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We are indebted…We are who we are because they were who they were….We

are wiser because they existed…Like branches on a tree, our lives may grow in

different directions yet our roots remain as one…

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Where in Scotland did Our Thompson, McGraudy, and Wilson Ancestors live?

Most likely the Thompsons, the McGraudys, and the Wilsons lived in the Lowlands of Scotland as they were mostly Presbyterians and almost all of that branch of Christianity lived in the southern part of Scotland, between Edinburgh and the English border. As we began looking for information about where the Thompsons in particular might have lived, we found several documents showing places where Thompsons had lived from the 1100s thru 1500s. We`ve cited several with black dots on a map entitled “Where Thompsons Lived Prior to Ireland”. Most of the locations are in southern Scotland and northern England, and given the proximity of one to another, it is most likely our Thompsons came from that area.

It is a name that does not have any single point of origin, and numerous variations are found throughout western Europe and now North America. The Thompson surname originated in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and England during the medieval period. Early records show an Elborand filius Thome from Cambridge in 1273, and a John Thomson in 1318 and a John Thompson in 1349 in the Whitby area of Yorkshire, and a Ralph Thommysone in Suffolk in 1381. A family of Thom(p)sons, or `sons of Tom`, owned the estate of what is now the present-day Edinburgh suburb of Duddingston for several centuries until the late 1600s. A related family of Thomsons boasted their own heraldic arms and motto “Truth Will Prevail” in what is now the Edinburgh suburb of Corstorphine. Early Thompsons were also found in Clyde/Forth, in Roxburgh, in Dunfriesshire, and Glenshee. One of the earliest recorded Thomsons in Scotland is John Thomson of Ayrshire. Ayrshire was one of the main recruiting grounds for the cause of the great freedom fighter William Wallace and the warrior king Robert the Bruce.

Life in Scotland and Why Move to Northern Ireland?

People have always moved back and forth across the Irish Sea. In 1603 King James VI of Scotland inherited the English and Irish thrones, uniting the crowns and making him King James I of England, Scotland and Ireland. His rule in Ireland was titular only as there was really no effective rule to be had. James was a Protestant king, and Ireland was a mostly Catholic nation. James was of the opinion that the only way to pacify the recently conquered Irish was by planting Protestant, English speaking loyalists among them.King James confiscated 3.8 million acres of Irish land, and created what is called the Ulster Plantation in northern Ireland. He encouraged settlement on these new lands, by Scottish Presbyterians especially. Other plantation efforts had been attempted in Ireland, but this was to be the largest and most effective. James preferred Scots for the colony because, in his words, they were “Of a middle temper between the English tender and the Irish rude breeding, and a great deal more like to adventure to plant Ulster than the English.” For a more detailed discussion of the political and religious turmoil in Northern Ireland (Ulster), see “More Background re Northern Ireland (Ulster)” later in this section of this notebook.These Scots were eager to move from their homes in southern Scotland to the Irish Ulster Plantation mainly due to economic reasons. Lowland Scotland in the 17th century was becoming overpopulated.

The land was harsh. Rents were high. And Ulster was nearby, perhaps only 30 or so miles from Scotland to Ireland by boat. Scots settling in Irish Ulster could expect to rent land for a period of 21 to 31 years, sometimes longer (as much as three lifetimes). This was seen as a sure way to improve one’s economic standing. By 1619 over 8000 families had relocated to Ulster. Another major influx of Scots into Ulster occurred in the 1690s when tens of thousands fled a famine in Scotland. By 1715 over 1/3 of Ulster’s 600,000 inhabitants were Scottish. 

An early member of Wilson family was John Wilson. John was the nephew of Gilbert Wilson, father of Margaret Wilson. Margaret was part of the infamous Wigton Martyrs of Scotland in 1685. As a 16-year-old she was drowned at the stake for being a Covenanter. She refused to forego her faith and to pledge allegiance to the King. Along with friend Margaret McLauchlan, Margaret Wilson was tried and found guilty, and sentenced to drown at the stake. A more complete history of this tragedy is found later in this website.

The Thompsons, McGraudys, and Wilsons were part of the working class. In the cities, Scotland was enjoying the beginnings of the Scottish Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a period roughly from the early 1700s through mid-1800s, and characterized by intellectual, scientific, educational, and economic growth among the gentry and nobility. Five universities were started, trade with the American Colonies expanded, banks and printing houses were created, and science, philosophy, and literature flourished. Intellectuals included economist Adam Smith, poet Robert Burns, novelist Sir Walter Scott, philosopher David Hume, and scientist Joseph Black among others. It is not clear how much of the Enlightenment our family experienced however.

