Scottish historian Tim Clarkson

This blog is primarily about the Scots-Irish in the New World from Colonial times to the present.  Occasionally, I will post items of interest concerning the history of the Scots-Irish prior to their migration to the New World.  Below is a link to the blog of Scottish historian Tim Clarkson, who is a leading researcher concerning early medieval Scottish history.  It is highly recommended.

Link:  Seanchus

Ulster Heritage Magazine: News From Ballymoney Museum

Ulster Heritage Magazine: News From Ballymoney Museum: Dear Family Historian, It’s less than two weeks to ROUTE BACK HOME 2014 and the staff at Ballymoney Museum are getting everything re...

McCain's Corner: DNA Genetic Genealogy Sale

McCain's Corner: DNA Genetic Genealogy Sale: All the DNA projects I administer and assist with, use Family Tree DNA labs in Houston, Texas.  Why?  Well, they are the best, they have the...

The Scots-Irish as Indigenous People

Link to an interesting article written in 2012 on the Scots-Irish as indigenous Americans.

Link:  Scots-Irish as indigenous people

Scots-Irish DNA Project Update 13 August 2014

442 families are now participating in the Scots-Irish DNA project and the project is growing at a rapid pace.  We have enough DNA results to begin analysis of the group.  As expected, the Celtic haplogroups dominate, with R-M222 and R-L21 the largest two elements in the R1b Celtic group.  I haplogroups are running around 11% of total, which is also expected for men with origins in the Lowlands of Scotland and west Highlands.  One family of note, descendants of David Crockett are participating in the project and appear to be Norse in paternal ancestry.

Scots-Irish Dog Trot Cabin

Dog Trot style Cabin, a design used by many Scots-Irish families.

The Great Wagon Road

The Great Wagon Road followed paths used by Indians and was the main roads by which the Scots-Irish moved south and west and peopled the backcountry and Southern Uplands.  In the 1700s and early 1800s The Fall Line Road and Upper Road became the most used segments of the road system and many Scots-Irish settlements were established along these routes from Pennsylvania to Georgia.
(Map from the book 'Map guide to American migration routes, 1735-1815'  by William Dollarhide.)

Openning in Forest by David Wright

The Frontiersman by David Wright

David Wright's splendid illustration of a typical Scots-Irish frontiersman. 

The Scotch-Irish... 1816

"Ireland is divided into four provinces, viz. Munster, Connaught, Leinster and Ulster. Leinster is chiefly inhabited by what are called the English Irish, and Ulster the Scotch Irish - From the latter province at least three quarters of the emigrants to America, have come for many years past.  The Scotch-Irish, both by education and religion are inclined to Republicanism, or a free government.”

 

Junot’s Library

Saturday, September 14, 1816, Enquirer, Richmond, Virginia. pages 2,3

Scots-Irish Art Work of David Wright

Before the Long Hunt by David Wright

Tennessean David Wright is a gifted and brilliant artist. Fortunately for us he often select Scots-Irish themed works.  His specialty is historical art. Link to purchase prints:  David Wright 

Ulster Heritage Magazine: Ulster American Heritage Symposium, 26-28 June, At...

Ulster Heritage Magazine: Ulster American Heritage Symposium, 26-28 June, At...: 20th Biennial Ulster-American Heritage Symposium comes to Athens June 26-28 The 20th Biennial Ulster-American Heritage Symposium will ta...

19th annual Radford Highlanders Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 4

Festival celebrates Scots-Irish heritage.

Link to Event information:  Radford Highlanders Festival.

Scots-Irish DNA Project Update 18 June 2014

Of this morning, the project has 384 families participating.  The results page is current and most kits have been grouped by haplogroup designation.  As many know, Family Tree recently expanded and revamped their haplogroup nomenclature and added many new designations.  On the results page the kits are listed under both the shorthand and full haplogroup name.  For those members that have tested various SNPs this has the potential for providing a lot of new data for your family history.

The geneticists are identifying more haplogroups downstream from the major groups. This will allow us to classify kits with more precision.  The end result is your kit will be in a haplogroup from a more recent genetic event.  In layman's terms, it will allow you to locate your family's geographic point of origin and identify your kinship group in historical times.  For Scottish origin families this is particularly useful information. (that clan and blood thing)

Many of the kits in the major haplogroups such as R-M269 or R-L21 would benefit from testing for downstream SNPs.

Some analysis of the Scots-Irish: 

The majority of the participants are as expected of Atlantic Zone Celtic origin. This will be a combination of Cumbric and Gaelic Celts native to Scotland.  The participants are running about 65% of Lowland Scottish origin and 35% Highland Scottish origin,.  There is a stereotype of all Scots-Irish being from 'the Lowlands' but many were from Argyll and Lennox in the southwest Highlands. This is showing up in the DNA results.

One interesting aspect, we have more I haplotypes than expected.  Some of these I subgroups are Scottish Norse/Norman in origin and others are indigenous to ancient Scotland.  It is a very complex group and I have not had time to read the latest research on the I subgroup origins.  We are dealing with a lot of very new material.

I highly recommend the books 'Britain Begins' and 'Celtic from the West 2' by Dr Barry Cunliffe for those who would like to read the latest research and thinking about the people who became the 'Scots-Irish.'   

Ulster Heritage Magazine: DNA Testing Transfer to Family Tree

Ulster Heritage Magazine: DNA Testing Transfer to Family Tree: Note... if you have done DNA testing with another company here is your opportunity to transfer your results to Family Tree DNA.  Our projec...

Historical illustrator: Well i decided to head to Monea Castle in County F...

Historical illustrator: Well i decided to head to Monea Castle in County F...: Well i decided to head to Monea Castle in County Fermanagh, to see Claiomh today. They are doing a show today as part of the 4-5 week dig pr...



(great post by Seán Ó Brógáin, you have seen his work in the Osprey books series.)

Ulster-Scots Archaeological Project: Another busy day, and the tv were here!

Ulster-Scots Archaeological Project: Another busy day, and the tv were here!: Thursday was a busy day.. We were delighted to have a large group from the Clogher Historical Society for a day’s outing. The group mad...

Ulster Heritage Magazine: Barry Vann to Speak at Queens in Belfast 6 June

Ulster Heritage Magazine: Barry Vann to Speak at Queens in Belfast 6 June: Barry Vann Dr. Barry Vann will speak at the upcoming history symposium at Queens University in Belfast on 6 June 2014. Queen’s Universi...

New Haplogroup Designations

Family Tree has released their new haplogroup designations.  However, there has been some issues with this release that are still being sorted out.  Participants in the Scots-Irish DNA project are asked to be patient while Family Tree corrects the issues.  You might see your kit in the results move around as these corrections are made. 

Ultimately, the new haplogroups will contribute to our ability to fix a point of origin of families in the project.  The geneticists are uncovering more SNPs which in time will have a geographic link.

Ballymoney Genealogical Gathering

DO YOU HAVE ROOTS IN ‘THE ROUTE’?

If you have ancestors in North Antrim, then the Route Back Home 2014 is the place to find out more about your family history!

 

The exciting conference gives genealogists from across the world the opportunity to enjoy a unique series of lectures & research trips focusing on Ballymoney and district.

 

The Route Back Home will run from 24-27 September and will be based in Ballymoney Town Hall.  It has been developed to assist people who are specifically researching their ancestry in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim.  The conference is an opportunity to meet other people who share an interest in North Antrim, a region traditionally known as "the Route”.

 

The Route Back Home is run by Ballymoney Museum.  It is supported by the Coleraine Branch of the North of Ireland Family History Society (www. http://colerainefhs.org.uk/) and their members will be available to help delegates and provide advice throughout the conference.

 

HOW DO I BOOK MY PLACE?

Delegates must pay the full booking fee of £180 to be allocated a place at the conference.  Only 20 places are available and bookings cannot be confirmed until receipt of a completed booking form and full payment.  The conference fee includes:

• Lectures on how to research your ancestry in North Antrim
• Daily lunch and regular refreshments
• Conference dinner and drinks reception
• Research trips to Belfast and Ballymena

 

Please contact me at this email address if you require further information and I look forward to hopefully seeing you in September.

