Without a doubt, the dominant strain of early Ozarks settlers was Scots-Irish.
Troubled by continued reports of turbulence in his Irish population, King James I decided to repeople the island with Protestants. That was in 1607 and became known as the Ulster Plantation.
Not surprisingly, the forced immigration caused conflict. The Scots held the native Irish in contempt as an inferior people, and Irish considered the Scots invaders.
Fleeing hardship and religous persecution, the Scots-Irish flocked to America's shores in the early 18th Century. These relative newcomers contributed 12 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and 12 of the 54 delegates to the Constitutional Convention. They and their direct descendents have given America 13 of its 33 presidents.
The Scots-Irish immigrants had an aversion to large population centers and migrated westward in large numbers to Kentucky and Tennessee. Often referred to derisively as "hillbillies," these hardy folks endured in a harsh and unforgiving land. In the early 19th century they pushed on to the Ozark Highlands.
Nowhere is the heritage of the region more evident than in music. The fiddle may have given way to the iPod, and the barn dance to MTV, but the Celtic-inspired tunes of our forefathers will always hold a special place in our hearts.
The Missouri Department of Conservation has produced a delightful CD filled with traditional, Ozarks folk music. Quoting from their web page:
"You might call it an "Ozark" River Dance. Our new folk-music CD is a spirited mix of traditional Celtic jigs, foot-stomping Ozark bluegrass, and narrative enhanced by nature sounds. The CD brings to life the Scots-Irish and their trek from the lowlands of Scotland to the shores of America, and on to Missouri Ozark country. With more than 20 songs, "Fiddles and Forests" is the brainchild of fiddle player and Department employee Mike Fraser. The concept began as a live program in which he used music to entertain audiences while educating them about Ozark forests and history. The two-disc set features the story and songs on one disc and the music alone on the other."
If you like good fiddle music, Fiddles And Forests just might be for you.