Steve,
First off, i don't think I've welcomed you to the clan.
WELCOME STEVE!
The immagration pattern for the Scot-Irish in the 1700's is interesting. There were anywhere from 200,000 to 300,000 Immigrating to the U.S. (still a British coloney) between the years of 1717 & 1775. Immagration began before that time, and of couse afterwords, but the the heaviest flow of immagrants occured during the 57 years.
In the early period, The immagration was mainly due to the increasing of land rents in Ireland. Many of the immagrants would be farmers and had to sell themselves as indentured servants in order to pay for their voyage. Towards the end of the period, reasons for immagration were due to unfair taxation of woolen goods and giving the catholic Irish more political power. Therefore most of the immigrants during the later period made up a more skilled labor force.
Most of the immagrants made their way into the county through Pennsyvania. This is not to say some came in through NEw England or the south. However, The various New England colonies were based on religion and were not as welcoming to outsiders, and was more heavily settled around the ports of entry. In the south, large plantations were in the coastal areas and the economy was based on large scale agriculture, so land would be too expensive. Also, If an immagrant was an indentured servant, he was at an disadvantage to a slave. Terms of Indenturement were usually about 7 years, then your former "master" owed you the vary basics to allow you to begin your new life as a farmer. A slave was a life-long investment, you took care of them. An indentured servant was short term--you worked them hard and then got new ones.
So most came through Pennsyvania. Willaim Penn founded the colony based on religious freedom and tolerance. In the early period of the colony, land was purchased from the indians and enjoyed relativly good relations with them. The agricultural practises were based on small-plot farming. Indentured servents were eagery taken in by the Quakers and in general, treated well.
In the early 1700's Philidephia was, at least, the 2nd largest city in the colonies, ( if not the 1st). Around Philidelphia, there was large numbers of German settlements, (the Palentine Germans) and various settlements of Quakers, Mennonites, Swedes (by the Delaware river Valley). The Scot-Irish who immagrated into Pennsyvania normally only stayed there for a few years, nomally due to the fact that all the good farm-land was already taken.
So they began to move westward into South-Central Pennsyvania first, then down through the Shennadoah Valley in western Virginia. After the defeat of the Cherokee's in 1761 a great flood of Scot-Irish moved along this route into the back parts of the Carolina's, so may in fact that the trail was called "The Great Philidelphia Wagon Road," and lead from Philadelphia to the Yadkin & Catawba River Valleys in the Carolinas; a distance of 435 miles.
It would normally take 2-3 years for a family to make this trip. ALong the wa the would stop and plant a few crops to help sustain their family and to help pay for the trip.
A good book to read about the history of the Scot-Irish from the their begining in the Ulster plantation to after the American Revolution is: THE SCOTCH-IRISH; A SOCIAL HISTORY by James G. Leyburn. What I've outlined to you here is from what i've learned from his book, & my appologies to him for any mistakes, but in very general terms, I think I've given a decent outline of the pattern of immagration. If I were you, and trying to figure out where your N. Carolina relative came from, my first efforts would be in trying to find a connection to Pennsylvania.
Unfortunatly, there are few hard & fast rules in trying to discover your families history. Patience is one rule, and read as much history of the area they lived in is another. And get your info to our most esteemed Cathy McTavish. Shes very good at digging stuff out and cam be of great help.
Again, welcome to our group,,,, and post alot to the forum, ok?
Best regards,
Booner