Regards,

 

Keith Beattie

Museum Manager

DNA Testing For Scots-Irish

The basics:  The Scots-Irish DNA project recommends the 111 marker Y chromosome DNA test.  If this is not within your budget, the 67 will do and the 37 is an acceptable start.  We use the Family Tree DNA lab in Houston, Texas.

Who are the 'Scots-Irish?'  Or Scotch-Irish?  Generally speaking the Scots-Irish are the descendants of settlers to Colonial and early Republic America from the nine counties of the province of Ulster, in Ireland.  As a group the Scots-Irish were majority Presbyterian, though not all were and most descended from Scots families that had migrated to Ireland.  Also of note, some 'Scots-Irish' migrated to the Colonies from other parts of Ireland outside of Ulster.

The main migration of Scots to Ireland came during the Ulster Plantation (circa 1609 to early 1700s).  These Scots came primarily from the Scottish Lowlands. There is also a substantial number of Highland Scots that became Scots-Irish.  Most of these Highland Scots descend from families from Argyll, Lennox, and the Hebrides, that migrated to Ulster in the 1500s. 

There are other components of the Scots-Irish which include French Huguenot, Manx, and Border English, who settled in Ulster and migrated to the New World in the Ulster Migration.  They married into and became part of the people and society we now call Scots-Irish.

There was also a large migration of Presbyterian Irish into Canada in the nineteenth century. They went mainly to New Brunswick and Ontario.  Many of these families were of 'Ulster Scots' ancestry from both Lowland Scottish and Highland Scottish ancestry.  In the past the term Scots-Irish has not been applied to this group, but increasingly the term has expanded to include the descendants of the Canadian migration. Nomenclature has been problematic in regards to the Scots-Irish for a long time.  The term today reflects a better awareness of the descendants of Ulster Scots in the Diaspora.

Most families 'know' or self-identify as Scots-Irish.  These are the families that are participating in the Scots-Irish DNA project.

The Laggan Army 1640s

James McKeane, above, believed to be the grandfather of James McKeen of the 1718 fleet fame

One valuable primary source for Scots-Irish family historians is the 1642/43 muster rolls for the Laggan Army. This muster roll includes the many Scottish families settled in east Donegal from Lifford, north into Inis Eogháin.  The list reflects the makeup of the Scottish settlement and there are surnames from the Scottish Highlands, primarily from mid Argyll and Lennox and from the Lowlands, primarily from Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Gallowaysrhire.

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Note: Y-DNA tests are available to male sample providers only

 

The Portlough Muster Roll 1630

One early primary source available for Scots-Irish research is the 1630 and 1642 muster rolls taken in those areas settled by Scots.  In the Laggan district in east Donegal the Scots' settlement was in the Portlough precinct.  It is interesting for several reasons, not only does it show Lowland Scottish settlement from Ayrshire, but also many Highland Scots from Argyll and Lennox.  In a muster such as this one the abled bodied men of every family in the district was expect to appear.  This makes the muster rolls function like a census.    If you have DNA tested and your match group includes links to the Laggan, your ancestor will very likely be on this muster roll.


Below is the entire Portlough 1630 muster roll.  The surnames have been left as they were written.

 

