Douglas of Tilquhillie

During my research, I have found these variations: Tilquhillie, Tillquhillie, Tilliquhilly, Tilliwhilly, Tilwhilly.

Tillquhillie and the other closely sounding places, such as, Cairnwhilly are quite different places -the first being quite grand compared to the others, suggesting quite different financial backgrounds.

John Douglas, 14th Laird of Tilquhillie	John Sholto Douglas, 15th Laird of Tilquhillie	Vanda von Poellnitz, wife of 15th Laird.	Note: Douglass	Unknown member of the family

Memorial stone for Sholto Douglas of Tilquhillie and Falkenhorst. - Click to enlarge In the Tilwhilly aisle of the old church monuments celebrate John Douglas of Tilwhilly, who died 6th March, 1773, aged thirty-six ; Mrs. Hannah Douglas, widow of John Douglas, of Tilwhilly, and daughter of Sir G. L. A. Colquhoun, of Tillyquharn, Bart., who died 16th April, 1835, aged eighty-three; John Douglas, of Tilwhilly, who died 6th July, 1812, aged forty; George Lewis Augustus Douglas, sheriff of Kincardineshire, died 30th October, 1847, aged seventy-six ; and John Douglas of Tilquhillie and Talkenhorst, Austria, died 11th October, 1870. The learned John Douglas, D.D., Bishop of Salisbury.

Egidia or Giles Erskine, dau of Robert Erskine, 6th of Dun (d 27.12.1590) married a Douglas of Tilquhillie

Sir Robert Douglas of Tilquhillie married Elizabeth Burnett, daughter of Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, 1st Bt. (d. 1653) and Jane Moncreiffe.

( Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, 1st Bt. was the son of Alexander Burnet of Leys and Katherine Gordon. He married, firstly, Margaret Douglas, daughter of Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie and Elizabeth Auchinleck.)

George Crichton of Cluny, a cadet of the Frendraught family, married in 1665 the only daughter of Sir Robert Douglas, of Tilquhillie, whose seat, Tilquhillie Castle, is situated four miles south-east of Clounie Crichton.

John Douglas of Tilquhillie and Inchmarlo in 1736 married Mary, daughter of the Hon. John Arbuthnott, and sister of the 6th Viscount. His son, John Douglas, an advocate, married, 1770, a daughter of Sir George Colquhoun of Tillyquhoun, Bart., and had 2 sons — 1, John Douglas, b. 1772, married 1793, Penelope (Penuel on her memorial), daughter of John Mackenzie of Stricathro ; 2, George, posthumous, b. 1773, afterwards Sheriff Douglas. — Vide Douglas & Woods' Peerage. John Douglas had as children John Douglass, who sold and afterwards bought back Tilquhillie, and Anne, who married Dr John Brown.

Extract from  REMINISCENCES OF SCOTTISH LIFE & CHARACTER BY THE LATE E. B. RAMSAY, LL.D., F.R.S.E.:

 Across the river was the somewhat dilapidated fortalice of Tilquhillie, the seat of an ancient and decayed branch of the Douglases. The last laird who dwelt there lived in the traditions of Deeside as own brother to the Laird of Ellangowan in Scott's romance. Ramsay has put him well on canvas. Who does not remember his dying instructions to his son and his grieve?--"Be ye aye stickin' in a tree, Johnny; it will be growin' when ye are sleepin'!" while he cautions the grieve, "Now mind that black park; it never gied me onything, ne'er gie onything to it."

In the days when the Dean knew that Water-side the fortalice was uninhabited, and I think not habitable for gentlefolks; but down on the haugh below, and close to the river in a pretty garden-cottage, dwelt the old Lady Tilquhillie, with her son the sheriff of the county, George Douglas, whom a few Edinburgh men may yet remember as the man of wit and pleasure about town, the beau of the Parliament House--

Mary Douglas, daughter of John Sholto Douglas of Tilquhillie, Kincardineshire, who married Edward Percy Fairbairn on 23 May 1894. She died 3 June 1903.

