738: Pelham, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, was settled by Presbyterians. Also, Coteraine, Franklin County, Massachusetts and Olsego Co., New York.

1740: Western (now Warren) Worcester County, Massachusetts and Blanford, Hampden County, Massachusetts were incorporated by Presbyterian settlers.

1740: Glen Township, Montgomery County, New York, was settled by sixteen families from Ireland.

These same families were forced to leave later.

1740 (about): "Scotch-Irish" started to settle in North Carolina in the counties of Granville, Orange, Rowan, Mecklenburg, Guilford, Davidson and Cabarrus.

1742: Monroe Township, Orange County, New York, was settled by Scotch-Irish families. 1745: Cape Fear country in North Carolina received many settlers. A number of ship loads arrived at Wilmington, North Carolina. Fayetteville, Cumberland County was a center of activity.

1749: Neil McNeill, a native of Argyleshire, Scotland, was a settler in the area of present-day Fayetteville, (Campbelton) Cumberland County, North Carolina. He was instrumental later in bringing 300 immigrants into Brunswick, Bladen, Cumberland and Harnett Counties, North Carolina.

1751 (about): Large immigration of "Scotch-Irish" from Pennsylvania into the counties of Lancaster, York, Chester, Fairfield, Union, Newberry, Abbeville and Edgefield Counties, South Carolia. Others settled Spartanburg.

1758: Benjamin Miller, minister at Scotch Plains in New Jersey, followed a colony from New Jersey to the Yadkin River in North Carolina.

1755: A Presbyterian congregation from The Cowpasture River in present Bath County, Virginia, settled what was known as the Centre Congregation in Iredell County, North Carolina. Their pastor was Alexander Craighead.

1755 (about): The reverend Alexander Craighead settled on the Rocky River in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He organized later the congregation of Sugar Creek, a mother congregation of several Presbyterian churches in that area.

1761: Scottish immigrants came to Cambridge township, Washington County, New York, from the "Scotch-Irish" settlements of Coleraine and Pelham in Massachusetts.

1761: 200 Irish immigrants settled Nova Scotia; the town of Londonderry and the county of Dublin were named by them.

1764 (2 March): Alexander McNaughton and 106 others from the original Capt. Campbell group of immigrants received grants to settle in what later came to be known as townships of Greenwick and a part of the township of Fort Edward, Washington County, New York.

1764 (July): "Scotch-Irish" from Monaghan and Ballebay, Ireland, settled Salem in Washington County, New York. A part of 300 families remained in Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York. Others went to South Carolina.

1765: Reverend Thomas Clark, a Presbyterian, bought land in Salem Township, Washington County, New York for himself and the congregation of three hundred who had immigrated from Ballybay, County of Monaghan, Ireland. The group went to Stillwater, Saratoga County, temporarily, and then a part of the congregation went to Abbeville District, South Carolina and a majority settled at Salem Township, Washington County, New York.

1769 and later: southwestern Pennsylvania was settled rapidly by immigrants from east of the Allegheny Mountains. This area, to include the counties of Bedford, Somerset, Fayette, Westmorland, Allegheny, Washington and Greene, was predominantly "Scotch-Irish."

1770: Balliston Township, Saratoga County, New York, was settled by a Presbyterian minister and some of his congregation who had removed there from Bedford (probably Westchester County), New York. Stillwater Township, in Saratoga County, New York received many settlers from the vicinity of Litchfield, Connecticut

.

1771: Harpersfield Township, Orange County, New York, was settled by "Scotch-Irish" who were probably direct from Ireland. Kortright and Bovina Townships in the same county were settled later by "Scotch-Irish".

Wilderness Road 1774 and before: Other "Scotch-Irish" settlements in South Carolina before 1774 included Black Mingo and Indiantown in Williamsburg District; Stoney Creek and Salem in Clarendon District; Waccamau in Horry District; Saltketcher in Colleton District; Beaufort in Beaufort District and Aimwell in Marion District. The greater part of the "Scotch-Irish" in South Carolina that settled the back country came from the Great Valley and the North. Those that settled on the tidewater areas came directly from Scotland or Ireland.

1778: About 400 persons from the Scottish Highlands (Roman Catholic Faith) arrived to settle in Johnston (present-day Fulton County), New York They were from the districts of Glengarry, Clenmorison, Urquart and Strathglass in Scotland. After the Revolutionary War many of this group were granted lands in Canada in the province of Quebec.

1801: In New England in this year a plan of union and mutual assistance was entered into by the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches. Through this plan Presbyterians might serve some Congregational Churches and vice versa. Under this plan, Congregationalists going West or South usually went to Presbyterian Churches.