Jedburgh - Douglas Baptisms

[rockhopper]

John Douglas c1640 an Apprentice Cordiner in Edinburgh in 1656 was the son of the late Andrew Douglas of Timpendean who had been an Indweller in Edinburgh. James Douglas born 12 September, 1669 was the son of a John Douglas, all it says ‘James son of John’. I have looked at the entry about three times. James had a brother Andrew Douglas who was also a Gardener in Jedburgh. James was a witness to the baptism of one of Andrew’s sons Thomas Douglas when he was away fighting in Flanders for a short period of time. From Family Search ages ago the father of Andrew Douglas was a John. I think too that there were other brothers who were Gardeners and their father was also a John. Also I think that I may have photographed Andrew’s baptism from the reel. William Douglas of the Douglas Archives and I came to the conclusion at about the same time that the Douglases I was looking at were from the Timpendean family. Edwin James Douglas who is in my broad family painted and near two of the horses which he painted the Ostrich feathers of Timpendean are on the horses’ blankets (two separate paintings). One can only go on what is available and John c1640 is the only bit of ‘evidence’. Where was your James born?

[rockhopper]

I made separate excel spreadsheets for the Douglases of Bonjedward and Timpendean citing - date, name of the Douglas and the event - to work out the likely dates when each of the Lairds or Lords lived. Besides, Heraldry of the Douglases and Nisbet’s Ancestry on Timpeandean I had some of the information from Edwin James Douglas’ tree, a detailed list by Graham Sword who also belongs to the Timpendean family, lots of communication with Douglas Scott of the Hawick Word Book and the same with William Douglas of the Douglas Archives.
I did say at the start of my first paper - The Douglases of Bonjedward and Timpendean that this is - “This is an ongoing exercise and not a definitive paper”. The same applies to the rest on these two topics. If I documented every point or ‘fact’ of the discussion it would be messy and a distraction from the broader picture. However, I do include the references related to events etc.

[amac1210]

That's very interesting. I am at a loss for James Douglas, gardener in Kilmarnock. He married Janet Sim - daughter of Francis Sim - in 1745. That was registered at Loudoun, Ayrshire. James is named as a gardener on the records available. If he is the same man as the James Douglas born in 1727 to James Douglas (1669-1750) and Jonet Olipher, then he'd have been 18 years old at time of marriage, to a 24 year old woman. Seems possible but perhaps unlikely?

The Clan Douglas Archives aren't sure, but didn't rule out this connection. In any case, we know some of the Jedburgh family did end up in Kilmarnock anyway, which might make it seem more likely that my James was related to them. His daughter Janet Douglas married a man named John Gow, who was soldier in the West Fencibles. Their son James Gow in turn married Christian Reid, and their child Jessie Gow married Andrew McLuckie - from whom I descend.

[rockhopper]

Have you had a look for him at Scotlands People - say born or baptised about 1720 in Jedburgh, Kilmarnock or Loudoun. Otherwise try Family Search. I think that it is important also to find out who his parents were.

[rockhopper]

From Family Search - but his father was John

[rockhopper]

Hearth Tax 1691 to 1695 at Scotlands Places. Copies of the original entries are there too. James Douglas gardiner I think is James Douglas 1669. (near the top). Not attached here but at the Townhead quarter there was a William Douglas gardiner, probably the brother of this James

[rockhopper]

Jedburgh Abbey Graveyard (from Hay Genealogy) - 126 Front Angel bones, skull, spade and shovel, hour glass Reverse Here Lyes James Douglass, Gardener and Burgess in Jedburgh d 30.4.1750 81 and James, Christian and Janet chn of George Douglass Gardn in Jedbh
They were the three infant children (who died young) of George Douglas and his wife Agnes ‘Annie’ Oliver

[amac1210]

That's the problem - we can's just locate his parents by doing a Scotlands People search. There are a plurality of possible matches. What caught my eye is the fact he was a gardener; my query was in seeing how he might relate to the Jedburgh family, if at all. I don't know if we can ever be certain on this one, which is unfortunate. If we did locate the James Douglas born in 1727, that might rule out an identification with James Douglas wife of Janet Sim. Otherwise, we could see if the various possible matches reveal more lines of descent to us, and perhaps similar occupations?

[amac1210]

Just thought I'd add a note to this thread. My James Douglas, the gardener, was in actuality the son of William Douglas. I finally worked this out after contacting the Clan Douglas Archives, and looking more closely at the records. William was the son of John Douglas, born c.1640. This ties up the Douglas connection. I've also found the Haliburton family in this tree - John Douglas' grandfather was Stephen Douglas (1567-?) who married Jean Haliburton. Walter Scott documented her genealogy in detail, in his "Haliburton Memoirs".