There is a John Douglas baptised at Miltoun, Hill of Murtle, 2.4.1831 who was son of Francis Douglas and Elizabeth (Smith) . Francis was born ?1792 at 'Cairnwhilly' died ?1833 - Elizabeth born ?1807. They also had a William, baptised 2.10.1824, an Elizabeth, baptised 18.9.1826 and a Francis baptised 6.11.1833. All were baptised by Banchory Devenick Minister.

Francis Douglas was son of William Douglass and C(K)atherine Skene who were married March 1779.

John Douglas who married Christine Drummond 24.11.1848 and had children baptised James, William, Mary and Elizabeth between 1849 and 1853 at Banchory Ternan

Robert Douglas of Bridgford, whose father Gavin Douglas was son of William, Earl of Angus married in 1688 Isabel Horn...   Robert Douglas and Isabel Horn had sasine on those (?) lands in 1702, and the other daughter, Agnes, married, after 1696, John Douglas of Tilquhillie.  (Isabel Horn had a sister Agnes, and two brothers, John and James)

John Douglas  D.D., Bishop of Salisbury, the son of Archibald Douglas, a respectable merchant, was born in Pittenweem, Fifeshire, July 14, 1721. His father was the son of the youngest brother of John Douglas, Esq. of Tilwhilly in Kincardineshire.

Lady Douglas had a son, George, Sheriff of the county

...Factor for John William Edward James Douglass of Tilquhillie (c1888)

George Lewis (or Louis) Augustus Douglas (2 July 1796) second son of John Douglas of Tilliwhilly, advocate, born 1773, died 30 Oct 1847, Married 1 Aug 1938 Hannah (died 1 Feb 1846), eldest daughter of Henry Ellison of Hebburn Hall, Durham, and widow of John Carr. Sheriff of Kincardine 21 Jan 1812. He died in Thuringen in Vorarlberg, Austria on 15 September 1854.

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The Douglases of Tilquhillie burial aisle, Banchory-Ternan

Inside the Douglas aisle

The burial aisle of the Douglasses of Tilwhilly, a plain building with slated roof, stands near the middle of the kirkyard.

Memorials to the family can be seen here>>>
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The Douglasses had a pretty early settlement on Deeside, it having been about 1479 that David Douglass, a cadet of Douglass of Dalkeith, married the heiress of Ogston of that Ilk and Tilwhilly. The Douglasses have possessed Tilwhilly from that time, with the exception of from about 1812 to 1857, when it belonged to Henry Lumsden, Esq., advocate, Aberdeen, from whom, or his heirs, it was reacquired by the Douglasses during the last-mentioned year. The castle of Tilwhilly, dated 1576, and now occupied by the tenant of the farm, is in a tolerable state of repair. Bishop Douglass of Salisbury, born at Pittenweem, in Fife, was descended of this family.

Invery House (Jn. W. E. J. Douglass of Tilquhillie; 1808 acres; yearly value £1015 c1834) John, ?th of Tilquhillie was also Laird of Invery.

Andrew Neish contributes (March 2017)
The Tilquillie estate at Banchory was broken up around 1979-80 and I think John the 17th laird was the last of the line.
I think he retired to Edinburgh, but am not sure how long he lived after this. He was quite a eccentric man.

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I have included a lineage in the genealogy database, using material from The family record of Dingwall Fordyce, Volume 2, dated 1888.

It closes with these words:

The recovery of the estate of Tilwhilly by the Douglass family after a short interval of alienation, was exceedingly pleasing to those who knew what a bond of affection united for many generations the proprietors and the tenants. There is reference to this in the following lines taken from verses on " The Feugh and the Dee," bv the late Mr. William Brown, F.R.C.S.E., the husband of Ann Douglass (Tillwhilly), whose friendly occasional intercourse with the tenants tended to perpetuate and deepen feelings of attachment :
—
" On every road we find the abode
Of a friend, be he young or old
—
And Douglass still has the leal good will
That belongs to the good and the bold
Tilf]nhillie stands on the old, old lands.
And the name of a Douglass is there,
And the weak and the poor may ever be

At which time it was in the hands of John, of Tilwhilly and Invery, who succeeded to the property on coming of age in 1886, and is the 14th in lineal descent from David Douglass and Janet Ogston of Tilwhilly.