1.  The Lord Duke of Lynox, undertaker of 4000 acres, his men and armes

Swords Only

Robert Leackye

James Wood

Andrew Wood

Mathew Lyndsey

William Douglas

Robert Lyndsay

Robert Buchanan

John Galbreath

Alexander Buchanan

Alexander Lawder

James Denniston elder

Andrew Royare

William Laughlan

John Lowrye

John Ralston

William Cokeran

Hector Hinman

Robert Cocheran

John Buchanan

John mcConochy

Robert mcPeter

George Haldin

Robert Horner

Donell Galey

Robert mcKyndely

Robert Glass

Archbell Campbell

ffyndley mcKindley

Andrew mctyre

Alexander Galbreath

John mcKaire

John Thromble

John Smyth

Dunkan mcffarlen

Patrick mcNeron

Wm. McLentock

George Colmories

Robert mcffarlan

John mcffarlan

Patt  mcAndrew

Patt. mcArthur

Robert Denyston

Donnell mcBaxter

John Boyd

Humfrey Colquphone

William Gulilan

John Steward

John McIlman

John Scot

Robert Boyde

Thomas Lowrye

Swords and Snaphances

John Wood

John Martin

John mcLenochan

John Cambell elder

William Deneston

John Buchanan

John Cambell

John mcffarlan

Donnell mcffarlan

Robert Michell

Costyme Ranckein

John Allen

Gilbert mcLyntock

John Brice

James Allan

Dunkan Speney

Thomas Ramsey

John Cock

James Cock

Andrew Cock

William Scot

John mcCawly

John mcGourden

Andrew Lackye

James mcKennye

James Hustone

Robert Lackye

Snaphances Only

James Dromond

Archbald Gambell

 

Swords and Pikes

Morrice mcConnell

John Cocheran

John Snodgarse

John Cambell younger

Owen mcNair

David Lyndsay

Alexander mcLentock

Robert Aickeene

Robert Morison

James Kilsoe

Donnell mcNichol

Dunkan Cambell

Donnell mcBaxter elder

Robert Barlaine

James Richye

John Swayne

John Valentyne

Dunkan Graham

 

Pikes Only

Robert Calmeris

Andrew Calmeris

Sword and Halbert

Hugh Greire

Sword and Calleuer

John mcffarlan

 

No Arms

John Royer,

Morrice Peacock

Walter Lowrye

William mcNevin

Robert Campbell

John mcKyndley

David mcKan

John mcIldonagh

Dunkan mcffarlan

John Crawfford

John Sempell

James Symison

William mcarthur

Robert Reroch

Thomas Crafford

Camack mcCole

Henry Cruse

John Barlone

Thomas Swaine

Patrick Porlerm

Randall mcAlexander

John Douglas

James Logan

Alexander Hamond

Mathew Gillrew

William Hewes

Robert Leman

Donnell mcCahey

Adam Quahone

Neece mcGilrouse

John mcffarlan

Walter Deneston

Anthony Steward

William Noble

John Parmenter

Andrew Galbreath

Willliam Wood

John Wood

John Steward

James Deneston

James Muthey

John Pecock

Walter Roger

Robert Craufourd

John Brittein

Archbald Ballintyne

John Young

Thomas mcKeeg

Gawen mcConnell

John Logan

John Watson

Lamock mcColl

Walter Henry

John Buchanan

Robert Cambell

David Gibb

Dunkan Crafford

John Pearce

George Allyson

John mcGillione

 

2.  The Lady Conningham Widdow of Sir James Conningham, undertaker of 2,000 acres, her men and armes.

Swords and Pikes

William Conningham

James Calquahan

Andrew mcCorkill

John mcCorkill

Tobias Hood

James Davye

Peter Starret

John mcquchowne

James Knox

Adam Garvance

 

Swords and Snaphances

James mcAdowe

ffyndlay Ewing

Dunkan mcffarlan

Ninian ffoulton

James Scot

William Rankin

Daniell Ramsay

Martin Galbreath

Patrick Porter

 Swords and Calleuers

William mcIltherne

David Walker

John Barbor

Sword and Halbert

James Makee

 Swords Only

Andrew George

James mcIlman

Michaell Rot[h?]es

Patrick Miller

Robert Muntgomery

Alexander Conningham

Richard Leaky

Robert Staret

John mcIlhome

Sallomon Giffin

David Reed

Donnell mcDonnell

Alexander Carlell

William Gafeth

 

No Arms

Gilbert Highgate

Patrick Porter

Robert Hasta

William Gambell

John Hunter

John Crawfford

Robert Johnston

Henry Smyth

William Boyes

David Ramsay

William Steward

Robert Crafford

James Conningham

Andrew Conningham

John Crafford

John Hunter

John Wilson

James Bredyne

Mungo Davy

William Richey

John mcIlhome

Henry Hunter

John mcHutchon

James Rankin

William Killy

Robert Pots

William Gambell

John Lyone

James Knox

 

