DOUGLASES IN VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA
 
 
JOHN DOUGLAS THE IMMIGRANT
(ca. 1651-1712)

   John Douglas was born May 13, 1651 in Saint Margaret, Westminster, London, England. His parents were James Douglas and Welzebertus Brown. At the age of 9 John Douglas was transported into Charles City County, VA along with six other people by Thomas Calloway circa 1660. (This Headright Land Grant was probated in court on October 18, 1664.) You might say why would his father send him away so far from home. Looking at the mortality rate of infants, children and adults during the time that James was trying to raise a family in London was unreal. His father wanted him to survive and to be able to carry on the family name. There was a man in Charles City County, VA who I believe was his 3rd cousin. His name was Thomas Douglas, who was transported there by Richard Tye and Charles Sparrow in 1650 along with 49 other people. John's grandfather, William Douglas b. 1580 d. 1659 and Thomas's grandfather, John b. 1583 were brothers. Also this Thomas had a brother named John who was transported into a neighboring county, Surry County, VA in 1655 by Lt. Col. Thomas Swan. Thomas Douglas probably got word from John's father in London how bad things were. Thomas Douglas probably new Thomas Calloway and asked him to transport John to the America. Thomas Douglas wasn't financially able to transport John, but Thomas Calloway was. Having relatives in the New World would help young John Douglas to adapt in America.  Five of those who were transported were from Saint Margaret, Westminster, London, England and they were John Douglas, Thomas Charleston (Charleton), John Braine, Rebecca Hotham (Hawthorn) and Thomas Griffin. The other two, John Radcliffe (Ratcliffe) was from Saint James, Clerkenwell, London, England and Susanna Langworth was from St. Andrew, Holborn, Camden, London, England. Those who were transported were indentured servants, and they had to work for the one who transported them for a period of 4 to 7 years. There is a court record that shows Susanna Langworth was in Charles City County, VA in 1660. She has accused Thomas Callaway of sexual misconduct. So if she was here in 1660 the others were there too. Usually a person would transport people one year then the land deal would take place some years later. This would have put John Douglas about 9 years old when he crossed the Atlantic Ocean on that ship.  John Douglas would probably had to work until he was 21 because of his young age, being a minor. The area at that time was Charles City County, VA and Thomas Callaway's plantation was located along the James River. This plantation was between Flowerdew Hundred and Powell Creek.
   Then in 1703 Prince George County, VA was cut out of Charles City County, VA. On April 29, 1692 John Douglas, Ralph Jackson and Joseph Maddox transported 16 people to be able to acquire 784 acres of land. This land was located in at that time in Charles City County, VA (later became Prince George County, VA)  near the Monks Neck Creek in the Bristol Parish area. John Douglas along with Ralph Jackson and Joseph Maddox divided their land into 3 unequal parts. John Douglas got 300 acres of the southern most part as a result of dividing the land. This land now is in Dinwiddie County, VA near Arthur's Swamp.
  John Douglas at some point was married and his wife's name is unknown at this time. John and his wife had these issues:
 
1. William Douglas Sr. b. circa 1692 d. 1766
2. John Douglas b. circa d. 1751
3. James Douglas b. circa 1694 d. 1752
4. David Douglas b. circa 1695 d. 1753
   
John Douglas died circa 1712 in Prince George County, VA. On Oct. 9, 1716 there was a hearing to settle a dispute about a payment that belong to the orphan's of John Douglas which dated back to March 21, 1712/13. The next ancestor that I will discuss is William Douglas Sr.

WILLIAM DOUGLAS SR.
(ca. 1692-1766)
   William Douglas was born circa 1692 in Charles City County, VA. His parents were John Douglas and his mother is unknown at this time. William Douglas Sr. first shows up on a land record in Isle of Wight, County, VA (later called Brunswick County, VA) on September 28, 1728. This land was located on the southside of the Meherrin River near Thomas Reeves' land. He lived in Brunswick County, VA until land opened up in 1745 in Edgecombe County, NC (later would become Halifax County, NC). This land would be located near a place called "Jacket's Swamp". He would live out most of his life there. Two of his brothers migrated about the same time and obtain land in neighboring counties. James Douglas received a land grant in Bertie County, NC and David Douglas received land in Northampton County, NC. John Douglas would die in 1751 in Brunswick County, VA.  William Douglas Sr. married Rebecca (Last name unknown) and they had these issues (there probably were other children, but they are unknown at this time:
 
1. Robert Douglas b. circa 1714 d. 1742
2. Margaret Douglas b. circa 1716 d. unknown
   
William Douglas Sr. would die in 1766 in Halifax County, NC. He wrote his Will in 1764 and he mentioned about a portion to be sold and divided among the "sons of my Robert Douglis, Decd." The people that he divided different portions of his possessions were his relatives. Some of the names were Margaret Monk, Sarah Monk, Betharbell Monk, Shadrick Monk, Mary Thomas, David Thomas, William Thomas, Ede Thomas, Elizabeth Ward, John Ward, Robert Douglas, Edward Douglas, Thomas Douglas, Robert Douglas, Sharwood Douglas, James Douglas, John Douglas, John and Charles Likely (Golightly). These people that were listed in his Will were his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren and some of the others were either close friends or relatives.

ROBERT DOUGLAS
(ca. 1714-1742)
   Robert Douglas was born circa 1714 in Prince George County, VA. His parents were William Douglas Sr. and Rebecca (last name unknown). The first record that Robert Douglas appears on is a Brunswick County, VA Road Order dated October 4, 1733. Then he appeared on William Hogin's estate record in 1738 and same year he witnessed a land transaction between John Peterson and Thomas Rives (Reeves). In that same year also, on August 9, 1738, he would make two trips, 55 miles one way, to Bristol Parish, Prince George County, VA to be a witness for Robert Birchett (Burchett) Jr.  This was over a 3 day period to serve as a witness and he was paid 405 lbs of tobacco for his service. Edward Burchett (possibly kin to Robert Burchett Jr.) was mention before in the hearing about money owed to the "orphan's of John Douglas, decd." This shows there is a connection of the Douglas family of Brunswick County, VA with the Douglas family of Prince George County, VA. He married Mary (last name unknown) and they had they following issues:
 
1. Robert Douglas b. circa 1732 d. 1805
2. Thomas Douglas b. circa 1733 d. unknown
3. James Douglas b. circa 1734 d. unknown
4. William Douglas Jr. b. circa 1735 d. 1761
5. John Douglas b. circa 1737 d. 1809
6. Mary Douglas b. circa 1739 d. unknown
7. Elizabeth Douglas b. circa 1741 d. unknown
   
Robert Douglas died at an early age, around 38 years old, in Brunswick County, VA. On April 1, 1742 his father, William Douglas Sr. and a man named Michael Wall were submitting security for Robert Douglas' widow, Mary, in court, so she be be the administrator of her husband's estate. Only his two sons, Robert Douglas Sr. and Thomas Douglas were mention in the estate records about receiving portions of there father's estate. James, William Jr., John, Mary and Elizabeth were to young to received any of their father's estate.