JOHN WILLIAM EDWARD JAMES DOUGLAS of Tilquhillie, Esquire, J. P. cos. of Kincardine and Aberdeenshire. Born Feb. 16, 1865, being the eldest son of John Sholto Douglas, by his wife Vanda, dau. of Baron Ernest de Poellnitz and Isobella, d. of 17th Lord Forbes.

Armorial bearings (L.O. , 1800) — Quarterly, i and 4, argent, a heart imperially crowned proper, on a chief azure, three mullets of the field ; 2. argent, three piles gules, on a chief of the last two mullets of the first ; 3. argent, three mascles sable, on a chief ot the last as many lions passant guardant of the first. Mantling gules and argent.

Crest — On a wreath of the colours, a dexter hand issuing from clouds holding a sword erect proper. Motto (over the crest)— "God for us." Supporters— Two savages wreathed head and middle with a garland of oak leaves, each with a club in his e.xterior hand resting on his shoulder proper.

[John William Edward James Douglas, 16th of Tilquhillie] Married (?May) 7, 1901, Baroness Olga de Reuter, only dau. of Baron de Reuter ; and has Issue — John Sholto Douglas, b. 1904 ; Madeleine Clemence Ogilvie ; and Phoebe Mary. Seats — Tilquhillie, Banchory, N.B. ; Falkenhorst, Austria.

 

Edinburgh Dean of Guild Court GBOX: 1775/31 WARRANT GRANTED: 19 July 1775. PETITION LODGED: 3 July 1775. PETITIONER: John Douglas, eldest son of the deceased John Douglas of Tillwhilly [Tilquhillie], advocate and John Douglas of Inchmarlo, his tutor. SITE: Writer’s Court, west side, fifth floor or lodging. PROPOSAL: Complaint about the condition of the roof. NOTES: The owners or occupiers of the garrets include William Miller, painter. DRAWINGS: None.

It looks like John Douglas of Tillwhilly is deceased by 1775 and his son John is making a complaint about the condition of his rented premises. He must also be in the law if he is in Writers Court and quite young, if he is citing his tutor.

George Harvey Johnston reports the family thus:

DAVID DOUGLAS, second son of Sir Henry of Lochleven (No. 320) is said by Douglas in his Peerage to be designed brother of Robert of Lochleven in a charter of 12th August 1494. From the date, and also by the Arms borne by this family, it is probable that this David Douglas is identical with David Douglas, the first of this family, who married in 1479 Janet, daughter of Ogstoun of Fettercairn, with whom he got the lands of Tilquhillie.

They had one son : —
James Douglas of Tilquhillie, who along with his father and mother is mentioned in a charter granted by the Abbot of Aberbrothock, 29th August 1526. He married (Christian?) daughter of Forbes of Tolquhone,

and left an only son : —
Arthur Douglas of Tilquhillie, to whom his grandmother, Janet Ogstoun, resigned the lands of Tilquhillie, 3rd July 1535. He married Janet Auchinleck, daughter of the laird of Balmanno,

and had two sons : —
(a) John.
(b) Archibald Douglas, Constable of the Castle of Edinburgh.

John Douglas of Tilquhillie, who built the Castle of Tilquhillie in 1576.
He married Giles, daughter of Robert Erskine of Dun, contract dated 1576.

They had two sons : —
(a) John.
(b) Alexander Douglas, apprenticed Edinburgh 1596 {Apprentice Roll).

John Douglas of Tilquhillie, married in 1594 Mary, daughter of Sir Peter Young of Seaton. He was retoured heir to his father in 1598, and left seven sons : —
(a) John.
(b) Sir Archibald Douglas, 7th of Tilquhillie. Knighted by King Charles I (3). He married Eleanor, daughter of George, twentieth Lord Audley and first Earl of Castlehaven, and widow of Sir John Davies.
(c) Sir Robert.
(d) James.
(e) Francis Douglas )
(f) William Douglas  ) These three died unmarried.
(g) Peter Douglas   )

John Douglas of Tilquhillie, married in 1628 Agnes, daughter of Sir John Barclay of Mathers. He was killed in battle about 1632, and was succeeded first by his brother Sir Archibald, then by his other brother : —
Sir Robert Douglas of Tilquhillie, who was knighted by King Charles I (3). He was retoured heir to his father in Strickathro, 20th July 1647. He had to part with all his lands. He married first Margaret, daughter of Nicolas Udward, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, and widow of William Forbes of Craigievar, but had no issue. He married second Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, and had a son : —
(a) Robert Douglas, who married a daughter of James Innes, grandson of Sir Robert Innes of that ilk.
By her he had one son : —
(1) Gilbert Douglas, who died unmarried in London in 1757.

