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

 

 

The Scots-Irish DNA Project

The Scots-Irish DNA project is open to men that have done Y chromosome paternal DNA testing with Family Tree labs.  To join go to your Projects link on your Family Tree page and tick the Scots-Irish project when it comes up. 

If your surname does not appear in the list of Scots-Irish surnames in the project, just send a note to the project administrators. 

The project will assist Scots-Irish families with genealogy and family history research.  The project is open only to men of Scots-Irish ancestry.

You may also use the link below to join the project.


LINK:  The Scots-Irish DNA Project

Portrait of David Crockett

One could make a very good case that David Crockett is the most famous Scots-Irish man that there has been to date.  (Though Neil Armstrong would also be in the running).   The portrait above was done in 1834 by New York painter Samuel Stillman Osgood (1808-1885). On a lithograph printed by Childs & Leman, Philadelphia, David Crockett wrote: "I am happy to acknowledge this to be the only correct likeness that has been taken of me. David Crockett."

The shaded areas in the map above show where Scots-Irish settled and became the dominate ethnic group.  These areas also represent where Scots-Irish are still found in large numbers in the 21st Century.  The Appalachian area contains a core Scots-Irish area and runs from West Virginia down to the Mississippi Hill Country.  There are two other core Scots-Irish areas, east Texas and the Arkansas mountains, both the Ozarks and Ouachitas.

Sex and the Scots-Irish

An interesting quote from Anglican missionary Charles Woodmason when visiting Scots-Irish backsettlments in the Carolinas in the 1760s: "How would the polite people of London stare, to see the Females (many very pretty) . . . ," he wrote. "The young women have a most uncommon practice, which I cannot break them of. They draw their shirt as tight as possible round their Breasts, and slender waists (for they are generally very finely shaped) and draw their Petticoat close to their Hips to show the fineness of their limbs as that they might as well be in purl naturalibus indeed nakedness is not censurable or indecent here, and they expose themselves often quite naked, without ceremony rubbing themselves and their hair with bears' oil and tying it up behind in a bunch like the indians being hardly one degree removed from them. In a few years I hope to bring about a reformation." 

The Goliad Massacre

On 27 March 1836, some 342 Texan soldiers were executed by the Mexican army in what would be known as the Goliad Massacre.  This was in the opening phase of the Texas War for Independence. The majority of the Texican soldiers were Scots-Irish.  Many of the settlers in Texas were from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas and predominately Scots-Irish.

Troutman Goliad Flag

Above is one of the flags used by Texican troops at Goliad.  The single star flag had been used by Scots-Irish people since 1810. 


Link to roster of Texican soldiers at Goliad:  Colonel James Fannin's Command

Battle of Horseshoe Bend 27 March 1814



Americans troops circa 1814

A very famous day in Scots-Irish history is 27 March which is the anniversary of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.  On this day in 1814 General Andrew Jackson led force consisting of 2,600 American soldiers, 500 Cherokee, and 100 Lower Creek allies to attach the Red Stick Creek fort  defended by 1,000 warriors on Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa River.  The majority of Jackson’s men were Scots-Irish.

The battle began in full at 10:30 that morning with an artillery barrage which consisted of two cannons firing for about two hours.  However, the Red Stick Creek fort was expertly constructed of heavy timber and earth.  Very little damage was done to fortifications and the Red Stick Creek were entirely safe and well supplied behind their walls.

 

Horseshoe Bend today

Jackson ordered a bayonet charge and the 39^th US Infantry led by Colonel John Williams charged the breastworks and engaged the Red Sticks in hand to hand combat.  Sam Houston was an officer that participated in the battle.  He distinguished himself greatly; he was the first man to survive going over the log barricade into the Red Stick lines.  He was wounded by an arrow, a wound that troubled him the rest of his life.  David Crockett was a scout for Jackson’s army, he was scouting when the engagement took place, and while was in the vicinity, did not participate in the fighting of that day.   

More of Jackson's army under General John Coffee crossed the river and joined in the battle.  The fighting was extremely intense and lasted over five hours.  Eventfully Jackson got the upper hand and the Red Stick defenses collapsed.  The Red Stick losses were heavy, between 800 to 1000 dead.  Their Chief, Menawa, was wounded, but survived and led a party of his warriors across the river to safety and escaped to Spanish Florida.  The Scots-Irish losses were between 30 to 40 killed and around 150 wounded. The victory made the area safe for the Scots-Irish settlers.

The Laggan Redshanks

Mongavlin, the Castle of Iníon Dubh


 In the sixteenth century Scottish Highlanders settled in the Laggan district of east Donegal. They were called Redshanks.  The history of the Laggan Redshanks has many fascinating elements which include Clann Chaimbeul and their dynamic leader the fifth Earl of Argyll, Gaelic sexual intrigues, English Machiavellian manoeuvres, and the Redshanks themselves.  This book not only tells the fascinating story of how a Highland Scottish community became established in the Laggan, but also includes the surnames of the Redshanks and notes of their origins in Scotland, which will be of interest to family historians and genealogists.