Historian Barry Maloney describes the Ulster Plantation effort this way in his book Kinsale, page 48: The Irish loss in the battle of Kinsale (Ireland) in 1601, triggered the Flight of the Earls in 1607, whence entire families of the rebellious rulers of the northern providence of Ulster sailed into permanent exile in Europe. This allowed their lands to be confiscated by the English and eventually `planted’. The concept of plantation was to take the seeds of a Protestant English or Scottish town (farmers, builders, clergy, teachers, soldiers, tradespeople and their families) and plant those `seeds` in Ireland,hoping that an English or Scottish town and society would grow and prosper. This became known as `The Plantation of Ulster`, the logic being it would prevent future rebellions and strategically protect Ireland from foreign powers. It involved an organized migration of people across the Irish Sea. By far the largest percentage of these `planters’ were Presbyterians from the lowlands of Scotland who, facing poverty, over-population, and conflict in their homelands, sought a new life in Ireland. Geographically, the places are so close that you can see Ireland from western Scotland, and politically the new King of England after Elizabeth died in 1603, was King James VI of Scotland, who became King James I of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

Thompsons As Reivers?

The Anglo-Scottish Border Wars took place from roughly 1296 to 1630. People who lived on either side of the border between Scotland and England were involved in battles in which Scottish clans raided the other side for their livestock and goods. This was a time of Scottish Clans, including the Thom(p)son Clans. The Thom(p)son Clans included one of the West March Reiver clans and one of the Middle March clans. A March was a geographical area near the border. Allegiance was to one’s clan, and not to a government. Were these clans part of our ancestry? We do not know for sure, but the `Thompson’ name appeared frequently during this research, and therefore we cannot discount the possibility of a connection. In 1587, James VI issued a Scottish Act of Parliament to quell the raids. The verbiage of the statute was: “For the quieting and keping in obiedince of the disorderit subjectis inhabitantis of the borders hielands and Ilis.” Seventeen clans were identified, including two with the name of Thompson. Enclosed are two maps showing the locations of the Border Reiver clans. Gradually, many of the clan leaders were executed, and many clan members moved to the Ulster Plantation of northern Ireland.

When did Our Ancestors move from Scotland to Ireland?

The Thompsons moved from Scotland to Ireland in 1719 or before. We know Hugh Thompson and wife Elizabeth McGraudy Thompson were married in County Tyrone Ireland in 1719. We also have documentation that all four sons (Hugh, Robert, William, John) of the Thompsons were born in Ireland; the oldest born in 1720. We believe the Wilsons, led by John Wilson, and several McGraudy’s including Elizabeth’s brother Samuel and son Gaun, moved to Ireland around the same time.

Where in Ireland did our Ancestors Live?

It is a most probable conclusion that the Thompsons and Wilsons and McGraudys were part of the migration from Scotland to Northern Ireland’s Ulster Plantation. We know the Thompsons married in County Tyrone, and the Wilsons lived in County Antrim. We also found a map showing where various families settled in Ireland, including a Thompson clan in the Belfast area, now part of Northern Ireland.

Agriculture and Life for the Scots in Northern Ireland (Ulster)?

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the most isolated and undisturbed part of Ireland (Northern Ireland) was transformed by immigration from Great Britain (Scotland and England). The narrow North Channel separates northeastern Ulster from southwestern Scotland, only 12 miles `as the crow flies’.

The lands of the Irish Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) lent themselves to the same farming practices that these families knew in Scotland. Large herds of sheep or cattle, supplemented by small crop farms, consisting of an infield that would be sewn and harvested each year and receive much fertilization, and an outfield that would be planted for a few years with no fertilization, then left fallow for several years to rejuvenate. This is a predecessor of today’s common practice of crop rotation.

The Emigration to the Colonies and What About the American Revolution?

In his book 2021 Kinsale, historian Barry Moloney describes the rationale for moving from Ireland to the Colonies: “By the 18 th century the descendants of these Presbyterian `Ulster-Scots` settlers were being discriminated against by the United Kingdom government for not converting to Anglicanism, and were facing rent hikes and poverty. Many of them uprooted once again, as their ancestors had a century earlier, and sought new opportunity westward, this time in the Americas….These hard-working and principled people had learned to be loyal to family and church and to mistrust excessive government authority. They had a huge influence on American culture and identity. ….More than one-third of all American Presidents were of Scots-Irish descent. Through these centuries of emigration westward they carried their music, ballads and instruments with them—so we can hear their Irish and Scottish influence in the lilt and rhythms of bluegrass and rockabilly, and in their storytelling and tempo of country music.”

Hugh Thompson died in Ireland. The widow Elizabeth McGraudy Thompson and her four sons emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1735-1740 timeframe. She must have been a pretty brave soul! It is most likely that the family traveled to the Colonies with Elizabeth’s brother Samuel McGraudy along with the Wilson family. It is estimated that 200,000 Scots-Irish settled in America between 1717 and 1775. Most emigrated to the Colonies to avoid religious persecution and to seek economic opportunities (the promise of land ownership, something difficult for them to have in Ireland, was enticing). The mark of the Scots-Irish can best be seen in their churches, as there were 13 Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania by 1718.