Arms of Robert Douglas Recorded in Lyon Office, 1680-87. — 1 and 4. Argent, a man's heart crowned gules, on a chief, azure, three mullets of the field, 2. Argent, three piles gules, on a chief of the second two stars of the first. 3. Argent, three muscles sable, on a chief of tlie second us many lions passant guardant of the first. CREST : A dexter Jiand issuing from a cloud holding u sword erect proper. SUPPORTERS : Two suvuges wreathed liead und middle with oak, each with a club in his exterior hand resting on his shoulder proper. MOTTO : " God for us."

Arms of John Douglas of Inchmarlo and Tilquhillie    Recorded in Lyon Office, 1675. — 1 and 4. Argent, a heart crowned gules, on a chief, azure, three mullets of the first. 2 and 3. Argent, three piles gules, on a chief of the second two mullets of the field. All within a bordure counter compony or and sable. CREST : A dexter hand appearing out of a bush, holding an oak leaf proper. MOTTO : " Tandem fit surculus arbor "

Arms of John Douglas of Tilquhillie, b1772 Recorded in Lyon Office, 1800. — As Robert, above, but with an Imperial crown on the heart proper. [Plate VII., fig. 3.] Click to enlarge The Douglas armorial on the oak dresser from Invery House (image above) is for John Douglas, 6th of Tilquhillie, presumably commemorating his marriage to  Mary, daughter of Peter Young of Seaton, in 1594.

James Douglas of Inchmarlo, fourth son of No. 373. He obtained a Charter under the Great Seal of the Lands of Inchmarlo in 1664, and married Isabel, daughter of David Ramsay of Balmain, by whom he had four sons : —
(a) John.
(b) David Douglas, a writer, who married Margaret Reid. His male line extinct.
(c) Rev. Archibald.
(d) Alexander Douglas, Professor of Hebrew in the College of Edinburgh, 1681-92. Died unmarried 27th March 1692.

John Douglas of Inchmarlo and Tilquhillie. He was retoured heir to his father in Inchmarlo in 1673, and in 1684 he received Tilquhillie from the creditors of his uncle, Sir Robert. He died 1723. He married first, in 1666, Grizel, sister of Sir John Forbes of Watterton, and had : —
(a) James Douglas, died unmarried.

(b) John.
He married second, Euphemia Butler, but had no issue.

John Douglas of Tilquhillie, died 1749. Served heir to his father in 1737. He married, 1700, Agnes, daughter of James Horn of Westhall, and had one son : —
John Douglas of Tilquhillie, baptised September 1708 ; died 18th January 1791. He married Mary, daughter of the Hon. John Arbuthnott and sister of the sixth Viscount Arbuthnott.

By her, who died 25th May 1783, he had two sons : —
(a) John.

(b) James Douglas, who died young.

John Douglas of Tilquhillie, born 1738 ; died 6th March 1773. He became an Advocate 1759, and married, 27th September 1770, Hannah, daughter of Sir George Colquhoun of Tillyhouse, Bt.

He had by her, who died 10th April 1835, two sons : —
(a) John.
(b) George Lewis Augustus Douglas, born 1773 ; died 30th October 1847. He became an Advocate 1796. He married, 1st August 1837, Hannah, daughter of Henry Ellison of Hebburn, Durham.

John Douglas of Tilquhillie, born 1772; died 6th July 1812. He married Penuel, daughter of John McKenzie of Drumtochty or Woodstock.

