A collection of historical and genalogical records
Drysdale is considered a sept of the Douglas clan, but it is quite likely that this was a separate family which existed previous to when the three Douglas brothers adopted the Drysdale name. A sept is a family that can be related to a clan or larger family for various reasons. Usually this came about either through marriage or by a small family seeking protection from a larger and more powerful neighbour.
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The following is said to tell the story of the creation of the Drysdale family, it was actually part of the Black Douglas clan which remained in Scotland, following their failed attempt against the Scots crown in 1455. [Earlier references to Drysdale, or Dryfesdale can be found]
We, Thomas, William, and James Douglass, sons of the departed Thomas Douglass, of Brushwood Haugh, in the parish of Drysdale, and Shire of Dumfries, left our native place for the reason here assigned, viz:- Defending our just and lawful rights against our unjust neighbour, Johnston of Greenstonhill, who, being determined to bring water to his mill through our property, and having obtained leave of his friend, the King, began his operations on Monday, the 16th of May, We prevented him by force.
The next day he brought twenty of his vassels to carry on the work. We with two friends and three servants, (eight in all,) attacked Johnston with his twenty, and, in the contest, fourteen of his men were killed, along with their base leader. A report of these proceedings was carried to the King, and we were obliged to fly, (the tocsin being sounded).
We took shelter under the shadow of the Ochil Hills, in a lonely valley on the river Devon. After having lived there a full two years, we returned home in disguise, but found all our property in the possession of Johnston's friends, and a great reward offered for our lives. We, having purchased a small spot, called the Haugh of Dollar, and changed our names to the name of our Parish, are clearly in mind to spend the residue of our days under the ope of the Ochils, and wish the name of Drysdale to flourish in the lonely valley. The King passed through this with his Court on the 12th of June, 1506, going from Stirling to Falkland - dined on Halliday's green. (an eastern neighbour;) but we were not recognised."
The above story has been preserved among the desendants of Thomas, William, and James Douglass, now known by the name of Drysdale, and copied at several times by different individuals - first, by Simon Drysdale of the Haugh of Dollar, in the year 1620; by Robert Drysdale of Tillicoultry, in 1708; by John Drysdale, Dunfermline, in 1835; by James Drysdale, Dumfermline, in 1838; by John Montrose Drysdale, in 1841; by George Drysdale, Aberdeen, in 1845; by David Drysdale, Glasgow, in 1857; by John Harrower Drysdale, Aylmer, Ontario, Canada, in 1920; and now by Nicholas Edwin Kontzie (great-great-grandson of Jane Drysdale), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 2000.
Started by Russell Lynn Drysdale Nov 21, 2023. 0 Replies 2 Likes
This unknown lady is Sonja Sauerbier. I did not arrive at this conclusion on my own, this is Wilma Hamilton van der Garde's Auntie Sonja Sauerbier. Mistery solved. Thank you Wilma !Comment by …Continue
Started by William Douglas. Last reply by William Douglas Jun 14, 2023. 7 Replies 0 Likes
County a Mundingo, to Mr Drysdale, a Carpenter, Kingston, marked PR both shoulders.George, a Chamba, to Mr Drysdale Port Royal Mountains formerly to PA and Richards marked HD, both breasts. Left…Continue
Started by June carter. Last reply by Russell Lynn Drysdale Jul 11, 2015. 3 Replies 0 Likes
douglas , Drysdale, drummond , gardiner , clarkContinue
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William , on Douglas Archives my genealogy -a year or so ago I looked and found none listed prior 1503.
I did a search of the Douglas Archives for:
Last Name contains Drysdale AND Birth Year less than 1600 AND Tree equals My Genealogy
and found only five named:
http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/famgen/search.php?mybool=AND&nr...
William
Thanks Robert,
Referring to your earlier post on Drysdales in Clackmannanshire in the 1841,1881 and 1921 census, I also did a records search on Drysdale births on the 'Scotlandspeople', 'Find my past' and 'Freereg' websites for the period 1600-1650 and this shows the family name very much concentrated in the Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh and Fife regions in Scotland:
Scotlands People - Births only 1600-1650 - all Scotland |
|
Freereg + FindmyPast - Births only 1600-1650 - all England |
|
|
County/City |
County/City |
|||
Aberdeen |
1 |
Yorkshire |
4 |
|
Berwick |
7 |
Essex |
3 |
|
Clackmannan |
91 |
Norfolk |
1 |
|
Dumfries |
2 |
London |
5 |
|
Edinburgh Midlothian |
88 |
Warwickshire |
1 |
|
Fife |
59 |
Durham |
3 |
|
Perth |
8 |
Lincolnshire |
1 |
|
256 Births total |
Northumberland |
3 |
||
|
21 Births total |
After an extensive records search for people with the name Drysdale (before the year 1600) I've managed to come up with a fairly comprehensive list of just under one hundred people, mostly in Clackmannanshire and Fife, and, as far as I can tell, these represent the totality of the known Drysdale 'Clan' in that era - see picture below and attached pdf file:
and the pdf file:
Listing%20of%20all%20early%20Drysdales%20pre-1600%20mentioned%20in%...
Of course there must have been a number of other Drysdales living in Scotland during this period, but as yet, no reference or source material has been found to indicate their existence.
Some references to the name Drysdale in Historical Records, Books etc. 1490-1650
James Drivissdale Culross
Andrew Drysdale, Clackmannanshire
Achilles Drysdale & David Drysdale of Drymen
John Drysdale of Tillicoultry
John Drysdale, Clackmannanshire
William Drysdale, Black Barony
James Drysdaill, Leith, Cowsogall
James Drysdaill, Alva, Clackmannanshire
Hi. In the story of the creation of the Drysdale family, it is said that the 3 brothers took shelter beneath the Ochil Hills. The locations of Alva, Tillicoultry, and Dollar within the county of Clackmannan are situated consecutively from west to east beneath the Ochil Hills. The total number of Drysdales from census data in various locations within the counties of Clackmannan and Fife are described below.
CENSUS YEAR | |||
LOCATION | 1841 | 1881 | 1921 |
DUNFERMLINE | 187 | 142 | 114 |
ALVA | 116 | 47 | 14 |
TULLIALLAN | 86 | 42 | 27 |
TILLICOULTRY | 65 | 48 | 12 |
CLACKMANNAN | 63 | 55 | 4 |
ALLOA | 52 | 64 | 67 |
CULROSS | 45 | 8 | 1 |
DOLLAR | 36 | 34 | 13 |
DALGETY BAY | 31 | 9 | 4 |
ST. ANDREWS | 1 | 1 | 6 |
CUPAR | 0 | 9 | 10 |
KIRKCALDY | 0 | 2 | 14 |
TOTAL | 682 | 461 | 286 |
The more information you can give about the people you mention, the more chance there is of someone else connecting with your family.
Dates and places of births, deaths and marriages all help to place families.
Professions also help.
'My great-grandmother mother was a Douglas from Montrose' does not give many clues to follow up! But a bit of flesh on the bones makes further research possible. But if we are told who she married, what his profession was and where the children were baptised, then we can get to work.
Maybe it is time to update the information in your profile?
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