Millikin to Milligan

The name 'Milligan' or 'Millikin' has cropped up once or twice in my blog, which hints at some connection between the two 'clans'. On 15th April last year I referred to Evelyn V. McIlhagga Milligan who died in 1999, simply to point out that I know nothing whatsoever about her, though her name obviously links the two families. On 18th May last year I said that it is just possible that Helen McHago (presumably an abbreviation of McIlhago) was a grand-daughter of one of the earliest known of our clan who appear in the 1669 Hearth Money Rolls in the townland of Cogry in the parish of Doagh Grange near Ballyclare, namely Alex McIlhago, Allexander McIlhago or James McIlhaga. She came from Carnmoney, where there was an early clan family, to marry James Millikin in Ballyclare on 26th May 1713.

On 25th May this year I showed how I have attempted a reconstruction of a 'McHago' branch of the McIlhagga clan, if indeed it is such. The 19th Century examples we can find are from the USA, from where Don Milligan recently left a comment on my attempt. A couple of days ago I had a request from Don to compare our DNA profiles, and today I have received a copy of an email which he has sent to his daughter (and to 25 other people) which continues the story, at least from his perspective, and at the end of which he kindly acknowledges the 'two clan link'. He heads it 'United Irishmen - Organization & Rebellion: Our Millikin Ancestors'. He writes as follows:

'Our ancestor "Samuel Millikin" of Ballyclare, Co. Antrim (your 4th great grandfather: Samuel - George - George - Clyde - Donald - Donald - B[living]) was a member of the United Irishmen Organization in Northern Ireland, and was killed in the 1798 Battle of Antrim Hill in County Antrim against the British troops. The attached statement about the United Irishmen Describes their beliefs & actions.

Our ancestor George Millikin Sr. born about 1795-97 was about 3-4 years old when his father Samuel Millikin* was killed. George came to Jefferson County, Ohio about 1819. His name was recorded as "Milligan", and became a naturalized U.S. citizen circa 1840.

His second wife, "Statia Maria Pastors" is our ancestor. Their son "George Milligan" married "Mary Jane Smith" & were the parents of "Clyde Mitchell Milligan" who married "Katherine Margarite Hoel/Hoel", and they had "Donald Clyde Milligan, Sr." (my father) and your grandfather.

Your grandfather had two sisters: "Margaret" and "Mary Jan". You received your middle name "Mary Jane" after my paternal aunt "Mary Jane Milligan Haynes Berkey" and her grandmother "Mary Jane Smith Milligan". Our Millikin ancestors were Presbyterian Covenanters from Scotland.

*Samuel Millikin, killed in 1798, is the descendant of John Millikin, originally from Wigtonshire, Scotland circa 1630-40 to Donegore, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, Presbyterian. This "John Millikin" is the ancestor of "James Millikin" of Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, Ireland, who married "Helen McHago", a descendant of the "McIlhagga Clan" of Ayrshire, Scotland. Her "McIlhagga" ancestors were in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland by 1669. See the records of the McIlhagga Clan.'