All Blog Posts (898)

Hi all,

The Familysearch website has introduced a new experimental AI search facilty that renders old, largely unintelligible, hand written documents 'searchable', available online here:

https://www.familysearch.org/en/labs/

It is still under development and can only be used on a [fairly large] selection of Familysearch records but already it is yielding impressive results -…

As many will know, one theory on the origins of the Douglas family is that we are descended from Freskin the Fleming.  Looking for early connections between the Douglases and the Freskins, I have been rooting around in the Freskin one name study.

However, there is not much there to help.  Indeed, the study is looking for someone to take over the project as it seems to have stalled.

The Friskens/Freskins are a Scottish family, heavily based around the Borderlands and the River…

Researching the Douglas of Garvald family, I encountered the Douglas de Fenzi family

Confusing press reports - Douglas of Garvald - The Douglas Archives (ning.com)

Returning to that research, I found a South African army officer with an interesting background.

A gravemarker records the following:…

Nancy Visima, née Aitken, living in Ontario, Canada, is a mother of two and grandmother of two. She been researching her family history for nearly 30 years.

Her roots are entirely British — her father’s family hailed from Northeast Scotland, primarily Aberdeenshire, and her mother’s heritage was a mix of English, Scottish and Irish.

Nancy's 3G-grandfather was William James Douglas who enlisted in the 10th Regiment of Foot in Ireland in 1822. He and Mary Augusta…

https://douglashistory.ning.com/profiles/blogs/a-hawick-word-book-by-douglas-scott

https://www.nms.ac.uk/discover-catalogue/three-tartan-coats-from-the-georgian-period

Sir John James, 3rd Baronet , was the son of Sir George Douglas 2nd Baronet of Springwood. .

Douglas (1792-1836) joined the 15th Light…

Feel indentured POW Daniel Ell(i)ot of Tullykelter, Co. Fermanagh (Maguire), Ireland, came to America on the same ship as Alexander Gordon, but his father-in-law's (Peter Cloise-Cloyse-Clayes many spellings) mother gave hard labor and felt by the Gordon's the she abused him, so the Gordon's may not ever accept that Daniel and his older…

Hawick Word 8ook by Douglas Scott a handy reference especially for Douglas, Scott, and Elliott.

Clan Armstrong MacGhillielaidir (Descendants of Strong Arm) 'INVICTUS MANEA' 'VI ET ARMIS'

I am often asked about travel tips.

Nothing here for a Douglas, but a nice contribution from Gretchen Butts, noetheless:

Just came across some decent free family tree software, not a trial, fully featured & with no 'premium' extras. Has some useful features, charts & reporting options, also mapping if you download the free Legacy GeoDB add-on.…

Congratulations to  Richard Philip DOUGLAS CB on whom was conferred a Knighthood in The King's Birthday Honours.

Sir Richard Philip Douglas CB (born 20 November 1956 in York, Yorkshire) is a British former senior civil servant and influential health leader. He previously served as Director General for Finance, Strategy and the NHS at the Department of Health.

His knighthood is in recognition of services to the National Health Service (Rainham, Kent)…

I think the answer is 'Rejected'.