Other Ulster-Scots followed Makemie to Maryland from Ireland in and after 1683. This is clear from the records of Somerset County which had issued the call to the Presbytery of Laggan for a "godly minister" that led to Makemie's missionary voyage. A number of familiar Ulster Scot names began to appear in the land and court records of Somerset at this time, including that of my own Polk family which came from Ballendrait, near Lifford. A passage from the Somerset court records makes it clear that he term Scotch-Irish was already in use at this time, and what was intended. In March Court, 1690, William Pattent (Patton) appears to testify about an assault by one Matthew Scarbrough, who apparently had no love for the new arrivals from Ulster. "I William Pattent was at worke at James Minders and one night as I was at worke Mr Matt: Scarbrough came into the house of sd Minders and sett down by me as I was at work, the sd Minder askt him if he came afoot, he made answer again and sd he did, saying that man meaning me calling me Rogue makes me goe afoot also makes it his business to goe from house to house to ruinate me, my Wife and Children for ever. I made answer is it I Mr. Scarbrough. and he replyed and said ay you, you Rogue, for which doing ile whip you and make my Wife whipp to whipp you, and I answered if ever I have abused (you) at any time, or to any bodies hearing, I will give you full satisfaction to your own Content. You Scotch Irish dogg it was you, with that he gave me a blow on the face saying it was no more sin to kill me then to kill a dogg, or any Scotch Irish dogg, giving me another blow in the face. now saying goe to yr god that Rogue and have a warrant for me and I will answer it. Wm.Patent " Scarbrough was brought before the Justices at the June Court session, recorded as follows: "Matthew Scarbrough of this County at the house of James Minor in the hundred of Bogetenorton Anno. '89. his Ma'ties peace then and their did not keep, but their M't'ies. Comrs did abuse and contemne, Calling Capt David Browne Rogue & Dogg, and in an oppirous manner stile him the Scotch Irishmens God, and upon the matter aforesd did beat and wound William Pattent of this County, taylor, saying affirming and his wicked intent with a loud voyce declaring that it was no more sin to kill the sd Pattent than it was to kill a dogg ...." Scarbrough was found guilty and made to post 20 pounds sterling as security for his good behavior, a tidy sum in those days. John Polk Havre de Grace, Maryland ============================================================== > [Original Message] > From: jim at syracuse <j.j.carroll@earthlink.net> > To: <Irl-Antrim@rootsweb.com> > Date: 2/13/2007 10:28:41 AM > Subject: [IRL-ANTRIM] Scotch-Irish - an insult, hardly! > > The Scotch-Irish - an insult, hardly! > > To call them Scotch-Irish may be an unacceptable to some Scots, and it is an amusing controversy, but the term is quite acceptable where the many listers hail from. "Scotch-Irish" found its way into the lexicon a very long time ago. Even though the term is an Americanism, and not generally known in Scotland and Ireland, it has been in general use since the 18th century. But it goes back even further. > > Writing in 1573 good queen Elizabeth (yes, I know - she is hardly a Scot!) used the term Scotch-Irish and nobody raised any objection, except perhaps Sorley Boy � but given the context perhaps his objections were a bit muted. Beth said, �We are given to understand that a nobleman named �Sorley Boy� [McDonald] and others, who be of the Scotch-Irish race, and some of the wild Irish, at this time are content to acknowledge our true and mere right to the countrie of Ulster and the crowne of Ireland�� > > Good Queen Liz then offered the right, ownership, and the inheritance of the land ��upon the taking of an oath of allegiance to any meer Irish, or Scotch-Irish, or other strangers.� > > But that was only an English Queen and she should be excused her transgressions, except for the fact that the late Professor James G. Leyburn located in the 1675 register of the University of Glasgow records and enrollment of one Francis Makemie from Ramelton. It included a notation that he was �Scoto-Hibernicus.� That is, of course, Scotch-Irish. This Franciscus Makemius was later to emigrate to North America where he founded the Presbyterian Church on that continent, and organized the first Presbytery in Philadelphia in 1706. > > By the way, the last time I googled Glasgow, it was still in Scotland. > > The Rev. Cotton Mather who received his Doctor of Divinity in 1710 from the University of Glasgow was a leading clergyman in the American colonies. In 1706 he wrote, � I write letters unto diverse persons of Honour both in Scotland and in England; to procure Settlements of good Scotch Colonies, to the Northwest of us.� > > For a little more history, during this formative period of American colonies the term �Scotch-Irish� was little used. This was not because it was felt to be disparaging, but rather the preferred term for those that originally emigrated was �Irish.� Most of these immigrants were originally Ulstermen, and between 1717 and the Revolutionary War more than a quarter million from Ulster came to America. And a majority were Presbyterians and other dissenters. Even during the Revolutionary War they referred to themselves as Irish. And the term stuck until the mid-19th century when the poorer and principally illiterate elements arrived, primarily Roman Catholics. > > This flood of Irish escaping the Famine was descending upon what was then a Protestant county, much like Ulster. Prejudice against all foreigners was rampant, not so much on a sectarian basis, but because these people would hire out at near slave wages. Like much of Ulster, the antipathy was generated at the lower class, that laboring mass that competed for jobs. It was at this time that the descendants of the original Irish settlers, most from Ulster and a majority were Protestant, sought ways to distinguish themselves from the newcomers � the �shanty Irish� or bog trotters. So the compound name came into being � that cant phrase, a shibboleth, a mongrel absurdity, and even the Scotch-Irish Society of America has been described as a humbug. > > But a good shot of Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve or even some 20 year old Black Bush will do wonders and might lighten one up just a little bit. That is the true meaning of Scotch-Irish. Myself, I prefer a pint of Smiticks. > > j.j.carroll@earthlink.net --- John Polk --- Havre de Grace MD --- jfpolk@earthlink.net