3.  William Steward Esqr.  Lard of Dunduff, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords Only

Archbald Thomson

Andrew Thompson

Robert Alexander

John mcKey

David Kenedye

Patrick Baruzathyn

Anthony Steward

John Steward

Archbald Steward

John Browne

Andrew Browne

Edward Roger

John Moore,

John mcCullagh

John Moire

Patrick Conningham

John Allyson

John Smeally

 Swords and Pikes

John Davidson

Archbald mcEmmory

Roary mcCleane

Patrick Thomson

Donnell Or

Mungo David

John Cambell

John mcLynienie

Archbald Hourd

William Houston

James mcKee

Anthony Kenedy

George Steward

John mcClen

John Cambell

Hugh Gamill

 Swords and Muskets

Robert Thomson

John ffife

 Swords and Snaphances

James Squire

John Conningham

Steaphen Marshell

John Smyth

Michaell Smith

Michaell mcCleary

Donnell Cambell

Archbald Bredene

 

No Arms

John Kelly

Humphrey Cooke

William Wan

ffynley mcKirdly

Alexander mcClaney

John Conningham

John mcffay

Donnell mcNevin alias McNit

John mcKee younger

John mcWalker

James mcKergour

David Kenedy

Alexander mcWilliam

Patrick Steward

Donnell mcCarslaire

James Kenellye

John Campbell

 4.  Mr. Alexander Steward, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords and Pikes

John mcIlwane

Callum mcMuyre

James Cambell

Robert mcKenily

William To[y]es

William Conningham

William Home

Neall mcCurid

Alexander Cambell

 

Swords and Snaphances

Alexander Cambell

John mcKenely

Robert Boyd

Robert Henedy

Storiment Carr

 

Sword and Musket

John Niweme younger

Sword and Target

Walter mcffarlen

Swords Only

John Kennan

Ninian Steward

 

No Arms

Andrew Cambell

Gilbert mcKenny

John Gillaspy

Robert Steward

John Steward

Archbald Steward

William Cambell

James ffyfe

Arch Alexander

John Roger

John Boyill

William Boyill

John Cambell

Gilbert mcCan

 5.  James conningham Esqr.  undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords Only

Andrew Crafford

John Gills

Hugh Lokehart

Arch ffynlagh

ffynlay mcCredy

John Browne

Swords and Pikes

John Alexander

George White

Snaphances Only

Andrew Arnott

John Alexander

Adnarle Hoomes

Robert Graham

 

Swords and Snaphances

John Smyth

William Gall

Andrew Smyth

James Gillmore

Robert Roger

Thomas Roger

Thomas Lars

John Adam

Robert Davison

Michaeli Beare

Swords and Halberts

Robert mcKeene

Mathew Giesse

 

No Arms

James ffulloone

George Steavenson

Joseph Browne

William Galbreath

Hugh Leag

Andrew Browne

John Harper

Thomas Stole

Patrick Robison

John Enery

Andrew Leag

John Hururence

John Hamilton

James ffulloone

Robert Patterson

John Cunningham

George Naught

Hugh Leag

James Browne

John mcEuan

George Speare

Mathew mcCadame

John Dyne

Andrew Dyne

Arch Boyle

John Calwell

Robert mcCamy

Robert mcCamy younger

Dunkan mcWrick

Thomas Richmoule

John mcJohn Keine

Mungo Willy

Andrew Cambell

Hugh Mure

Andrew Callhow

 

6.  Mr. John Steward, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.

Swords Only

Arch Steward

Andrew Cambell

William Cambell

Illime mcKaine

James ffife

John Steward

 

Pike Only

John Barkly

 

Sword and Snaphance

William Conningham

Sword and Pike

John Bullesine

Pike Only

Robert Steward

John Boyle

John Roger

Arch Alexander

 

No Arms

William Conningham