The number one thing that genealogists need to know, is the migration routes, and why they moved. It was usually due to land being opened up...either for sale, or grants for military service. A lot of land was granted for Rev. War service, and a lot of the land later probated to children. The usual migration route from VA went to the Carolinas, via the Wagon Trail from PA, thru Virginia, to the Carolinas. People living in southern VA (Botetourt Co), moved through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky, Tenn. People who lived in Northern Virginia, Maryland, etc., went down the Ohio River to claim land. Jan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Boyd" <c.p.boyd@mindspring.com> To: <CLANBOYD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 9:42 AM Subject: [ClanBoyd] Boyd migrations > I think that this migration project is extremely useful. Had I had the > insights, gained in just the past few weeks, in my early searches, I'd have > progressed a lot faster than I have. > > My oldest known (Archibald) Boyd (d 1820) appeared in Chester, SC in 1801 > when he bought property from his father-in-law, Robert Jamison. Robert, in > contrast, can be traced in South Carolina back to 1779 through property > records. They probably migrated from either Pennsylvania or Maryland; > inconsistent family documents lead to both. The same documents say they were > from Ballymena. > > Brent Holcomb, genealogist in Columbia, suspects that, like many who settled > in Upper South Carolina in the late 1700's, Archibald came from the Chester > PA. As early as 1749, the region of which Chester South Carolina was a > part, experienced a great throng of people who came and settled during the > twenty-five years prior to the Revolution. White-topped Conestoga wagons, > dubbed "the vehicle of empire" formed trains southward from Pennsylvania, > Virginia and North Carolina. They came by way of the Great Wagon Road from > Pennsylvania through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. From there they > followed Indian trails or made their own. Some of the settlers were men of > means in the middle colonies and came to Carolina for more accessible lands > and more freedom from the strictness of Quaker policies in Pennsylvania and > surrounding settlements. Surely the Proclamation of 1763 kept some of them > from their desired migration to the west. > > So here is a time frame 1749 - 1800 that South Carolina's northern frontier > was opening and a flood of immigrants came. > > Another migration out of South Carolina to Ohio, Indiana and Iowa (among > other places) occurred from 1830 - 1855. > > A large population of Irish Presbyterians settled in South Carolina. In > 1727, a near-famine struck Ireland and the two following years were so > abnormal that the awe-stricken people believed them to be either "heralds of > eternity or vehicles of the wrath of God." Three years of dearth had a > devastating effect on a country whose powers of resistance had already been > undermined. > > The woes of the Presbyterians were particularly galling. Not only were they > taxed to support a church not their own but most of them were either > employed in some branch of the textile industry or were farmers. Business > was bad in one and rents too high in the other. > > > About this time, the Reverend William Martin (from Ballymoney) received a > "call" to come to South Carolina. Presbyterian tradition is that he decided > to go and, following an incident of violence resulting from high rents, he > preached a fiery sermon calling on all his congregation to accompany him. He > said as a minister he could not stand idly by and await the violence and > ruin that would come. He proposed that the congregation, under his > leadership, emigrate to South Carolina where they could get free land and > live as free men. The congregation, having nothing to lose by it, agreed. > Reverend Martin did go and took with him a party of some 467 families on > five ships. > > Once settled, these Reformed Associates Presbyterians made "covenants" that > kept them from belonging to any society (E.G the Masons), but God's and > among many other covenants, they would not own slaves. The winds of > dissention over the issue forced many to leave the state. They were know as > Seceders and they traveled and settled in groups. > > Several of Archibald Boyd's daughters married into families that left around > 1835 for Ohio and they ended up in Iowa. Their husband's surnames were > Harbison, Gillespie, McCullough and Westbrook. I have made the connection > to many of these Midwestern families if anyone has an interest. > > > > Charles Boyd > Atlanta > > > ==== CLANBOYD Mailing List ==== > RING OF BOYDS http://k.webring.com/wrman?ring=clanboydwebring&addsite > BOOKS http://clanboyd.info/books/forsale > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=boyd-trees > > >