How Our Ulster Ancestors Named Their Land In America Could Provide Invaluable Clues!

In this interesting online article, two names of interest to our family history pop up - one a person and one a place:

Ulster Names on the Land

When land was patented in Maryland with a deed to the original owner, he gave his property a name. Many names are prosaic. Robert King, Gentleman, one of these Ulster Scots, called his 300 acres "Kingsland." Others preferred a memory of home. Wallaces had "Castle Finn," "Kirkminster" and "Camp." Caldwells called their tracts "Ballybuggin," "Desert" and "Clonlett." The Polks used "Ballendret," "Raphoe," "Moanen" and "Denegall" as well as "Polk’s Folly." Ninian Dunlap chose "Monyn." The Owens family used "Ballyshannon" and the Alexanders "Rapho." These emigrant families settled in Manokin Hundred of Somerset County together with McKnitt and Strawbridge families and others. Many of the names they gave their new homes are from townlands near Lifford. Magdalen Polk, wife of Robert Polk, for instance, inherited the townland of Moneen in the parish of Clonleigh (Lifford), Co. Donegal and left it in her will to one of their sons. The Polks were ancestors of U.S. President James K. Polk.

SOURCE:  http://www.ulstervirginia.com/migrationfromulster.asp

Ninian Dunlap is William Miller's grandfather's father-in-law (so if you're from my generation, Ninian is your 5th great-grandfather!

The place name of Lifford is the area in Northern Ireland where our Miller's hailed from.

This entire article is very interesting and very pertinent to our ancestry, and I encourage you to read it (see link above).