The Difference Between the Scotch-Irish, and Irish
The term “Scotch” to refer to the Scottish Clans has been used since ancient days. The later term of “Scotch-Irish” was applied during the migrating period of the 17th and 18th centuries to those families who settled in Northern Ireland for a time before migrating to Pennsylvania and Charleston, South Carolina.
The Scots who migrated from Ulster to Northern Ireland and ultimately Ameria were of Scottish descent. The fact that they came to America through Philadelphia and Charleston, and poured into the Carolinas, does not make them of Irish descent. The term “Scotch-Irish” was used to discern between pure Scottish families who temporarily settled in Ireland. In other words, the term is one which identifies a temporary residence.
South Carolina
The former (Scots) occupied the Yadkin Valley and the region to the westward in South Carolina while the latter the (Irish) went to the Waxhaws and the Anson County region to the northwest. The first settlers in this region were known as the “Pennsylvania Irish,” because they had first settled in Pennsylvania after migrating from the northern Ireland. Thus, whose who traveled by way of Charleston were known as the “Scotch-Irish.” Later arrivals settled on the heads of creeks and water courses.
Thus, if you are tracing your families in South Carolina, you should lean to this migration trail.
Philadelphia is a key landing point during the 18th century. Where the families went after that is interesting.
Virginia
Before 1735, Morgan Bryan, his wife Martha, and eight children, together with other families of Quakers from Pennsylvania, settled upon a large tract of land on the northwest side of the Opeckon River near Winchester, Virginia. A few years later they removed up the Virginia Valley to the Big Lick in the present Roanoke County, Virginia, intending upon pushing further westward. In the autumn of 1748, Morgan Bryan removed with his family to the Forks of the Yadkin River. Other membersof the Morgan family remained in Pennsylvania, spreading over Philadelphia and Bucks counties.
The Lincoln families found homes in Virginia — Mordecai Lincoln’s son, John, the great-grandfather of President Lincoln, removed from Berks County, Pennsylvaia to the Shenandoah Valley in 1765.
On May 1, 1750, Squire Boone, his wife Sarah (Morgan), and their eleven children — a veritable caravan, traveling like the patriarchs of old — started south; and tarried for a space, according to reliable tradition, on Linville Creek in the Virginia Valley. In 1752 they removed to the Forks of the Yadkin River, and the following year were granted three tracts of land, all situated in Rowan County, North Carolina.
North Carolina
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In 1755, the hamlet of Salisbury, North Carolina consisted of seven or eight log houses and the court house. The Boones and the Bryans quickly accommodated themselves to frontier conditions and immediately began to take an active part in the local affairs of the county. Upon the organization of the county court Squire Boone was chosen justice of the peace; and Morgan Bryan was soon appearing as foreman of juries and director in road improvements.
The Great Trading Path, leading from Virginia to the towns of the Catawbas and other Southern Indians, crossed the Yadkin River at the Trading Ford and passed a mile southeast of Salisbury. Above Sapona Town near the Trading Ford was Swearing Creek, which, according to constant and picturesque tradition, was the spot where the traders stopped to take a solemn oath never to reveal any unlawful proceedings that might occur during their sojourn among the Indians.
Every migrating family from Scotland and Ireland has a story to tell. To learn more about them, the researcher should delve into local county records of deeds, wills, estates, tax digests, marriages, etc.
South Carolina Counties mentioned here:
North Carolina Counties mentioned here:
Virginia Counties mentioned here:
In conclusion, the genealogist begins his trail of Scottish Clans, first in Ulster, then Northern Ireland and the Irish in Northern Ireland; thence both to Pennsylvania, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