Philadelphia was the most popular port for Ulster-Scots (Scots-Irish) entering the Colonies. That was due to the pre-established trade routes, the religious tolerance of the Pennsylvania colony, and the chance to own fertile farm land. Most Scots came in family groups. They became farmers or started agricultural related businesses such as grist mills or lumber mills. Beginning around 1730, the migration to the colonies, and specifically Pennsylvania, was exploding. They brought with them the art of building log cabins and a musical instrument called the dulcimer.

The Scots-Irish sided heavily with the Colonists during the American Revolutionary War. They viewed the war as an extension of the lengthy conflict the Scots had with the British. They were independent, self-reliant, and resistant to British rule. In Pennsylvania, Virginia, and most of the Carolinas, support for the Revolution was practically unanimous. One Hessian officer said, “Call this war whatever name you may, only call it not an American rebellion; it is nothing more or less than a Scotch Irish Presbyterian rebellion.”

What Impact Did the American Revolution Have on Our Families?

One could write volumes on the impact of the American Revolution on the Thompsons, the Wilsons, and the McGraudys. The creation of our country yielded many freedoms and enormous opportunities for them. The freedom for each family member to live their life as they see fit, and to pursue opportunities of their making, cannot be overstated.

A most precious opportunity was freedom of religion. Legal authorization for freedom of religion in our country started with Thomas Jefferson’s authoring the Virginia Statue for Establishing Religious Freedom in 1786. This became the basis for the First Amendment to the US Constitution adopted in 1791.

Why is this important to our families? Our Wilson-Thompson Family Association was, and continues to be, a `big tent’ family. Branches of our family practice various forms of religion without restriction (including no religion at all if one chooses). Religions practiced by family members include Presbyterians, Friends/Quakers, Baptists, Lutherans, Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists, Reformed Anglicans, etc. All are welcome.

We are reminded that Pennsylvania was founded in 1681 by William Penn, an English Quaker, looking to establish a haven for religious freedom. Furthermore, Bucks County and the Delaware Valley were mainstays for the Society of Friends/Quakers. We can thank the Society of Friends for much written preservation of our state’s and county’s history. According to William Davis’ 1905 History of Bucks County, “Bucks was a Quaker county, and Pennsylvania a Quaker colony.”

From a practical sense as well, the Society of Friends/Quakers welcomed the Scots-Irish to Pennsylvania. The Friends were pacifists and avoided fighting as much as possible. With the Scots-Irish willing to settle on land geographically between the Friends/Quakers and the Native American tribes, and to take up arms as needed against tribal attacks, a buffer of protection was added for the Friends.

What Were the Thompson and Wilson and McGraudy Families Relationships?

Why did the Wilsons and the Thompsons, in 1891, begin holding a family reunion? Why did the families decide to research and publish a combined Wilson-Thompson Families genealogy in 1916? The simple answer is the Wilson and Thompson families became related when three grandsons (Robert, John, Thomas) of Elizabeth McGraudy Thompson married three Wilson daughters (Jane, Mary, Elizabeth), and when third-generation Mary Wilson (granddaughter of John Wilson) married second-generation Gaun McGraudy, the latter a son of first-generation Samuel McGraudy (sister of Elizabeth McGraudy Thompson).

The Thompsons, the Wilsons, and the McGraudys came from Ireland together, settled in the same or neighboring villages of Bucks County PA, intermarried, and became support systems for one another. Family gatherings made a lot of sense, and today the Wilson-Thompson Family Association family reunion is the longest continuous annual reunion on Bucks County, and certainly one of the longest in Pennsylvania.

How do you spell `Thompson’?

One of the most common surnames throughout the United Kingdom is `Thompson’ and the various iterations of Thomson and Thomas. There are numerous such family names in Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. While Thomson is more common in Scotland, and Thompson in England and Ireland, and Thomas in Wales, various spellings became interchangeable through many generations. Given the proximity of England to Scotland to Wales to Ireland, movement from one land to another over the decades and centuries is likely. Compound that with high illiteracy rates, and spellings could easily change.

A Note of Caution

As we began tracing the Thompsons, the McGraudys, and the Wilsons in Scotland, then into Northern Ireland, then into the United States, we realized there is much more to be learned. We found a couple of genealogies done by folks in the US with information that could not be verified; much appeared correct but not all. Our best hope for finding additional and accurate information is to go to Scotland and Ireland, and to retain the services of professional genealogists. A genealogist in Ireland may be limited as many records of our family’s births, marriages, deaths housed in the Public Records Office in Dublin were unfortunately destroyed in 1922. Fortunately, we know much about the families after they arrived in the American Colonies 1735-40. Sources included the Wilson-Thompson Families genealogy of 1916, records secured through Ancestry.com, U.S. Censuses, Immigration and Service records, Cemetery records, Church Meeting minutes and records, Find a Grave, etc.