John Black, b 1590, First Black into Ireland from Scotland
John Black was born 1590 in Canongate, Midlothian, Scotland, and died 1653 in Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland . Canongate is a section of Edinburgh. He was the son of John Black and Elizabeth Bessie Locart. He married Janet Jobsone Canongate, Midlothian, Scotland. John Black arrived in Ireland about 1619 as a colonizer in county Antrim. This was at the time of the Ulster Plantation. Although county Antrim was not part of the Plantation, they did follow Plantation guidelines.
Muster records show John Black was a tenant on Adare properties, Ballymena, Upper Toome, Country Antrim, Ireland. The town is built on land given to the Adare (Adair) family by King Charles I in 1626, on the basis that the town hold two annual fairs and a free Saturday market in perpetuity. It incorporates an area of 244 square miles and is home to large villages such as Cullybackey, Galgorm, Ahoghill and Broughshane, where his son was born in 1620.
He was a defender for Mr Adare during the Ulster Plantation. Mr Black was proficient with a Sword and Pike. A pike is a pole weapon, a very long thrusting spear formerly used extensively by infantry.
Mr Adares Muster Rolls, Ulster Plantation
Mr Adares 1630 Muster Rolls, Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland
Following is a page from “A clerical tradition” where I read the author believes the John Black b 1590 in Canongate is the father of John Black b 1620 in Broughshane, County Antrim, Ireland.
