: Hi, Plunkett: I have no field of research. I just want to
: read interesting things about the various Caldwell
: family histories. I dislike dead ends and dull
: forebearers.
Hi Victor,
Unfortunately genealogists are plagued by dead ends and most of our forebearers did not exactly rock the world of its axis.But the fact they survived the hardships of their arduous lives to past on their genes to you and I,we should salute their resiliance and fortitude.

: I know nothing about the Ulster Caldwells beyond what has
: been posted at this web page and in scattered
: references at other genealogy web sites. The Ulster
: Caldwells seem to be of enormous importance in
: understanding the proliferation of the Caldwell name
: in America.

: I read someone at this web page mentioned her Caldwell
: ancestors were Catholics traced back to Ireland. This
: web page's sponsor, John, mentioned Quaker ancestry
: traced back to Ulster Ireland and Scotland. All of
: this surprised me.

Families are hardly a homogeneous unit.They disagree,follow different causes,politics and religions.Even fight wars on different sides.Hey whats new.

: I suspect the vast majority of the Caldwells were
: Presbyterians, and that a potential source of
: information would be tracking the migration of
: Presbysterian ministers with their Caldwell
: congregations to America, as well as learning more
: about the churches themselves. Were the first
: ministers from Scotland? Were those of Presbyterian
: faith freer to practice theiir faith in Ireland than
: in Scotland? To what extent were they cruel towards
: the Catholics, Anglicans, Cromwellians, and vice
: versa?

I would not entirely agree with this.I think there has been much focus on that particularily easy access to Caldwell ancestors at the expense of other sources.It would be helpful if someone took the time to compile all immigration and ship records of the Caldwell's into the various countries they settled including side notes on health,wealth,literacy,trade,profession and origin.
I suggest you read the following;
Tyrones Rebellion by Hiram Morgan

Boydell& Brewer

PO Box41026 Rochester N.Y 14604-4126
The Scottish Migration to Ulster in the reign of James 1
by M.Perceval-Maxwell
Copies available from the Ulster Historical Foundation
12,College Square East Belfast N.IrelandBT1 6DD
Cromwellian Ireland by T.C.Barnard
Publisher Oxford University Press,Ely House,London W1
The Civil Wars(A Military History of England,Scotland and Ireland 1638-1660 edited by John Kenyon and Jane Ohlmeyer published in USA by Oxford University Press Inc New York
Plantation to Partition(Essays in Ulster History in Honour of J.L.McCracken published by Blackstaff Press Ltd

3,Galway Park,Dundonald,Belfast BT16 0AN
The Town in Ireland edited by David Harkness and Mary O'Dowd Published by The Appletree Press Ltd 7,James Street South Belfast BT2 8DL
I think you will particularily enjoy this book.It gives an insight into an Ulster family from plantation to the 1970's
Long Shadows Cast Before(Nine lives in Ulster 1625-1977)by C.E.B.Brett pulished by John Bartholomew&Son Ltd Edinburgh and London 12,Duncan StreetEdinburg EH9 1TA
I think the opening says as much for the Caldwell's as the Brett's.
"I do not know when or where William Brett was born.I do not even know if he was Irish or English".

: The method or means by which you have learned about the
: Irish Caldwells is of interest to me. I assume that
: you are located somewhere in America, and yet have
: access to a lot of information about Ulster Ireland
: Caldwells.

Wrong assumption, I am based in Northern Ireland as John is aware.I suggest you go to rootsweb.com ,Ancestry.com and look at some of my postings on the Caldwell's
: You seem to be strongly motivated and now in the process
: of doing some original research of prime sources, like
: wills, tax rolls, likely to lead to information not
: published elsewhere

All my research is gleaned from The Public Records Northern Ireland,the National Archives in Dublin,Trinity University Dublin and the Linenhall library in Belfast.

: I like what you have to say. What I am saying is that you
: can write it in a way that would make it even more
: appealing
.
I am not a novelist just a genealogist,maybe I should write a book "The Caldwells A Plantation Family" "The Caldwells The Powerbrokers",The Caldwells Men of the land"

: You probably know enough that you have already formed
: some opinions about myths, wishful thinking, or
: speculations related to the Ulster Caldwells. What are
: these misperceptions?
.
I must admit I never looked into any myths as they are what they imply probably with a substance level of 1%.I think the mythmakers are from your side of the pond but if I come across any I will certainly let you know.

