Thursday, August 26, 2010

Jamesons Arrive in Templemore Parish, Ulster

The website "SomeJamesons" traces the line back to William Jameson, the first Jameson born in Ireland. William's parents came from Scotland in 1619 from the southwestern county called Argyle (or Argyllshire), as in the socks.




Argyle is the archaic spelling of Argyll, which is the southwestern (pink) section on the map


William's parents emigrated to Ireland, or more precisely Ulster (Northern Ireland), in the early 1600's. "At the beginning of the 1600's, James I, of England, began a re-population of northern Ireland with mostly Scottish Protestants. The area was at the time largely occupied by the Desmonds, who had been defeated and depleted in various rebellions with the crown during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. This forced re-population started in 1611 and was an effort by the king to colonize this here-to-fore troublesome area with a more sympathetic and supportive people. The incentives were lucrative with large quantities of land available to each immigrant. Many Scots took advantage of this offer and is undoubtedly why the ancestors of Hugh Jameson found their way to Ireland. This population was largely increased with further immigration over the next 50 years as a result of persecutions by English Kings Charles I and Charles II in their effort to establish the Church of England in Scotland."

The family took up residence and William was born in Templemore Parish of Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The distance across the channel is not very far. Notice Scotland in the upper right hand corner of the map of Northern Ireland. William (1) was born in 1646.



"The Scottish colonists resided in Ireland over several decades during the middle 1600's. They lived somewhat autonomously, retaining their culture and traditions. Intermarriage of Scots with the Irish were exceedingly rare, so that the Scotch race remained nearly as distinct as it was prior to its settlement in this new land. They attended their own churches and continued life pretty much as it was known to them in Scotland... The Jamesons in general were said to have been a robust, active, muscular, and prolific race of people undoubtedly descended from the son of James or Jamie..."

"William Jameson was said to be a vigorous Scotchman, who was thought to have served in the defense of Londonderry during the siege of 1689, and probably the Battle of Boyne in 1690 with distinguished gallantry and such bravery that he was made free from taxation throughout the British dominion by William III, Prince of Orange."




Battle of Boyne (Wikipedia)

The Battle of Boyne was a decisive battle in turning back King James II of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was Catholic and for him the war was an attempt to regain the throne so he could create sovereignty for Ireland, religious freedom and the right to own land for Catholics. No surprise, most of his soldiers were Irish Catholics.

Conversely, for William of Orange and his soldiers, the war was about maintaining Protestant and English rule against the fear that if James retook the throne he would take their land and or kill large numbers of them.


William of Orange (Wikipedia)

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