Douglas

[Ken S]

 My gg grandparents were a William Douglas and Helen Patterson .. I believe they married at Tongue Sutherland: 17 Dec 1824 .. and had some family at Farr Sutherlandshire.... then came to Canada around 1837 - 1845.
Some of their family settled in Lambton Co. Ontario. A history of Lambton .. wrote around 1903, gave family history as .... "William Douglas born 1799 in the Lowlands of Scotland and his wife Helen Patterson born 1803 Northumberland England"
 First I have one question .. what area in Scotland would be called the lowlands? And can anybody find a possible baptism for this William Douglas (in 1799 .. assuming my history book is correct, on that date) I have no idea, who his parents would be or if he had brothers and sisters. This same William Douglas died around London Ontario in 1859 .. he was in the cattle business .. and down as a Shepherd .. back in Scotland.

[fiona g]

Hi Ken

there are according to Scotlands People, 3 William Douglas's born 1799 in Scotland. Minimal details below, for full details you will need to download records from SP.

1.Eccles,Berwick(Lowlands)- fathers name John
2.Libberton,Lanark(do not think this is classed as lowlands) - fathers name George
3.Minnigaff,Kirkcudbright(Lowlands) - fathers name William

Fiona

[RJ_Paton]

If you have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Highlands  the article will  explain the division between Highlands and Lowlands in Scotland. All three of the above persons found by Fiona would be classified at that time as having been born in the Lowlands.

Tongue in Sutherland is almost as far North as you could get and remain on the mainland

[MonicaL]

Hi Ken

I assume the info you have has added to the info found here http://bonjour-family.org/Web/allmyfami/pafg107.htm

Just pure speculation on my part here, working off the list of names showing for children and the info linked above showing Helen Paterson as being born in Northumberland.

From IGI, the marriage on 17 DEC 1824 Tongue, Sutherland, and children showing to them:

1. THOMAS DOUGLAS  Birth: 10 JUN 1825 Tonge, Sutherland - submitted entry
2. JANE DOUGLAS Christening: 26 JUN 1826 Tongue, Sutherland
3. ANTHONY DOUGLASSBirth: 25 APR 1829 Farr, Sutherland
4. JANE DOUGLASS Birth: 13 APR 1831 Farr, Sutherland
5. OLIVER DOUGLASS Christening: 18 FEB 1836 Farr, Sutherland

These are all available as original images from the Old Parish Registers on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

The speculation here on my part is that William and Helen may have followed some form of naming pattern in the choice of names for their children (see for example www.halmyre.abel.co.uk/Family/naming.htm)

Assuming they have, some possible IGI entries for Helen and William:

WILLIAM DOUGLESS Birth: 07 DEC 1798 Yetholm, Roxburgh
Parents: THOMAS DOUGLESS and OLIVER YOUNG

ELEANOR PATTERSON Birth: 21 SEP 1803/ Christening: 29 SEP 1803 Presbyterian, Branton, Northumberland
Parents: ANTHONY PATTERSON and JANE

Monica

[MonicaL]

Hey, I'm warming up to my speculation 

I was wondering why a boy and girl so far down ended up in marrying in Tongue....

From the 1841 census, could this be William's family, with the parents mentioned above:

Thomas Douglas 65, shepherd b. England
Oliver Douglas 65 b. Scotland
James Douglas 35 shepherd, b. Scotland
Christiana Douglas 25
Alexr Douglas 10
Betsy Douglas 2
Oliver Douglas 2 Months
Margaret Douglas 7
William Douglas 20 shepherd, b. England...I am hoping this might be a relation not son!
Mary Mckay 20, female servant
Marion Mckay 20, female servant

Address: Clibrig, Farr Sutherland

Points to note on the 1841 census. Relationships within the household are not shown and ages were supposed to be rounded to the nearest 5 years for everyone over 15. Children under 15 are supposed to show at their actual age.

Other children showing to apart from the William we had in 1798 on IGI were:

1. JOHN DOUGLASS Birth: 26 JUL 1800 Yetholm, Roxburgh
2. THOMAS DOUGLASS Birth: 04 OCT 1802 Yetholm, Roxburgh
3. JAMES DOUGLASS Christening: 21 MAY 1805 Yetholm, Roxburgh

Monica 

[MonicaL]

And could this be Helen's family in 1841:

Anthony Paterson 60, agr. lab. b. England
Jane Paterson 60 b. England
John Paterson 15 b. Scotland
John Macdonald 10

Address: Borrowston, Reay, Caithness

Monica

[MonicaL]

Can't easily see the Douglas family in 1851, but a possibility for the Anthony Paterson (http://freecen.rootsweb.com/ is 100% complete for Caithness for this census so you should be able to check his marital status which is included there):

Anthony Paterson 75, Manger Or Farm Of 100 Acres, b. Oxman, Roxburghshire
Ann Macdonald 52, servant b. Reay, Caithness
Williaminna Paterson 17 servant b. Farr, Sutherland
John Paterson 6 grandson b. Farr, Sutherland
Thos Paterson 34, visitor b. Farr, Sutherland

Address: Borrowston, Reay, Caithness

Monica

[Ken S]

 In 1851 .. William Douglas & Helen (nee Patterson) are already in Ontario Canada
I am descended from their son James .. and have his death notice from the Alvinston Ontario newspaper .. Feb 22 1928 .......
  LATE JAMES DOUGLAS
 ON Sunday Feb 12 death claimed another of the early pioneers of Brooke (township) , passed away in the person of James Douglas, in his 90th year, after many years as an invalid at his home.
 The late Mr Douglas was born in Inverneess Sutherlandshire Scotland in the year 1838. In the year 1839, with his parents he came to Canada and settled in Kingston, a few years later taking up a farm on the Bay of Quinte, where he walked several miles to school. They lived there several years then moving to London (ontario) where his elder brothers kept a butcher shop. ..... he also served 3 and a half years in the American Civil war ...( as a Canadian, he was in the civil war) etc etc.
 Soooo: I think the date of 1837 .. for coming to Canada (which is a quote from a Lambton County Ontartio: history book wrote in 1903) is out a bit .. as James was born to them in Scotland in 1838!

[MonicaL]

I understand Ken. Just trying to see what early census entries we could find for possible parents  Certainly no trace of your William and Helen in censuses in Scotland which would fit with the emigration date you have given their last child in Scotland, Oliver, was born in 1836.

Monica