Hello, Mike--- Thank you for a most interesting commentery. My mother's family, IRVIN, is descended precisely from those early Scots-Irish settlers in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. I have been unable to trace my line back beyond the 1790s, but it has been suggested that these Irvins were descended from seven Irvin(e) brothers who came to America on the ill-fated voyage of the ship "George & Ann" in 1729. That ship left Ulster and landed in Philadelphia after a harrowing voyage (you might try a Google search for more information about that ship and its passengers). My Irvin forbears intermarried with the Pennsylvania German/Swiss peoples known as the Amish, or "Brethren", and later moved westward into Ohio and Indiana, where my mother's family eventually settled (her branch becoming more "secular" by the late 19th century). Ohio still has a strong community of Amish Irvins. It's likely that other Irvins from this same original Pennsylvania group moved down the old Conestoga wagon roads into Maryland and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, while others left Philadelphia by sea to colonize the Carolinas. There are several well-known Pennsylvania Irvins who fought on the patriot side in the American War of Independence. The huge Scots-Irish "wave" of migration out of Pennsylvania began in the years before and after the time of Daniel Boone (1770s), and these peoples settled what we know as the Appallachian and trans-Appallachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky; eventually in later generations moving on to Arkansas and Texas. Their Scots-Irish heritage shines through today in "bluegrass" music. There were many Irvins who remained in Pennsylvania, some living in and around Gettysburg at the time of the famous battle. So one Scots-Irish family produced soldiers who fought for the North, and also for the South, and others who were pacifists. ---Bob Robertson In a message dated 1/18/2007 9:07:22 AM Pacific Standard Time, mikejboyd@bigpond.com writes: While doing some other work I found this quotation:- "> Viewing records 141-150 of 219 > Vital Records, Tennessee, 1750-1890 > > By ETHEL BENEDICT J. LYTLE (MRS. RICHARD R.), MOORES MILLS, NEW YORK > page 348 > In speaking of the emigration to this country of the Lytles, it is > interesting to note the reasons for their coming from Ireland, and the > cause of their presence there. Large colonies of Scotch-Irish > Presbyterians left Ireland in 1718, '20, '26, and '37 and landed in New > Castle, Delaware, with Penn, and settled in Lancaster County, Pa. > Donegal Springs Church was the first church organized by the > Scotch-Irish in Lancaster County in 1720. Rev. Adam Boyd, the first > secretary of the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati, was also > pastor of Pequa Church, second oldest church, organized in 1722, > Salisbury Township, Lancaster County, Pa. No doubt Capt. William Lytle > was born here, as he and Adam Boyd were fellow members of the North > Carolina Society at the same time in 1783. In 1755, the year he was born > in Pennsylvania, large numbers moved to North Carolina; among them, Adam > Boyd and the Lytles. They disseminated on all occasions their views of > the relation between civil magistrates and the church, their hatred of > oppression and of England. They quickly displayed an aptitude for > settlement, for public office, and for fighting when it was necessary. > They were the most important formative influences in Colonial Society > and life and antagonistic to the British Government. After the > Revolution of 1688 in England, Scotch migration set in strongly for > Ulster, North Ireland, over 50,000. Under James I six counties in Ulster > escheated to the crown, and were settled by Scotch Presbyterians. Hence > the Lytles in Ulster. Persecuted under Queen Anne, 1700-1714, both in > religious matters and in trade, they refused to submit to oppression and > began their exodus to the land of freedom." The Penn Migration of 1718, '20, '26, and '37, does any one know if there are any "records" available in either Ireland or America? The type of records are:- ships name passenger lists; Ports left form and ports arrived; or any other records of these migrations that may help identify individual families. Thank you Mike Boyd Historical Committee, HBS