Major James Douglas

[James Izatt]

William

Thanks for the reference and pointer towards the background of Major James. He sounds like one of these larger than life characters.

Having done some work on the White connection it is pretty clear that James White would have met Rachel Douglas when they were both living in that part of Edinburgh (no 2 Patrick Square). If James was training as a surgeon  - Surgeons hall is off course nearby and close to where James Uncle lived.  

I don't think that I can say much more about the Whites other than they were, for circa two centuries a group of tenant,  farmers in that stretch of territory between Edinburgh and Peebles. They do however seem to have been involved in property when Edinburgh was expanding in the later 18th and early 19th C. I think James who married Rachel fell heir to part of that property and they went on to live in the New Town - London Street at one point.

I will not  go into the full detail as it would not add much to the debate regarding Major James origins.  I suspect that in order to get a commission he would have to have some sort of 'interest' but query where did that come from.

Jim