Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors. Second Edition - by William J Roulston (Paperback)

About the Book

One of the greatest frustrations for generations of genealogical researchers has been that reliable guidance on sources for perhaps the most critical period in the establishment of their family's links with Ulster, the period up to 1800, has proved to be so elusive. Not any more. This book can claim to be the first comprehensive guide for family historians searching for ancestors in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Ulster. Whether their ancestors are of English, Scottish or Gaelic Irish origin, it will be of enormous value to anyone wishing to conduct research in Ulster prior to 1800. A comprehensive range of sources from the period 1600-1800 are identified and explained in very clear terms. Information on the whereabouts of these records and how they may be accessed is also provided. Equally important, there is guidance on how effectively they might be used. The appendices to the book include a full listing of pre-1800 church records for Ulster; a detailed description of nearly 250 collections of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century estate papers; and a summary breakdown of the sources available from this period for each parish in Ulster.

Book Synopsis

This work is widely recognized as the preeminent textbook for Scots-Irish genealogy. This second edition includes additional information on church records and landed estate papers, as well as new chapters on records relating to law and order, emigration, business and occupations, diaries and journals, and clubs and societies. The work is divided into two sections. The first section describes the sources for Scots-Irish ancestry, their significance, and where they may be found. The main categories covered include church records, gravestone inscriptions, 17th-century records, 18th-century records, landed estate records, the Registry of Deeds, inheritance records, legal records, election records, military sources, newspapers and books, emigration records, education, charity and occupation records, business and occupational sources, society and club records, and personal records (diaries, journals, memoirs, etc.). The second section consists of two large appendices. The first lists the sources available for each parish in Ulster, while the second provides information on over 350 estate collections with relevant material from the pre-1800 period. Besides the records coverage, an historical essay highlights Ulster's establishment and the emigration from Ulster, especially in the 18th century. The work concludes with a comprehensive bibliography.