 

This book has the complete Portlough Muster roll taken in 1630 and includes notes on each of the surnames.  It is available from Amazon as a paperback and Kindle version.

Link to Amazon:  The Laggan Redshanks

I have been asked many times about Highland Scottish surnames among the Scots-Irish.  Over the years as I worked with primary sources I did indeed notice within early Scots-Irish settlements there was a considerable Highland Scot presence.  One part of the story concerns the migration of Highlanders from mid-Argyll and Lennox to east Donegal circa 1569 to 1600.  This migration was sponsored by Clann Chaimbeul.  After the Plantation began in 1609 these Highlanders remained on their lands in the Laggan district.  Their experiences with the New Order in Ulster was different than other Redshank (Highland Scots) communities living in Ireland.  One reason was these particular Redshanks were of the Reformed faith.  Clann Chaimbeul, under the fifth Earl of Argyll were early converts to the Reformed faith.  While they retained their Gaelic language and culture they did in time become part of the general Ulster Scots community in the Laggan. When the Ulster Migration began in 1718 they were on the first ships that left for the Colonies and throughout the eighteenth century they continued to migrate in great numbers.  In the New World they were part of the people that became what we call today, the Scots-Irish.    

 

Scale of Viking Ancestry in Scotland

Link: Scale of Viking Ancestry in Scotland.

Article about the percentage of Scots with Viking ancestry. 

Route District Family History Study

DO YOU HAVE ROOTS IN ‘THE ROUTE’?

Ballymoney Museum will be hosting the third Route Back Home family history conference in 2014.  The conference will run from 24-27 September and will be based in Ballymoney Town Hall.

 

The Route Back Home has been developed to assist people who are researching their ancestry in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim.  The conference is an opportunity to meet other people from across the world who share an interest in North Antrim, a region traditionally known as "the Route”.

 

The programme will include contributions by prominent genealogy experts including:

• Dorothy Arthur, Genealogist & Author
• S.A. Blair, Historian & Author
• Dr. Tyrone Bowes, Genetic Genealogy
• Mary Bradley, Local Studies Service, Ballymena, Libraries NI
• Dr. Patrick Fitzgerald, Mellon Centre for Migration Studies
• Gillian Hunt, Ulster Historical Foundation
• Dr. Glynn Kelso, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
• Dr. Linde Lunney, Dictionary of Irish Biography, Royal Irish Academy
• Elwyn Soutter, Genealogist
• Deidre Speer-Whyte, Ulster-Scots Community Network
• Leah Tweed, Ballymoney Branch Library, Libraries NI

 

The Route Back Home 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 and provide advice for delegates throughout the conference.

 

In addition, delegates will be able to visit important archives which hold essential information for family history research:

• Local Studies Service, Ballymena
• Ballymoney Branch Library
• Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast
• General Register Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast

 

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:

• 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

Ulster and West Highland Clan names

Many people with Gaelic origin surnames are interested in researching their clan connections. This is cannot be done by assuming one’s last name is also a clan surname.  Many Gaelic surnames are not clan surnames and do not relate to historical clans.  They are surnames created from Gaelic patronymic naming customs.  Many Gaelic surnames were not fixed in until very late, circa 1500s into the 1600s.  Even then the use of clan surnames was not universal and was often a form only found on legal documents written by government officials, rather than the surname a family actually used in their community.[1]  Clan surnames were used more by older sons of landed families. In other cases families related to a historical clan via marriage, via legal contracts such a manrents (military obligations to a lord), tacsmen (land managers) or just allies, would take the surname of the clan to which they were associated.  The best way to  research one’s clan connections is through Y chromosome DNA testing (Y-DNA) and a study of the history of a district that the family originated.

Y Chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) testing usually provides a kinship group of surnames with the same paternal kinship.   Often the non-surname matches are as important as the surname matches when trying ascertain clan connections.  Many Gaelic clans had groups of surnames associated with them. There are many examples of this that have turned up in DNA results.

If you have tested your Y-DNA at the 67 or 111 and a definite kinship group has appeared the surnames in the group usually give important data relevant to past clan connections.  A good first step is to have research done on the etymology and history of those particular surnames.  Sometimes this alone reveals a family past clan connections.  For example, the common Ulster and west Highland surname of Campbell, most times this is the anglicised form of Caimbeul from the well-known Argyll family.   But some Campbell families have a kinship group that includes the surname Caulfield which an Ulster Heritage researcher knew to be anglicised form of the name Mac Cathmhaoil, a county Tyrone Irish Gaelic family and that this family used both Caulfield and Campbell as anglicised forms of their surname.  This gave this particular Campbell family their real history and geographic location to conduct further research.  This type of breakthrough happens often in the Ulster Heritage Project.

If one of your research goals is to explore your clan connections and you have reached a brick wall with your paternal kinship group matches it might help to have an expert look at the group and do an analysis of them.  This involves etymology, history, and geographic analysis of the kinship group and an examination of any primary sources.  It is complex work often working with Gaelic language sources, but can provide valuable insight into a family’s clan connections.   If you have reached a point that you would like your kinship group analyzed please contact Ulster Heritage.