He had one son : —
John Douglas of Tilquhillie, born 28th March 1804; died nth October 1870. He also owned Falkenhorst, Vorarlberg, Austria. He married, 1st June 1837, Jane, daughter of James Kennedy of Caledon House, Ancoats, and had issue :—
(a) John Sholto.
(b) Archibald Kennedy Douglas, born 19th December 1839, died 25th March 1873. He was a Captain in the 57th Regiment.
(c) James McKenzie Douglas, born 12th December 1841 ; died May 1842.
(d) George Louis Augustus Douglas, born 24th November 1845 ; died 15th September 1854.
(e) Edward Douglas, born and died July 1852.

John Sholto Douglas of Tilquhillie and Falkenhorst, born 18th November 1838; killed by a fall, when chamois shooting in the Klosterthal, 15th September 1874. He married, 24th February 1864, Vanda, daughter of Baron Ernest de Poellnitz and Isabella, daughter of the seventeenth Lord Forbes, and had issue : —
(a) John.
\b) Robert Ernest Douglas, born nth May; died 5th December 1867.
(c) George Norman Douglas, born 8th December 1868. Married, 1898, Elsa (Elizabeth Louisa Theobaldina), daughter of Augustus Fitzgibbon of Mount Shannon, Co. Limerick, and has two sons.

John William Edward James Douglas of Tilquhillie, born 16th February 1865. He married Olga Edith de Reuter, daughter of Baron de Reuter, 7th November 1901, and has : —
(a) John Sholto Douglas, born 1st March 1904. 17th of Tilquhillie "which his father propelled to him in 1925"  Lt in Royal Scots in 1926.

Rev. Archibald Douglas, third son of James Douglas of Inchmarlo. He was minister of Salton, and married Janet, daughter of the Rev. William Carmichael of McKerston. They had a son : —
ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS, merchant, Pittenweem, Fife. He was afterwards Waggon-Master-General to the British Forces(6), and died at Frankfort, Germany, during the campaign of 1743. He married Isabel, daughter of Robert Melvill of Carsendor, and had issue : —
(a) William Douglas, officer in the army, and present at Dettingen and other battles. Died 1754. He married Cecilia,heiress of Kinneir, Fife. Issue — a daughter.
(b) Rt. Rev. John.
(c) Robert Douglas, in Navy, died unmarried.

Rt. Rev. John Douglas, born 14th July 1771 ; died 18th May 1807. He was Bishop of Carlisle 1787-91, and Bishop of Salisbury 1791-1807. He married, first, in 1752, Dorothea, daughter of William Pershouse of Reynolds Hall, Stafford, but she died the same year. He married, second, 27th April 1765, Elizabeth, daughter of Brudenell Rice Rooke,
who died 13th April 1802, leaving one son : —
Rev. William Douglas, born 25th December 1768; died 19th March 1819. He was Canon of Salisbury and Vicar of Gillingham, and married Ann, daughter of Baron de Brackel of Yverdun, Switzerland. He had issue : —
(a) John Douglas, born 1805 ; died 20th August 1834. Lieutenant 64th Regiment. Died, unmarried, in Jamaica.
(b) William (below).

William Douglas, born 29th June 1806. He was in the Madras Civil Service, and married, first, January 1828, Selina Elizabeth, daughter of Major-General Sir H. Willoughby Rooke, C.B., K.C.H., who died 29th February 1832, leaving one son : —
(a) William Willoughby Nassau Douglas, born, India, 3rd June 1831 ; died unmarried, New South Wales, 11th December 1857.
He married, second, 5th July 1834, Caroline, daughter of Captain Joseph Hare, and had issue :—
(b) John Charles.
(c) Charles Whittingham Horsley Douglas, born, Cape of Good Hope, 17th July 1850. 92nd Gordon Highlanders, Adjutant-General of the Forces.
(d) William Douglas, born 13th August 1858. Royal Scots, General Staff of the Army.

