All Blog Posts (900)

and received as much content as those people could give him. A boy named Thomas Savage (Now spelt Savadge{ was now given unto King Powhatan who now called him son.Powhatan gave him Namonbache, his trusty servant and one of a shrew's subtile capacity.  This formality was conducted before this large audience.

Thomas Savage, then. lived with the family of Powhatan and was treated as a son of the king. Thomas learned their language, becoming quite fluent. In time he became interpreter for…

Ensigne Thomas Savage, born 1590, probably was a member of The Noble and Ancient family of Savages of the Ards, London, 1888, VIV, pp,. 443-445. He came to Virginia in the first supply ship of Captain Christopher Newport, as cabin boy at the age of seventeen. Thomas arrived at Jamestown 8 Jan 1607/8. Early in February Captain Newport, accompanied by thirty men, visited Powhatan, Chief and King of all the natives in what is now called Tidewater, Virginia. Powhatan was found seated at his…

I suggest that Martha went to live in Accomack County with Gertrude. This made it appropriate for her to correspond with Judge Lee. It appears that Martha and her parents were strainied in their relationship. Gertrude was the widow of Henry Hermanson and, if my memory serves me correctly, a daughter of none other than Edmund Bowman, cousin of Lt. Colonel Edward Douglas.  John Senior and Martha Willett had two daughters and they were mentioned in his will. I descend from Mary Senior and will…

I have mentioned that George Douglas of Accomack County had two sons, namely Arthur and James. Neither son had male children. When I addressed the Willett-Senior families I was not thinking clearly. I had two problems-one, I was trying to present the Senior family from the down up. This never works well for me. I shall go to the head of this constellation of families and work down. The head shall be Ensign Thomas Savage. The second problem relates to Martha Willett. I had found a reference…

Captain William Willett and his wife, Ann Stringer, had a son named Thomas Willett. Thomas might have been named for a Willett. He might, also, have been named for one of his family in Scotland. Not all, but much of this is speculation on my part.

I was describing the will of John Senior. Witnesses to will were William Bishop, Edward Peake, and William Willett. At probate Martha Senior refused and Gertrude Harmanson qualified. I happen to descend from Isabel Senior. Now, poor Martha leaves her two children with her brother, Captain William Willett and takes off for Yorktown to be with her mother.

At the moment I cannot remember the name of Elizabeth Willett's husband. I do remember seeing that she is mentione twice in the…

I consider the situation of Lt Colonel Edward Douglas quite fluid. My purpose is to reveal my latest thinking. I must hark back to Edward Douglas, Jr., who,  at the age of eighteen received his inheritance of his father. We presume he returned to England with his sister, Elizabeth Willett, because his bond to protect her was so strong. Not only did Elizabeth's husband, John Willett, die in the prime of life but he left his plantation in tatters and with a heavy indebtedness. After a short…

Tabitha's father was Arthur Wise. Colonel George Douglas had two sons- Arthur and James. Tabitha's father was Arthur Wise. This explains how George named one son Arthur. George's second son was named James. This given name had to relate to the Douglas family. George left a will 9 Nov 1757 in Accomack County. Wife, two sons Arthur and James as well as daughters Anne, Margaret, Tabitha, Elizabeth, and Agnes are mentioned. 

Colonel George Douglas of Accomack County, Virginia, was born about 1695 in Scotland. I suggest his father was named James Douglas and his grandfather, George Douglas. His relationship to Lt Colonel Edward Douglas of Northampton County was at most a distant one. George Douglas was described by his descendant Colonel Cropper Jennings Wise "as a Scotsman of gentle birth of exceptional character and attainments". He was a lawyer of high regard, a member of the King's Counsel and a member of…

We offer our congratulations to the following on their appointments:

Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE Member of the Order of the British Empire Mr Grant Jonathan DOUGLAS Founder and Chief Executive Officer, S'up Products Limited. For services to People with Disabilities. Edinburgh

Medallist of the Order of the British Empire BEM Medal of the Order of the British Empire Mrs Theresa Mary DOUGLAS Police Staff, Police Service of Northern Ireland. For services to…

On 10th December 1679, 210 Covenanter prisoners in the Greyfriars Prison destined, with others from the tolbooths, were being transported on board the ill-fated "Crown", which sank off Deerness in the Orkney Isles. Over 200 were drowned.

In 1679, after the Scottish Covenanters' uprising was quashed at the Battle of Bothwell Brig, 1184 prisoners were captured after the…

Experts are examining carvings on an old wooden chair that shows evidence of having been immersed in sea water for some time.

The seat is stored in the Am Fasgadh building at the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore in the Cairngorms.

Thought to date from the 17th or 18th Century, it was given to the museum by a donor from Edinburgh.

On the panel that forms the back of the seat are carved a lion and a unicorn on a crest with a crowned heart…

After many, many years I have finally cracked the case of my mysterious ancestor Edward Douglas - the first Douglas of my family line to arrive in Australia.

Edward was the son of James Douglas - the only recorded child to James and his unknown wife. He was born in 1824 

Records on ancestry.com suggests that Edward was born in Birmingham. Evidence on this same site suggests he lived in the Warwickshire until the age of 19. 

It appears that life at that time for him was…

There is a story circulating that while researching the Vatican archives for a book on the topography of Lowland Scotland, the author Nigel Tranter found a document which stated that John, son of William Lord of Douglas attended a royal council at Scone in 1056. This would be more than 100 years earlier than the previously accepted first Lord of Douglas.  At that time, Macbeth would have been king.

There is the following tradition in regard to the origin of the name. In…

Grace Sholto Douglas (1940) is a large painting by the British artist and set designer Leslie Hurry, which depicts a woman positioned semi-seated with her left arm resting on a stone architectural feature.

Although it is unclear where Grace Sholto Douglas was painted, it is known that Hurry first met the sitter during a concert in the National Gallery, London, in 1940. The image…

After the death of Thomas Teackle an inventory of his personal effects was made and the inventory of 329 books constituted the finest private library in America. These books were printed in English, Latin, Greek, and other languages. There were books on theology, medicine, history, etc. I knew he was favored by the Crown, and was recognized as an outstanding ecclesiastic and he was so honorable to his first wife, Isabella. That he was so erudite took me by surprise. The first college in…

As my revisions are extensive I have decided to make use of a new blog post rather than edit an existing post.

Sir Thomas Dale was born in Surry County, England. We know this because when he was knighted June 19th 1606 by King James 1 at Richmond he was giving Sir Thomas' place of birth. At an early age he and his family moved to Middlesex Co. It is possible that his brother, Richard, and his sister, Isabella, were born in Middlesex County.

We do not know the exact date of…

The given name of 'Edward' is rarely seen in 17th and 18th century Scotland. However, when I look at early America the given name 'Edward' is fairly common. I wonder if Edward Douglas of Accomack County is responsible for this. George Douglas, the emigrant, had a son named 'Edward'.

On 28 May 1698 in Packet 1, Early Papers 1655-1722/23 is an obligation bond," whereby William Willett, Gent., and Hillary Stringer, Gent., bind themselves for 4000 lbs. pf good tobacco to Elizabeth MacAlob for her estate. She was one of the daughters of Conongh (Conough) MacAlob, dec.'d. wp 29 Jan. 1691/2 xvii-placed by the Court to William Willett until she reaches the age of 16 at which time the bond expires." William Willett was a blood relative of Elizabeth MacAlob. The MacAlob family…