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

Charles, Unfortunately, I don't seem to have any of your family in the Boyd Trees Project. However, if you send me a GEDCOM or FTM file of them, then I could include them as well. Boyd Trees is a data base devoted to any family tree that includes the surname BOYD. Stop by and take a look at what we do have: http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=boyd-trees John H. Boyd -----Original Message----- From: Charles Boyd [mailto:c.p.boyd@mindspring.com] Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 8:42 AM To: CLANBOYD-L@rootsweb.com 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.

Hi, there's a story in my family in the UK that my Boyd was a sea captain from either Portsmouth or Plymouth who sailed up the Clyde and married a 14 year old but I haven't found anything as yet. The earliest I've gone back to is James Boyd married Janet McEwan in Crieff on 19th April, 1844 and his son Alexander married Eliza Reid McDougall in Crieff on 6th June 1880. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Boyd" <c.p.boyd@mindspring.com> To: <CLANBOYD-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 1:42 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 > >