Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-02-28
THE SCOTCH IRISH.
VIM. z. Curtis Tells Of Their Ante
cedents

VIM. Z. Curtis Tells OF Their Ante
oedents.
]. M. Boyd of Chicago inquiries the
origin AMI history of the term Scotch
Irish" as applied to an important ele-
ment Of the population Of the United
States. Early in the seventeenth CEN
tury, because Of a rebellion against
the crown and the fight of the earls
who ruled the northern counties Of
Ireland, about 100000 acres Of plan
tations' in Tyrone, Londonderry, Der
ry, Donegal, Armagh, Down, Fernia-
nagh, Antrim and Cavan counties
were confiscated and taken possession
Of by the government, divided Into
small estates (none larger than 1000
acres), and granted to English and
Scotch Protestants of known Loyalty
and substance. The purpose Of King
James was to protestantize the entire
district In 1909 the forfeited lands
were surveyed and the plan Of distri-
button was thoroughly conceived and
we'll carried out. Fifty-nine Scotch
Presbyterians Of high social standing
and wide influence were chosen, each
Of whom received a tract Of 1000
acres, upon the condition, however,
that they should live on their grants
and also they should each bring with
them forty-eight able yeomen Of 1S
years and upward, natives Of England
or "the inward parts" Of Scotland.
Each Of these men was given farm.
They were all Protestants and men of
"piety, industry and virtue" They
pledged themselves to build fortified
places for defense, houses to live In
and churches in which for to worship"
The native Irish remaining on the
lands were forcibly transferred to the
least accessible districts, so that they
might not mix or intermarry with the
newcomers. Thus, northern Ireland
was populated by a new race Of low
land Scots, peace-loving, industrious
Protestants, frugal in their habits,
strong OF character and vigorous In
their theology.
The term Scotch h-Irish" is peculiar
to America and is generally applied to
the descendants Of these families, who
during the eighteenth century sought
more promising careers and homer In
America and have borne an active and
important part in the settlement and
development Of the United States. In
deed, the sons and daughters Of those
vigorous Calvinists have been leaders
and builders in every state In the lJn-
ion. Prior to the revolution no other
section Of the old world sent so many
emigrants to the American colonies as
did the Scotch towns and villages IN
the north Of Ireland. Massachusetts,
was settled by Puritans, Pennsylvania
by Quakers, Maryland by the Catho-
Hes and Virginia by Episcopalilns,
but the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians
scattered all over the colonies. AT the.
time of The revolution they had seven
ty communities in New England, aor-
ty In New York, fifty in New Jersey.
100 in Pennsylvania and Delaware,
more than 100 In Virginia Maryland
and the Cumberland Nj untains, ifty
in North Carolina, seventy in South
Carolina and Georgian all more
than 500 settlements, with a pop'ila-
ton Of $4,000, almost without excep-
ton people Of education and wealth.
They were active leaders In the rev.
olution and their descendants have
ever since taken an active part In the
affairs of the nation-Chicago Fec
ord Herald.