The Douglas Archives

A collection of historical and genalogical records

All Blog Posts (946)

Dispossession of Australian Indigenous Tribes - Who was Major Douglas?

Hobart Town Courier Saturday 25 September 1830

Black Line Dispossession of Indigenous Tribes 

GOVERNMENT ORDER. No. 10.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Sept., 1830. 

Extract:

4. Major Douglas will, on the seventh of October cause the following chain of posts to be occupied ; viz :—From the Coast near St. Patrick's Head, to the source of the St. Paul's River, and by that River and the South Esk, to Epping Forest, and Campbell Town. This line being…

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Added by William Douglas on August 11, 2015 at 11:09 — 1 Comment

Old Douglas

I was researching Camp Douglas, in Chicago, when I came across this story.

"Old Douglas" Cedar Hill Cemetery, Vicksburg, Mississippi.

During the Siege of Vicksburg, Federal snipers targeted and killed the camel for sport. The grief stricken men of the "Camel Regiment" used their own sniper teams to kill the offending Federal…

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Added by William Douglas on August 4, 2015 at 10:39 — No Comments

Runaway servants

Julie has contributed this: "Genealogical abstracts from the American Weekly Mercury, 1719-1746" compiled by Kenneth Scott (c) 1974 1720 Pg 02 DOUGLASS, Archabald, Scotch servant, age c. 25 – runaway from James Pemberton, of Queen Ann Co., Maryland; if runaway is captured, notice to be given to Israel Pemberton of Phila. (7/21) 

Description: Reward Offered For Three Runaway Servant Men Named James GRIGG, Archabald DOUGLASS and William WILLSON.

Date: July 21…

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Added by William Douglas on June 26, 2015 at 11:59 — No Comments

Flemish Roots and Scottish Branches

The Rutherfurds, like their cousins the Douglases, trace their ancestry back to West Flanders and to the powerful Erembald family. Other families in Britain who share these roots are the Ypres [Douglas], Furnes, Harnes, Lucy, Hacket and Winter families. The political events of the 11th and 12th centuries within Flanders were to change the lives of these families and push them down a migratory path which began in today's Belgium and ended up in Scotland, Ireland, America, Canada, New Zealand…

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Added by William Douglas on June 22, 2015 at 11:00 — 2 Comments

William B. Douglass, explorer

William B. Douglass, (front row, 2nd from right) was Examiner of Surveys under the General Land Office when in 1909 he was in the expedition that 'discovered' Rainbow Bridge' in San Juan County on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona.

William B. Douglass is a popular name, so I am having trouble identifying him.

Can anyone…

Added by William Douglas on June 15, 2015 at 18:00 — 4 Comments

Death by drowning

Colin Douglas, one of the owners of the ‘Glenbervie’ drowned off quayhead at Demerara in February 1827 (Greenock Advertiser 10.4.1827)

David Douglas, 2nd engineer, SS Cortes, youngest son of the late James Douglas, carpenter, drowned at sea on 16th December 1874 (Greenock Telegraph 14.1.1875)

Donald Douglas, seaman, 1 Ardgowan Street, Greenock drowned at Quebec, Canada in June 1882 age 22 (Greenock Telegraph 24.7.1882)

Donald Douglas, AB, 10 Terrace Road, Greenock, lost when tug…

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Added by William Douglas on June 3, 2015 at 16:14 — No Comments

The Grandfather Clock Connection

14 October 2014 - "The Grandfather Clock Connection"

 Our talk on 14 October was given by Mrs Irene Hopkins and had the intriguing title of “The Grandfather Clock Connection".   Like many of us on retirement, she became immersed in family history, particularly that of her husband, Alec, who has a long family association with Darvel where they still live.

 Some…

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Added by William Douglas on May 27, 2015 at 20:16 — 1 Comment

Scottish Fest Orange County

Clan Douglas Society of North America at Scottish Fest Orange County CA. Costa Mesa California, on May 23 and May 24, 2015

Added by William Douglas on May 26, 2015 at 18:43 — No Comments

A Romance in Real Life - The Isabella Douglas Stories

A recurring theme here in the Douglas Archives is the tale of Isabella Douglas, who married Benjamin Fortner.

Who she was remains a mystery, though there are several theories

Did she run away from a stern father? Did her lover fail to join her on the voyage to America? Was the ship boarded by pirates? Was she sold to the highest bidder?

