Spider Graph  Analysis

Spider Graphs are a tool that can assist in identifying the Scottish Homeland of Ulster Planters. The principle relies on the idea that Scottish Undertakers would “recruit” planters from regions which they were familiar with or even from their own Scottish estates. The idea simply stated, “find the Undertaker, find the Planters home.” The theory must be qualified. Individuals are just that, individuals and can make decisions independent of group behaviour. Additionally the concept relies on the 1630 Muster Roll as evidence of the presence of a surname while the plantation took place 20 years earlier. Ownership of estates could change. Some early Undertakers failed and the estates were passed on through sale to neighbours, relatives, or newly minted Undertakers. If known, the home of estate owners in Scotland and England at the time of the 1630 Muster Roll would also be a useful measure. Despite these shortcomings, it may still be possible to identify the Scottish homeland of Ulster Planters. The Maps The following four maps illustrate the principle of spider graphs. Lines are drawn between the Scottish home of undertakers and the location of their estates in Ulster. Two Classes of Undertakers were involved with the plantation of Ulster. The “elite” Undertaker was well connected with the newly minted Crown, Charles I of Scotland and England. They were granted large estates of between 2,000  and 3,000 acres, and would require large numbers of Planters to succeed in the risky undertaking of planting Ulster. They were often absentees landlords and relied on managers to run their proportions of the Ulster plantation. The second group ranged from well to do Scottish estate owners to not so well to do landlords. Their estates were of 1,000 acres. They were generally hands on and took up residence in Ulster.  Donegal Analysis: There is strong circumstantial evidence that the broader Miller cluster in County Donegal has its origins in Northern Ayrshire. However we cannot say if the specific family being researched is linked to this cluster. That being the case, it is notable that : • Two Clusters of Planters, 9 in total, are found in close proximity with a dozen Minor Undertakers and two Major undertakers. The region was also a focus of Presbyterian Farmers in 1901. • Identifying the same undertakers in Scotland points to an area in Northern Ayrshire where the Undertakers cluster and we find both high Miller Banwell Indexes and a large cluster of 1841 Miller farmers.