John Charles Douglas, Lieut-Colonel 29th Regiment, born, Madras, 13th June 1842. Married, 10th December 1874, Agnes, daughter of George Bird, Madras Civil Service, and has issue : —
• William Sholto Douglas, born 18th September 1875. Captain Royal Engineers. He married, 21st October 1903, Gladys Mary, daughter of Thomas Fenwick Harrison of Kings Walden, Hertfordshire, and had issue : —
(a) John Willoughby Sholto Douglas, born 17th January 1906; died 13 Dec. 1913

John William Edward James Douglas, 16th of Tilquhillie was born on 16 February 1865. He was the son of John Sholto Douglas, 15th of Tilquhillie and Vanda Marie von Poellnitz.  He married Olga Edith de Reuter(5), daughter of August Julius, 2nd Baron de Reuter, on 17 November 1901. They has issue:
• John Sholto Douglas, 17th of Tilquhillie b. 1 Mar 1904
• Madeline Clemence Ogilvie Douglas b. 21 Mar 1907. She married LLewellyn Owen-Williams, a wartime padre in the Canadian airforce.  She was 'Aunty Susan' for BBC children's services in Bristol and then established Douglas House School, in Malvern.
• Phoebe Mary Douglas b. 28 Mar 1917

Notes: 

1.  We always urge Douglas Archives users to check their own sources as we do not guarantee accuracy.  In particular, we note that Stirnet offers a very different family tree, and we urge you to check there too.

Notes:

2.  George Lewis Augustus Douglas (b 1773, d 30.10.1847); m. (01.08.1837) Hannah Ellison (dau of Henry Ellison of Bebburn, widow of Ralph (or John) Carr of Dunstan Hill)

3.  Probably referring to Tilquhillie Castle (in ruins?)

4.  Both Archibald and Robert Knighted by King Charles I. Presumably they had possession of different lands, possibly Strickathro, at that time, thus qualifying.

5.  Walter Ogston was son of John Ogston heir apparent of that Ilk and the Craigs. He may have been born at the Craigs of Glenisla. His father had deceased by December 1475 when Lord Gordon took measures to release the deceased John Ogston of mails of £140 due to the Lord Auditor and Walter his son and heir was also released of the same sums due to the king.[Acta Dom. Audit 1466-1494 p39] His grandfather Alexander Ogston of that Ilk was still alive in 1475 and evidence suggests he lived beyond that date.

6.  When Olga's brother, Hubert, died in 1916, she inherited.   Stories are told of a large bonfire which Olga made of Reuters family material as half way through the Great War - a German name, such as Reuter, would not recommend itself advantageously to her.  John, 17th of Tilquhilie, was as a consequence of this inheritance also de facto 7th Baron de Reuter.

7.  It was possibly his son William who was Waggon-Master-General to the British Forces

Walter was designed of that Ilk when he appeared before the Lords of Council on 17 March 1482/3.[Acts of Lords of Council in Civil Causes]

He has sasine of Ogston in Moray and Eglismaldy in Kincardineshire in 1483. Walter married Janet Scrymgeour, a daughter of John Scrymgeour of Dudhope perhaps about 1475 and they had three daughters, Elizabeth born about 1476 Christian who died young Janet who was joint heiress with her elder sister Elizabeth

Walter died about the close of the 1480's leaving his widow Janet and three daughters.

     

The Tilquhillie Dresser
This classical ornament was fashionable in Scotland long before the Adam Brothers and is seen on this dresser in the column legs and carved cornice. It would have been dressed with silver vessels on fine linen cloth, demonstrating wealth and hospitality. The carved heraldry represents the original owners John Douglas the 5th of Tilquhillie and Mary, daughter of Peter Young of Seaton, who were married in 1595(1) and lived at Tilquhillie Castle in Kincardine. This is the only surviving Scottish Dresser with a canopy. This feature is an ancient expression of high status; it was probably made in Fife.  The dresser was in Invery before it was donated to the nation.  In 2023, it is on display in the V&A Museum, in Dundee.

Tilquhillie chair
 

 
Notes:
1.  Elsewhere, the Douglas Archives records the marriage date as 1594, in Holyrood, Edinburgh. The dresser, itself, is dated 1613, the significance of which  I have not discovered.
2.  The John who married Mary Young is generally thought to be the 5th of Tillquhillie

See also:

• The Douglass Hut

• Falkenhorst and the Douglasses

• Tilquhillie Burial Aisle, Banchory-Ternan