Douglases in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia - early 1700s

[Ronald Drysdale]

The Garrison Cemetery in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia is the oldest formal cemetery in Canada, dating back to the French and later the British periods.

The oldest English gravestone in Canada is among the graves there, that of Bathiah Douglas who was buried there in 1720.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis_Royal#cite_note-45

Her husband - Samuel Douglas (1680?-1743).

Douglas was a prominent trader and owned multiple properties in the lower town. He was married three times, the first to Bathiah Douglas, whose gravestone in the Garrison Graveyard is the oldest in Canada. The gravestone is inscribed:

Here lyes ye body of Bathiah Douglass wife
to Samuel Douglass who
Departed this Life, Octo
the 1st, 1720 in the 37th
Year of her Age.

https://baileyhouse.ca/history-bailey-house/

Another Douglas from Annapolis Royal in th early 1700s is mentioned in a Suffolk Co. Court case in 1723:

- Alexander Douglas mariner of Nova Scotia claimed back pay from Cyprian Southack for service as Bosun onboard the Schooner William Augustus. He lost the case and costs were awarded against him - he lodged an appeal.

Suffolk Co Court case 1723 Alexander Douglas mariner of Nova Scotia...

He subsequently lost his appeal in the higher court in 1724 and was again ordered to pay costs

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZV-X97D-C?view=f...

Best regards

[William Douglas]

William Douglas of Nova Scotia features in the forthcoming Douglas Archives magazine.

The strait between Cape Breton and Nova Scotia was named the "Passage Du Glas" for him on a map drawn by Champlain in 1612. This name persisted on maps until at least 1633 before Champlain began referring to it as the "Passage de Canceau" (the modern Strait of Canso).

Essential reading!