|
This page is a stub. You can help improve it.
Isabel? Isobel? Isabela? Isabella? Isabelle?
This is a Working File. More to follow.
Who was Isabel Douglas? There are several stories about
how she came to be in America, and much research has been
carried out to find out her true roots.
Which of these is her true story? Are any of them true?
Lord Archibald DOUGLAS, of Bothwell Castle,
Scotland, whose only daughter, Isabella, having a desire to see
this continent, prevailed upon her father to consent to her
coming to America, in company with a lady friend
In the year 1707, as near as can be told, a daughter was born to
Sir Charles and Lady Douglas, in Scotland, who was destined to
become the progenitor of one of the old New Jersey families.
..a great, great grandchild of old Lord Sholto
Douglas, according to whose decree made when his daughter Isabel
ran away to America in 1647.
In 1647, according
to the story told by the records in possession of the Garrison
family, Lady Isabel Douglas ran away from the Bonjedward Castle,
Scotland, to America because of her new stepmother, whom she
hated.
Lady Douglas, the daughter of the Earl of
Douglas, fell in love with a young man whom the Earl forbade her
to marry. The couple sailed for America in separate ships and
Lady Douglas arrived safely in New York, but never heard of her
lover again.
Lord Archibald DOUGLAS, of Bothwell
Castle, Scotland, whose only daughter, Isabella, having a desire
to see this continent, prevailed upon her father to consent to
her coming to America, in company with a lady friend... they
were was seized by a piratical crew of Algiers and robbed of all
their effects.
Isabelle Douglass, was a daughter
of Lord Archibald Douglass (a son of James Douglass), born in
1691, at Bothwell Castle, Scotland and died in 1781, at Glasgow.
Her coming to America and subsequent experiences before her
marriage were very trying.
Isabel quarreled with
her stepmother and ran away from home in the year 1742, and
having a desire to see America sailed with a lady friend for
this country, and while on the way over the vessel she was on
was seized by Algerian pirates and they were robbed of all their
effects and were landed in this country destitute.
Contents of a folder containing documents related to the search for
the origins of Isobel Douglas
Research by Bonnie Jean Everhart, who was commissioned by Reuben Freeman, of Gettysburg,
USA
Note: This research includes much useful information, but also
contains some basic errors. The document should be used for
background information and not be taken at face value.
Page 1,
2, 3,
4 and
5 as images. Complete letter as a
pdf.
A follow-up letter with notes. [pdf]
Attachments A, B,
C and D. [pdfs]
Listing of photographs,
with descriptions, which themselves were not supplied to the Douglas
Archives. Several, if not all, of these subjects are included
elsewhere in the Douglas Archives and can be located using the search
function on this page.
Further research documents
- Benjamin and Isobel baptism certificate -
full page -
extract
- Church of Scotland records as a source reference [pdf]
- Fortner/Douglas depositions [pdf]
- Old Parish Register (OPR) index with maps [pdf]
- Notes on St Conan's Church [pdf]
Handwritten letters from descendants
Maps
Comments
- The 1641 map of Glasgow is important as it puts Blythswood north of the river Clyde, which flows through the
present day city. Past research has focused on
Blythswood being in Renfrewshire, south of the river, where
there are houses/farms named 'Mains', as shown on the
Renfrewshire maps. The Douglas
links between the Douglas of Mains family and the
Douglas/Campbell (they frequently changed names!) of Blythswood, who were to inherit Mains (more name changing),
are important to one version of the Isabella story.
- In Attachment C, there is a suggestion the the
Douglas of Mains
family originates in Mains, located close to the later
site of Douglas Castle. For more on this, see
Parkhall.
- Margaret Ward's letter refers to 'Lord Douglas, Sir
Charles Sholto Douglas'. He would either be a
Lord, or a knight (Sir) - not both.
See also:
|