I previously wrote: "Let me offer some constructive
: criticism. What you write would be of far greater
: value to everyone if you more often cited the
: references upon which you base your statements."

: And you then replied: "When I add research i.e.
: births deaths marriages wills etc I thought I gave my
: sources…. I will let you know on Monday the precise
: title, printers etc." (Thank you.)

: And now I want to make it clearer: you took one step, I
: hope you will take another.

: For example, in your reply, you made various statements
: of great interest to me, but you did not provide any
: references. The whole point is that I would like to be
: able to use interlibrary loan or internet to follow
: up.

: You wrote: " …and incidently France was not part of
: the Holy Roman…" (I did not mean to imply that.
: My point was that Toulon was at the time in question
: part of the Holy Roman Empire rather than France. Like
: you, I did not cite any reference. I came up with
: information by exploring the internet.)

: "….It was this family that made Sir James Caldwell
: Bart Count of Milan…." (Now here is a good
: example where a reference would be appropriate. Can
: you recommend a book or published article that backs
: you up on this statement?)

I got this information from the will of Sir James Caldwell dated the 16.3.1782 and held in PRONI if you go to proni.nics.gov.uk/records,you can access all references to Sir James Caldwell.It will also give you a list of townland by parish and a list of townlands by county.Incidentily townlands are not settlements per se but an area of land belonging to a barony which can have diverse numbers of townlands. As an example,the townland of Ballybogan is simply a collection of individual farms with a mill but no town.This is applicable to the majority of townlands.

: "… A baronet is a hereditary title, sir being added
: to your name, however one can be knighted but the
: knighthood dies with you…." (That is good to
: know. Again, do you have any reference or citation?
Why would you need a reference for this? The Oxford Concise Dictionery "a knight,a man awarded a non-hereditary title",most titles granted today in "The Queens Honour List" take this form.They are also granted to foreign nationals but they cannot assume the "Sir".Don't ask me for a reference you may ask Bill Clinton,I believe he received one.

: You did not say anything about my statement: …" I do
: not know what entity registers the British and Irish
: Caldwell coats…" (Can you help me here?)
I will look this up for you in PRONI on Monday.

: You wrote: "… The book I found this in was in Proni
: I believe the title was British Family Crests…"
: (Would you please clarify this. What is Proni? Can you
: be more specific about the title, publisher, and
: author. Interlibrrayt loan requests need that
: information.)
I will also look this up for you on Monday
: You indicate that you are researching the The Caldwell's
: of Antrim (Holetown)
: " " Ardstraw co Tyrone
: " " " Ballbogan co Donegal
: " " " Ballynaskeagh co Down
: " " " Ballyshannon co Donegal…"

: (You continued with a long list. Here is where I would
: appreciate you elaborating on your search. What have
: you read that indicates there were or may have been
: Caldwells in these settlements? What of interest do
: you know about the circumstances of their lives? Is it
: true that none of these towns you listed were involved
: in burning people at the stake or executing them for
: heresy, in contrast to the numerous witchcraft and
: heresy executions in 17th century Protestant Scotland
: and Germany,most of which occurred in rural
: settlements? I would like a bibliography. Can you make
: a thumbs up list? Can you offer any interesting
: quotations? These are families who lived in those townlands or cities or are still living there.Some of the trees have over 500 names and date from 1400's.

: I would guess that a part of your sources are the
: documents you mentioned: the Muster Rolls, the Hearth
: Tax Rolls, and estate records. Again, you were not
: specific with respect to providing enough information
: that I could request an interlibrary loan. I suppose
: that I might find something on the internet, but other
: readers might be discouraged unless you were complete
: in your citations.)
Because of the nature of the information I doubt that it is available on the net, yet.It is obviously a momentous task to load the national archives into digital format,but if you find it please let me know.

The Public Records of Nortern Ireland website has a list of its archival material but again I doubt it is accessible on the net.
Hope his clarifies some points for you.
Plunkett Caldwell