Greetings William,
I have worked on this line for many years, and have not been able to find the origin of James. There are several other researchers working on this line, so am surprised that noone has ever shared their information. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for the creation of such a wonderful website. You have done a fantastic job. Mary Nelle

Hello William:

Thank you for correcting the record on my Alexander. Don't want to perpetuate misinformation! BTW, DNA testing of a Douglass cousin has confirmed his descent from the Earls of Morton line. So that's exciting news, just not much in the way of answers. Thanks again,

Jody Parker

Hi William. Thank you. I have a couple of key suggestions for a structure to this area of research, but first, did you know Robert Burns nearly ended up in the Americas as an overseer on one of the (many) slave plantations? He was about to head for the colonies when some of his writing finally began to make money/gain recognition. Billy Kay told us this in 2004 when my husband and I visited with him in Dundee. Actually, FREDERICK DOUGLASS was NOT a Douglas. His real surname was BAILEY. He chose the new name from a book or something. So it really doesn't connect him with Douglas history as such. Just to clarify, as my family is Douglas through family history, and connected to white Douglases who were slaveholders. As a slavery descendant myself, I strongly suggest we use the terms "Scottish-surnamed Afrodescendants of the Americas" This includes the USA, but does not restrict the focus to only the USA. We're talking about EVERY part of the Americas (and a couple parts of Africa) where the Scots & British imposed enslavement and trafficking in Africans. Thanks very much. - Marian

Hi William thank you for yor most interesting website which you have sent me. At the moment my friend Alan Mitchell from Somerset and I are digging into a family connection and we have around 3,000 entries which we have collated

Hi William,
The background is actually one of your own I picked oput. It is Area 51 (the secret UFO base in the Navada? desert). With my lack of ANY success in tracing my William (George) Douglas, and not getting ANY matches with 37 yDNA markers, I figured he must be in there somewhere

Cheers
Daryl

Hi William,I will give you what i know. Henry junior, was born 1848 Menangle Douglas Park NSW au,(cannot find a birth cert for him) have a exerpt frm marriage cert,father medical Doctor, on his grave in Pentland Qld Au, son of Dr de Daunton grandson of Dr Douglas, Henry Jr married a Margaret Marsden b 1858 Portadown Armagh Ireland, married 21st dec 1883 Charters Towers Qld Au, RC Church,witnesses Thadeus & Charlotte McKinley think she could have been his sister as name comes down to children of jr, also think i was told he also had a sister Marguarite, which was my grandmas name also. In Pioneers Index Qld name as D`Daunton (miner). Henri/y his father Dr de Daunton a french Dr, the story goes gave up doctoring as he could not handle the amputations, but still practiced on the gold fields,( also was a witness in a murder case )also told he went back to Scotland. Could he have done his doctorate in England or Scotland ? another bit of interest a Dr Henry Grattan Douglas had a son & two daughters but cannot find their names, In Colonial Secretary Index NSW Au 1788-1825, think Douglas Park was named after him. From here i am stumped just cannot find anything on Henri & Margaret Douglas. Tank You for your time & quick reply. Regards Francene

Hi William, I think we have our lines crossed, Margaret Douglas was married to Dr Henry de Daunton. She was who i am seeking the imformation on, & yes she could be a grandaughter of HG maybe, when i put Dr Henry Grattan Douglass into computer his history comes up. By giving you what i know of Henry de Daunton junior thought you may have been able to track their marriage. Thank you for your time Regards Francene

Me again, yesterday i found that Douglas Park was named after HG. Also the Douglas name comes down the family line as second names, such as John Douglas de Daunton. HG is certainly a bit of a character. Thanks again, F

William, I am increasingly admiring your site. Today I read the moving and interesting story about the "Paupers' Cemetry". Who could have thought that that murder in Delhi in 1857 would bring me here and would learn me so much...

Thank you William for providing all of us with a means to work together to knock down the brick walls.

Hi William, many thanks for your message. I have the Douglas-Willan connection in my family tree. As you will already know John Kearsley Douglas married Isabella Maria Willan and they then changed their name to Douglas-Willan. They were my 4xGreat grandparents. I have very limited information going back another 4 generations prior to that....the father of John Kearsley Douglas, being Robert Douglas (Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1779, Colonel Commandant of the R.A and a Lieutenant General in the Army, died 1827. I have a copy of his Will dated 14 November 1826) and HIS father also being Robert Douglas (Major of Marines). (I have an abstract of his will dated 1780). HIS father was James Douglas (died young in Abermarle's Regiment at Gibralter) and HIS father was John Douglas (a Colonel in the Army).

I'm not sure any of this is of any interest to you but just thought I would pass it on.

I only arrived back from Scotland yesterday. I was staying in Falkirk for 3 weeks. Where do you live in Scotland? And where do you 'fit in' with the Douglas/Willan connection?

Again, many thanks for the message. Hope to hear from you.
Regards,
Claudine Douglas.

Hi again William, it appears, after further reading, that you know a hell of a lot more about my ancestors than I do! In hindsight my previous post will be of no use to you at all. But never mind....is nice to make contact! :-) Regards, Claudine.

I don't know if your website includes information on the Douglas line I descend through. I don't really know how to check that other than by poking around the site - and I will. Though at this point it would be speculation as to whether any Douglas' in your Archives were kin to mine. It will be a big day when I can establish connections between the Douglas' of early 19th century in Quebec and wherever they came from before that.
Mark

William:
Thanks for the note ,Will post all I gather on our John By the way my kit # is 142606 !@
Ruil

John Donald Douglas was born Feb.9, 1850 at Hanover Park, Peckham. His father was a steward to the Royal Scottish Society (I believe that is more commonly known as the Royal Scottish Corporation, a charity in London). He married Martha Margaret Williams (b. sep 2/1850) on december 12, 1869 at St. Lukes Parish, Holburn.

And my goodness but you look like my dad. There has to be som connection or an incredible coincidence.

hi william,
elbert carlysle douglass born:7 june 1850-lovelton,pa.
died:12 july 1937- seattle,washington.
eureka,montana roy douglas

Thank you William. If you come across any info please let me know.

Hi William.
The picture is taken at my home town called 'Nambucca Heads', which is on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Yep, I have been a busy boy here. So far I've only got information passed down from my mother which has unfortunately proven to be very unreliable in its accuracy and left with LOTS of gaps - particularly pre settlement in Australia.
But so far so good. I'm getting some remarkable information and the whole experience has been thrilling. :)

William
Thankyou for the info. But unfortunately I was stonewalled earlier today. It is evident now that my information was incorrect and this Edward Douglas is indeed not the Edward Douglas I was looking for.
The search continues and so too does the stonewalling. I'm trying ancestry.co.uk in order to find something.. anything on Edward or his father James and I'm drawing a blank. With the info I got (which has proven to be unreliable enough) it certainly looks to be a long road ahead.

Hello William, the death dates I gave for Mary And Archibald were the baptism dates not deaths, please correct, but Mary Jane Lived ony for (1day 1 month ). Walter Michael Aubrey Douglas took his mothers name , his father/mother were Walter Richard Barnes Esquire a Captain on half pay in Her Majesty's Indian Army and Christiana Isabella daughter of John Kearsley Douglas Willan. Will reply again soon. Lilian

Yes mate I am still in that hole ,Have I sent you a copy of out Family Book (The John DouglasFamily of Mississippi ) if not I can do that for you to use as a referance ,it is170 pages printed in 1962 ! What say you

Thank you, William. I did not expect that you could help me but with the assistance of your website I thought someone out there may be able to. Thank you for your prompt response though. I noticed my "cousin" John Goodwin Douglas is a member also. His research blended with mine helped to validate our paper trail back to 1731, which I found exciting. Now we both are looking for someone to take us even farther back.

About my ancestor Lt General Robert Douglas. He came to the Netherlands in the 18th century. as an officer of a Scots regiment. He married Helena de Brauw, a dutch lady of rank and had 3 children by her. He wrote a book about his life.
A copy of this autobiography must be in Edinburgh . His correspondence with the Royal family of Holland is kept in the royal archives. He is the ancestor of the Dutch branch of the Douglas family.
His youngest daughter Elisabeth is my grt grt grandmother.

Thank you,
I've been working with Betsey Howe in searching for William's family in Easton Maudit, Northamptonshire instead of in Scotland as so many have assumed. We are very excited about what we're finding and would like to network with anyone else looking for him in England.

Marilynn

Thank you. I descend from Robert M Dean and Elizabeth Douglass of Delaware, Caroline and Schuyler Counties in NY. Pat

I don't know about "line", I'm afraid..the furthest back I've got is to John Watson Douglas, born in Ferryden, by Montrose in 1836..he was a sea captain and I have a copy of his entry in Lloyd's Captains List showing his commands and voyages, before he died of "African Fever" in 1878.

His son, Henry John Watson Douglas, born 1868, died 1957 went to New Zealand as a young man on the Barque Kirkdale, in 1887...I have the original testimonial given to him by the Captain on arrival in Bluff Harbour, 23/01/1888, when he left the ship to seeks his fortune...without much success, sadly! The family story is that he gave up attempts at sheep farming, bought a trading schooner and operated that until it was wrecked, when he returned to the UK as a "distressed British seaman" and married a widow, who didn't fancy going to NZ!

My family line goes Dr. James Douglas (Scotland to Montreal), Dr. James Douglas LLD (Quebec), James S. Douglas (Rawhide) (Arizona), James Douglas (my Father). My father had 5 children, Hugh, James, Graham, Josalee aand me. Hugh and James are now buried in the Douglas plot at Mount Herman Cemetary in Quebec. I can provide dates at another time. I look forward to contributing in the future or being in touch with more Douglases.

Yes, He was my great grandfather.

Thanks so much William. This is indeed my ancestor. My dad's cousin told me about Grantham, this week...I hadn't been aware of that location before. Is that reference online? Wow.

Anne

Thank you...I will check into that and see if other cousins know anything about the Pennant connection.

I tried to send a comment earlier but can't see it so I may be repeating myself, sorry.
My ancestor thread is William Douglas 1731-1805 New London Conn, Daniel Douglas 1770-1793, Daniel William Douglas 1789-1868 New London Conn., Mary Elizabeth Douglas 1836-1920, to my grandmother Emily Douglas Huntington Harwood 1881-1979 New Britain Conn.

The documents I have are original, not copies. My grandmother had a great deal of old paper from the Douglas New London Conn. family.
Among the documents I have are;
1660 the original deed for land given to to William Doulgas by the township of New London for services rendered
1702 Deed of gift for a tract of New London land from William Douglas Sr to his son Deacon William Douglas (wax seal intact)

Also;
1733 deed of mortgage for 120 acres bought by Capt. Richard Douglas for 280 lbs. Resold in 1745 to Nathan Stanly and George Wyllys, bottom of same paper. (original intact wax seal)
I have original deeds and wills for the New London, Conn. Doulgas family from 1660 to 1804
I will investigate if copying these documents will be harmful. If not I will be glad to scan and send copies.

Necesito confirmar los padres de James Douglas, no creo que sea dificil, ya que tengo los datos y registro de su esposa : Katherin mbién Walker, que son mis quintos abuelos. Y también la inscripción de su bautismo n° 31582 HOJA 106664 donde sus padres Jhon Walker y Christian Mcaulay registran el b. de Katherin Walker in Roseneath , año 1755 que se casó con James Douglas Un cariño y gracias, estamos en contacto

Somos de Dumbarton

Thank you William for your kind comment regarding my photography portfolio.
I have practiced my profession for almost forty years now. Sorry to hear of your
plumbing problems and best wishes with you house guests. Thanks for looking
for evidence of my ancestors. Your efforts are much appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you again in the near future. ClintonSmith.com

Hello again, Long time writing.. i was wondering if you know why there is Douglass spelled with two S's and the other spelling is with one S. Can you answer this question for me? Cynthia

Oh interesting.....I was told because the Douglas with one s was the light hair and light eyes Clan's and the two ss are from James Douglass or it was Sir william Douglass got the two ss because he or Father mixed with The spainards or siliians and caused them to be called the Black Douglass's. They had Black hair and Olive skin form the mix. They were fierce in the Kingdom of Scotland.Their war cry was "A Douglass A Douglass!!! They were feared within the other clans. The actually read that in studying my ancestry. I was told this by my Father also....and Grand Father

Yes I believe that it is........NIce to hear from you! Thank you!

Thank you for your kind welcome, William. Your help to date has been very much appreciated.

Thank you for the nice welcome message! Sorry it's taken me so long to respond, I've been researching other branches of my family. I did see the article you recently posted concerning the Perthshire Douglases. If you ever run across info on the Douglases of Logerait, I would love to hear about it. Thank you for all of the hours you put in researching the Douglases!

Hi, yep that was him, music recordings, electronic music production,electronic organs ,books, building organs...etc.....he was/is my dad. born 1899 died 1999.

William,

Thank you for replying.

I have no idea how far the Douglas's go back or what line. I only have the oldest as William Douglas, Birth1540 Castle, Dumfries-shire, , Scotland Death27 Sep 1606 Castle, Dumfries-shire, , Scotland. All of this is based on information from my mother and online.

Take care,

Thank you William for the imformation, every little helps I still have not got any further so far. I have joined family Link but still can`t get any imformation on my GGGrandfather who Married Margaret Douglas. Still cannot find his sons birth certificate. GGGrandfather was presumed to be a Doctor so maybe young Henry was not registered in those yrs , very big ???? mark. Have plenty on young Henry & his wife. This is the first time i have known Henry Grattan to have had a Daughter Margaret so will try to follow through. Thanks once again, Francene

While I cannot speak for the CDSNA Board, I will say that Clan Douglas is in a building stage in the American Midwest. I am currently CDSNA Regent for Kansas& Missouri and I represent the clan at festivals/events in the two states. In this, my first year as Regent, 17 persons/families have become members of or renewed their membership to Clan Douglas in my two states of responsibility. Being a Regent has afforded me the opportunity of meeting several members of our extended Douglas family.

In July at the 2010 AGM, the CDSNA Board commissioned a small committee to document sept names, as listed in our 2009 by-laws, and report the findings to the board at a later AGM. I am pleased to see there is already a discussion of Douglas septs taking place here and I heartily encourage anyone and everyone to contribute to this work in progress. So much misinformation is found on the internet regarding Douglas septs and this only confuses those who are seeking answers. By providing historical evidence for each sept, we validate its inclusion as a sept and we also have something at which to point when people ask "Why is _______ a Douglas sept?"

CDSNA still sends out a quarterly newsletter, the dubh ghlase. The most recent issue (Sep 2010) included, in addition to games/festival reports and photos, an article from Dr. Deborah Foulkes about Lintalee, Roxburghshire, the 14th century stronghold of the Good Sir James, and A Modern Douglas Knight's Story written by Douglas Archive member Dr. David Arthur Douglas describing his recent honor of being invested as a Knight of St. Joachim. The newsletter will be moving to a full-color digital format in the near future. A b&w print copy will still be available to those CDSNA members desiring/needing it, but the switch to a digital copy will significantly lower CDSNA's overall costs since the our largest expenses come from printing and mailing.

And I would be honored to share my events here.

Thank you for the welcome! Why does it not surprise me that I descend from a 'mysterious' Douglas? :laughs: Ah, the joys of genealogy!
William Douglas and Ann "Mattle" had, among their children, two daughters - Ann and Elizabeth, and I descend from both, on my father's side.
-Kess

hi william, I dont have a major snodgrass married to a rachael. do you have a bit more on them. kelly

Thanks for the welcome. I didn't see a direct link either, but your site has given me a wealth of information about my family. I found 13 generations back to the late 1500’s when in the past I only knew the family history from the 1830’s on (and I can vogue to the accuracy of that information)

Thanks Again

Matt