Lt Colonel Edward Douglas

[Henry Barraud Hunt, Jr.]

After reviewing the wills of the brothers Edward, Nathaniel and Southey Littleton I thought it would not hurt to take another look at the will of Col Edward Douglas which was dated 1657 Northampton Co,. we find Col Douglas leaves his daughter, Sarah, a mare called Rose. Also to the children of my cousin, Edmund Boweman, the increase of my mare- when we look at Edmund Bowman's will we find reference to Rose. Daughter, Sarah Douglas receives two silver wine cups 'marked SD'. I cannot imagine what the SD represents other than Douglas. Close examination of the will tells me that Elizabeth Douglas is the youngest of the three children. Sarah is the eldest. It might be that Lt Colonel Edward Douglas' mother had the given name 'Sarah'. "To my son Edward all my land in Virginia or elsewhere after the decease of my wife'. I interpret this to give Isabella my wife use of my land until she marries or dies. Son Edward did receive a patent for the land when he turned eighteen. As long as he demonstrated ownership by paying taxes or building fences, etc. title would remain with him. Such is not the case here. This means that Edward died and title remained in abeyance until William Willett became of age and his mother Elizabeth Willett had fled the country. John Willett husband of Elizabeth Douglas, never became a naturalized citizen. This prevented him from having title to any of the Douglas land. I now jump to the Orders #10 1664-1674, Northampton Co. of John Martyn, Merchant, dated 16 June 1669 29 Nov 1669, f74  It had to be in the summer of 1669 that Elizabeth Douglas married John Willett. I shall explain this after presenting the will of John  Martyn, Merchant.