Donna: Would you have access to the names of maybe the larger families? Not only do I have German ancestors who came to America in the 1700's but family who were those called Scots-Irish. I have located some of both types back to Germany and Scotland and Ireland, but would sure like more info. Marlene On Mar 2, 2010, at 11:55 AM, Donna Nichols wrote: > Facts about Appalachia...where I lived and taught for quite a while, > where my husband's family came..in the 1700's and established towns, > (literally), and where I have been pretty well acclimated and accepted > in. > > The Appalachia region was settled by two major groups..Germans (came > through PA and down through the Cumberland Gap into East TN and > Western N.C, and western VA, and SW KY)..their names changed from > Weber to Weaver (have the proof)..they were not necessarily poor..but > were not accepted in the areas they came into in PA. The second > group..came in from the coast..many had been indentured servants..many > of whom left indentured status before the period was up, and went > outside the 'civilized' areas and headed into the mountains. Many > have Bibles which show where they come from..and many did come from > Northern Ireland and were Presbyterian. But their names were the > Scottish spellings not the Irish, yet a number came through northern > Ireland. There were also a large number of Irish Quakers...who came > into PA, and also into the coastal areas of NC..and moved to central > NC and then on into East TN (the State of Franklin) which was > originally a part of VA. They settled in and! > established Quaker communities such as Quakers' Knob and established > schools which are now public schools. They are not included in what > is known as the Scotch-Irish community. The Scotch-Irish community > which isolated itself from the Germans and the Quakers, remained in > the hollows, the back areas where they could stay hidden and maintain > their lives without being bothered...and many still do today. Many > times I had trouble understanding the English of a number of the > students..because they spoke an older form of English which has been > maintained. Many of these people, much as I hate to say it, harbor > today a distrust of Catholics..and call them non-Christian (along with > the Episcopalians) stating they 'worship Mary'. I heard far too many > of them say this. They can trace their ancestry back to Northern > Ireland and Scotland. They brought with them the techniques of making > damn good whisky..including how to age it properly..I know..I have had > it! They were the ones! > who shipped their corn to market in 'barrels' not in bushels..because > they floated the barrels on rafts. My husband's 4th great was a > trader who knew where to get the 'finest' whiskey in the world outside > of Scotland and Ireland, and floated it down river each spring when > the rivers rose with the melting snow. My husband is considered 'one > of them' and we safely go in areas where most don't go. His family > left the area of Cocke County in the early 1800's but he is still > considered family (and was related to about half his students). We > have learned where to look for information in that area. > My one side of my family was basically chased out of Northern > Ireland..Irish Presbyterian minister..removed from Ireland...and I > have a lot of those records. > > BTW, the reasons so many wound up in the Smokies..first..much like > 'home' to them as to land and subsistence farming. Second, they could > stay 'under cover' so to speak. They were tough survivors, could deal > with harsher conditions, isolation, education was not important to > many of them. Many just suddenly appear and unless you know them, you > will find they just suddenly appear in the 1700's in that region with > no hints as to where they had been or came from. > > Donna > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >