Hi Jackie.

Yes I have had my DNA tested, both by Family Tree DNA and by Ancestry.

The family tree DNA showed up as belonging to "Haplogroup E1b1b1" and I have exact matches to a Douglas in Canada and two douglases in Australia.

We can trace our line with absolute certainty as follows:

John Douglas (1707-1762).my great, great, great, great grandfather

Rev.James Douglas (1753-18190. my great,great great grandfather.

James Edward Morton Douglas (1794-1864) [brother of Richard William Glode Douglas] my great great grandfather

Dr.David Morton Douglas (1828-19010) my great grandfather

James Herbert David Morton Douglas (1882-1956) my grandfather.

Kenneth David Morton Douglas (1920-2004) my father.

However there is some evidence that the line goes backwards from John Douglas to his ancestors:

Thomas Douglas of Reeth (1664-1746). John's father

Alexander Douglas (1645- ?)Thomas's father

Alexander Douglas (1585-1661 these dates are not confirmed) Alexanders' father. He is the one recorded as travelling with James VI of Scotland when he ascended the English throne as James I.

However from the DNA test that have been done by me and some of my relatives it does appear that there may well have been a "non parental event" and at the moment it is speculated by some Australian relatives that it may be that Thomas Douglas was adopted. But that doesn't change the fact that he was a DOUGLAS, doe it.

There is a group of Douglas ancestors who have set up a "Yahoo Group named RWGDOUGLAS" and we are continually searching for answers as to which branch of the Doulases he came from.

I have recently found a record showing that there was an Alexander Douglas occupying the position of "Macer" in James VI's Court (in the Privy Council) from August 1599 which ties in well with our research that has confirmed that an Alexander Douglas was a "Keeper of the Council Chambers" (that is the Privy Council) and that he apparently returned to Scotland later in 1603 after only a few months in London.

The record that I found was contained within a thesis completed by Amy L. Juhala that can be found at "www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/1727. It not only shows the records of the Royal Household but also records the names of other Douglases in the Royal Court from James's infancy to the time he wnet to London. It makes interesting reading.

So that is where I am at at the moment.

If anyone has any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Hello Jackie - The Olivers were bondsmen/vassals of the Douglas Clan (see relevant page on the Douglas website) and my DNA seems to be a close match to at least one Douglas who claims 1st Earl as a direct ancestor.  How I appear to be at least as Douglas as many who bear that surname I leave to your imagination - I have my theory.  Tracing my Oliver ancestry back from the present reveals that the Olivers in my line go back in the earliest parish records for 1537 (Henry VIII) for Flash village in Staffordshire.  There is a gap of around 150 years between the last Black Douglas action in the border country and this earliest Staffordshire record.   My speculation, and it can only be that, is that my Olivers did a runner southwards after the defeat at Arkinholm and took refuge in the bleak Pennine uplands to avoid any retribution.   They remained a significant presence in Flash until well into the 19th Century where they survived by upland agriculture, mining of coal outcrops and other nefarious activities.

Thought that this might be of interest:
https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipofthethistle/posts/1415536675170...