Speaking of Scottish and Irish immigrations, I was surprised last week to discover that there was a huge Scottish settlement near Panama in the late 1600s. Darien, aka Caledonia, was an attempt by the Scots to launch their own colony. The colony failed by early 1700's and the failure is said to have resulted in Scotland and England merging in 1707 to become Britain. See: <http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/Scotland-History/DarienScheme.htm> and <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dari%C3%A9n_scheme> What led me to all this was further research on the James Graham that witnessed Penn's arrival and the hand-over of New Castle to William Penn in 1682. It turns out this Graham was a clerk of New Netherlands and New Amsterdam courts who had arrived in 1670's. He became Attorney General of New York circa 1684 and was notable in his work on the charter of New York in 1690 where legal precedents he put into place with that lasted for over 100 years. He may have been related to the John Graham who served in Holland as a protector of William and Mary (son in law and daughter of James, Duke of York, who replaced James in 1688) and who was made a Viscount for his role in saving William's life. I still barely have a grasp on the Covenanters, the Jacobites and the confusing politics with Holland, England and the affect on the colonies such as New Amsterdam, PA, NJ and NY, but it's clear that the Hume and Graham families played prominent roles in that era. James Graham is also presumed to have been the agent who worked with the Indians on behalf of Penn's request to NY's Gov. Dongan to get a treaty for lands extending to the Susquehanna. He was also involved in an attempt to roll New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and New England into one colony at the time that the Duke of York, King James II, lost power around 1688. The Duke's loss of power in England led to some turmoil and riots in the colonies. Graham's daughter married Lewis Morris who later became governor of New Jersey. One son ended up in West Chester NY and I can't place a direct connection to my Paxtang area Grahams some years later but find it curious that the land they settled on apparently came into Pennsylvania's hands via James Graham's involvement in an Indian land deal. Graham also appears to have had a hand in the Darien settlement. A wonderful history of the NY to PA colonies leading up to Penn's arrival is offered here: http://san.beck.org/11-8-NYtoPenn1664-1744.html Also an extensive article on MD, VA, GA and the Carolinas is found here: http://san.beck.org/ - along with some other interesting info on early colonies. The New Jersey link posted last week was quite interesting and led me to some early Hume immigrants who came as indentured servants to Capt. Andrew Hamilton in 1684. Hamilton later became acting governor of New Jersey. John Hume ended up with property next to Lewis Morris who married Isabella Graham. This James Hamilton who was acting governor of New Jersey became an acting governor for Penn shortly before his death in early 1700s. I can't clearly connect him with another Andrew Hamilton who also was an early acting governor for Penn, whose son James later became an acting governor of PA and who founded Lancaster and built Independence Hall in Philadelphia. They don't appear related to my Hamiltons of Leacock. One curious thing I noted in the files at Lancaster was that the Andrew/James Hamilton estate was still being aid rent to lawyers in England as of the 1950s. In the Lancaster and Bucks County property CD I have James Hamilton is documented as having purchased 210 properties. He founded Lancaster and apparently originally owned the whole town, and I think he also was the Hamilton involved with the founding of Carlisle. It makes it near impossible to search for properties purchased by my James Hamilton of Leacock because the Gov. Hamilton bought so much property. I do find it interesting that there seems to be a lot of Hamiltons in early colonial governor roles. - Sir Charles Hamilton (May 25, 1767 - September 14, 1849) was a British naval officer and governor of Newfoundland. - Lord Archibald Hamilton (b. 1673 - d. 1754) , governor of Jamaica 1711 - 1716. - Hamilton, Andrew, d. 1703, colonial governor of New Jersey, b. Scotland. Becoming deputy governor of East Jersey in 1687, Hamilton defended the proprietors against popular opposition and shortly had to leave the colony. In 1692 he was commissioned governor of East and West Jersey, but after five years of effective administration he was removed by the proprietors to please the crown. When he was recalled he could not restore authority. Appointed deputy postmaster general for the colonies in 1692, Hamilton induced several colonies to set up uniform postal rates. In 1701, William Penn appointed him deputy governor of Pennsylvania, a post he held until his death. A more detailed bio includes some of the story of how PA almost became part of New York, which was news to me. HAMILTON, Andrew, governor of New Jersey. Born in 1627 in Edinburgh and a merchant there, came to NJ as an agent for Lord Neill Campbell; died probably in Burlington, New Jersey, 20 April, 1703. He was engaged in business as a merchant in Edinburgh, and was sent to East Jersey as a special agent for the proprietaries. Having discharged that mission satisfactorily, he was recommended as a man of intelligence and judgment to Lord Nell Campbell, who was sent to that province in 1686 as deputy-governor for two years. He was made a member of the council in consequence, and in March, 1687, became acting governor on the departure of Lord Nell for England, who was called there on business and did not return. In 1688, East and West Jersey having surrendered their patents, those provinces came under the control of Governor Edmund Andros, and were annexed to New York and New England. Andros, then residing in Boston, visited New York and the Jerseys, continuing all officers in their places, and making but slight changes in the government. In consequence of the revolution of 1688 in England, Governor Hamilton visited the mayor of New York as the representative of Andros, that official having been seized by the New-Englanders in April, 1689. He finally sailed for England, in order to consult with the proprietaries, but was captured by the French, and did not reach London until May, 1690. He was still residing there in March, 1692, when he was appointed governor of East Jersey, and also given charge of West Jersey. Although he administered the affairs of the province to the satisfaction of both the colonists and the proprietaries, he was deposed in 1697, "much against the inclination" of the latter, in obedience to an act of parliament which provided that "no other than a natural-born subject of England could serve in any public post of trust or profit." Hamilton returned to England in 1698, but so great was the disorder and maladministration under his successor, Jeremiah Basse, that he was reappointed, 19 August, 1699. He could not, however, right the wrong that had been already done, or repair the abuses that had crept in. Officers were insulted in the discharge of their duties, and the growth of the province was seriously interfered with. In 1701 he was appointed by William Penn deputy-governor of Pennsylvania, the latter having been called to England to oppose the machinations of those who were plotting to deprive him of his American possessions. On Penn's arrival in London everything was done to harass him, factious opposition being made to the confirmation of Governor Hamilton, who was wrongfully charged with having been engaged in illicit trade. The appointment finally received the royal sanction, in the session of the provincial assembly in October, 1702, the representatives of the territories refused to meet those of the province, claiming the privilege of separation under a new charter, and expressing their firm determination to remain apart. Hamilton strongly urged the advantages of union, and used all his influence to secure this result, but without effect. He also made preparations for the defence of the colony by organizing a military force. He died while on a visit to his family in New Jersey the year following. It was to Andrew Hamilton that the colonies were indebted for the first organization of a postal service, he having obtained a patent from the crown for the purpose in 1694. His son John, detailed below, also became a governor of New Jersey twice. One website claims this Andrew's grandson James Hamilton became first native born Gov of PA. If so then he was father of the Andrew Hamilton who also was an early PA governor, though there is some debate over the parentage of that Andrew. Given the prominent role of Hamiltons in early colonies it seems plausible there is a connection. - John Hamilton, acting governor of New Jersey, died in Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1746. He became acting governor on the death of Governor Cosby, only three weeks after the latter's accession to office, 31 March, 1736. Hamilton again became acting governor on the death of the Lewis Morris in 1746, but died a few months afterward. - James Hamilton, Jr, Governor of South Carolina 1830-1832 was descendant from William Hamilton of Leacock, PA.