My 5th great grandfather William Huey is said to have left County Antrim for Chester County Pennsylvania ca: 1710. His wife was Gannett, Janet or Jane(?) I have information on most of his descendants but know nothing of his ancestry. I visited County Antrim a few years ago; found quite a few Hueys, almost all of whom shared the family myth of having originally been French (Huet), emigrating to Lowland Scotland for a few generations, then becoming part of the Protestant Plantations. (At least old William had the good sense to head to America instead of sticking around and causing trouble.....)
Saturday 1st Aug 2015, 12:57AM
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There are hardly any records for the 1700s and so research at that period is extremely difficult, especially if you don’t know where in the county they lived. If your ancestors originated in Scotland then their likely denomination was Presbyterian but there are only 2 or 3 Presbyterian churches with records back to the 1600s (Antrim town and Lisburn have some). You could try searching them. Copies are held in PRONI in Belfast.
Bear in mind that if your ancestors did originate in Scotland, then they are likely to have settled in Ireland in the 1600s and so may only have been there one or two generations at the most. There was a big influx during the 1690s (due to famine in Scotland) and so if your ancestors left for the US c 1710, they might only have lived in Ireland for 20 years. They may not have left any documentary record of their presence there at all.
Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘
Saturday 1st Aug 2015, 08:09AM