Are you a descendant of one of her 12 children?

Can anyone throw light on…

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Added by William Douglas on May 20, 2015 at 16:15 — No Comments

Aaron Douglas Paintings Go to the Met and the National Gallery

For many American museums, the Harlem Renaissance painter Aaron Douglas (1898-1979) is an almost Vermeer-like figure, whose shadowy, graphically powerful depictions of African-American themes appear so rarely on the market that when canvases surface, curators pounce. And that is exactly what the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art in Washington did…

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Added by William Douglas on May 15, 2015 at 19:27 — No Comments

William Douglas, Clockmaker

Identifying all the Douglas clock and watchmaker members of the family is still proving a difficult task. Details of results to date can be found here: http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/Businesses/clock_and_watch_makers.htm

There are also some blogs in this community forum.

Most recently, we have been working to identify a William Douglas who was making clocks in the early 19th…

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Added by William Douglas on May 14, 2015 at 14:03 — No Comments

Rob Douglas wins French kitesurfing competition

Rob Douglas of Vineyard Haven defended his 2014 Sosh Cup title and won the 2015 trophy at the Mondial du Vent, a speed-sailing competition held in Leucate, France, between April 18 and 23. Currently the fastest sailor in American history, Mr. Douglas scored three firsts and one second at the Sosh Cup, held on the Mediterranean Sea, with winds averaging between 18 and 28…

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Added by William Douglas on May 13, 2015 at 22:30 — No Comments

Henry Downs and Lady Jane Douglas, married c1715

I have received an interesting inquiry:

I am descended from a man named Henry Downs, of England, whose wife was named Jane Douglas. They were born in the late 1600s. Jane was said to be from Castle Douglas, Scotland. Family lore states that Jane may have been banished from the family for marrying Downs. I am looking for information about this couple, and would…

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Added by William Douglas on May 8, 2015 at 11:06 — 2 Comments

On this site , at the following link exists an error

William , 

  I feel I must address this  point once more ... 

  On  this site , at the following link exists an error .

  http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/Septs/drysdale.html ;

  …

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Added by Russell Lynn Drysdale on May 6, 2015 at 16:38 — 8 Comments

Rachel Douglas

Teenager Rachel Douglas was among 1,800 millworkers from Ferguslie Thread Mills, which was owned by JP Coats, travelled from Paisley to Portpatrick, Wigtonshire, on July 3, 1909 to enjoy a Sma' Shot Day trip. The workers went on 3 trains from Paisley Canal railway station to get to Dunskey Estate in the village for picnics and sports but Rachel, who had travelled with her…

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Added by William Douglas on April 28, 2015 at 10:30 — No Comments

William Douglass of Virginia

I am attempting to identify William Douglass.  He is described as a Scotchman, and the nephew of Francis Jerdone, He married Mary, daughter of William Christian and Susan Browne.

Virginia Gazette and Weekly Advertiser (Nicolson),

Richmond, January 11, 1787.

Ten Guineas Reward. RUNAWAY from Providence Forge in New Kent county JIM or JAMES, a light coloured mulatto, a blacksmith by trade, about 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high, bow legged, a likely well made fellow, has lost…

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Added by William Douglas on April 22, 2015 at 23:30 — 4 Comments

Regency in sixteenth-century Scotland

Political historian Dr Amy Blakeway explores the dangers and challenges facing those who acted as regent during the minority of a king or queen in sixteenth-century Scotland.

When we think of the sixteenth century, most of us immediately remember the famous monarchs who ruled throughout Europe: in Scotland, the Stewarts, and, further afield, their English cousins the Tudors and French relations the Valois.

The reality was somewhat different. For fifty years of the sixteenth…

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Added by William Douglas on April 22, 2015 at 16:54 — 3 Comments

Elijah Douglas wins three individual events

Congratulation to Elijah Douglas, who took firsts in the long jump (22 feet, 2.75 inches), 110-meter hurdles (14.61 seconds) and 300 hurdles (39.07), where he edged Lockport's Jake Porter (39.12) in Chicago at the weekend.

 

Added by William Douglas on April 19, 2015 at 19:42 — 1 Comment

Information on Great Grandfather and Grandmother

Great Grandfather SERVED IN CIVIL WAR
William…
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Added by Sherri Beardsley on April 17, 2015 at 23:44 — No Comments

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Making conections

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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