William Douglass (abt. 1801 - abt. 1851)

Born about 1801 in Templeshanbo, County Wexford, Ireland [uncertain]

Husband of Ann Percival — married 1821 in Diocese of Ossory, Leinster, Ireland

Descendants

Died about 1851 at about age 50 in Templeshanbo, County Wexford, Ireland [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Greg Clarke [send private message]

Biography

William was born in 1801. He passed away in 1851.

Though no birth or death records have been found as of yet, it appears he lived his life in and around Templeshanbo, County Wexford, Ireland. Family trees indicate that William's parents are William Roderick Douglass and Eleanor Carr, but no sources have been found as of yet to verify those claims.

In 1821, William Douglass married Ann Percival in the Diocese of Ossory.^[1][2]. The Marriage Bond index does not indicate which church, but the diocese of Ossory does overlap County Wexford. Assuming they were married in Ann's home church, it could be in Templeshanbo or nearby. Presumably 1821 was the date of their marriage, though the actual marriage register record has not been found to verify that (it may no longer exist after the 1922 destruction of records). There were records found for marriages in Templeshanbo between 1800 and 1814, but unfortunately that range of years is before William and Ann would have married, and after William's parents' wedding would have taken place. There IS a Henry Douglas who married Elizabeth Scott on 29 Aug 1805 in Templeshanbo - it is possible that he might be a brother or cousin to William senior.

In 1824, William Douglass was assessed taxes in Templeshanbo, Shroughmore, County Wexford, Ireland, and paid tithes.^[3]. He was assessed to have 21 acres and 3 rods and assessed a tithe of 1 pound, 14 shillings, 10 and half pence. Note: the transcription indicates William Douglass Senior, so, this could mean that he already had one child by this point - or - that his own father, William Douglass, was the one paying this tithe. There is also a tithe applotment for William Douglass Junior on the previous page, also in Shroughmore.^[4]. The Junior was assessed to have 11 acres and 1 rod, and a tithe of 0 pounds 16 shillings and 1 and a half pence.

In 1841, on April 3rd, the Wexford Conservative, a newspaper based in the town of Wexford, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland, published an item: Address of the Protestant Parishioners of Templeshanbo to the Rev. Gerald Fitz-Gerald, on resigning the Curacy. It was a note of thanks and gratitude to the reverend, and signed by members of the congregation, including William Douglass senior, William Douglass junior, and James Douglass. ^[5] On page 2 of the same newspaper a list of resignations was listed, Gerald Fitzgerald, curate of Templeshanbo, in the Diocese of Ferns, among them.

According to Wikipedia's List of townlands for County Wexford, Sroughmore is a Townland of 310 acres, in the Barony of Scarawalsh, in the Civil parish of Templeshanbo, part of the Poor law union of Enniscorthy.

William died in 1851, and shortly thereafter, in 1852, Ann and her family emigrated to Upper Canada, what is now known as Ontario, Canada. It appears they initially arrived in Leeds County or possibly Kemptville, Grenville County, and then spread out, a number going to Grey County. Interestingly, they seemed to make connections with other families from County Wexford - daughter Margaret marrying an Adam Shiel, son Samuel marrying a Jane Colclough.

In the end, William and Ann had 6 children, 25 grandchildren, and at least 43 great-grandchildren, and their descendants have spread from Ireland to various parts of Ontario, Canada, to Saskatchewan, and to Edmonton, Alberta, to British Columbia, down to Los Angeles, California, and even all the way to Buenos Aires, Argentina in South America. Who knows where the next generations will end up?

Research Notes

• Found marriage records from the anglican-record-project for St. Colman's church at Templeshanbo.
• Entry in Irish Land Valuation books of 1851^[6] - requires further investigation. Land valuation for Michl St, in New Ross, (Ros Mhic Thriúin), County Wexford. William Douglass (#31) , and also a Henry Douglass (#30), both having houses and offices and yards. It appears that William may have been the landlord - or - paid taxes for Henry's as well as two others (John Kelly and James Connell), and that he himself owed rent to Charles Tottenham, Esq - the grander landlord in the area. QUESTION: Is this our William Douglass, and is this Henry the same Henry Douglass who was married in 1805 in Templeshanbo ?
• Two other Douglass marriage records to investigate - found in Ferns marriage licences, pge 48 of 243 document (from FTDNA County Wexford project list of links)
  • Douglass, James, and Sealy, Margaret - m 1773 - volume 6 - page 382
  • Douglass, William, and Atkin, Mary - m 1806 - volume 7a - page 344
• Check out the Geneanet profiles for possible clues to William's parents - there is an Atkins (Sheriff of Wexford) connection - a Mary Atkins married a Rev. William Douglass - is this the father of this profile's William ?? An Atkins came to Leeds county, Upper Canada, so that adds an extra connecting fibre to the possible trail. (https://gw.geneanet.org/heidilthompson?lang=en&pz=heidi+larie&nz=rayan&p=william&n=douglas)

Notes added by Jason Rennie:

• Found existing profiles of William Douglass and Eleanor Carr, theorised as parents of this profile.
  • If William was born in/near Templeshanbo, it's very unlikely that these are the correct parents, as they were living in Kilcoo (or, at least, all of their confirmed children were born in Kilcoo) from 1788-1811.
  • As the Douglass name is mentioned often in connection to owned land and many of them were farmers, one possible narrative is that the Douglass' of County Down were purchasing land in County Wexford and some family members moved there as a result. A study of all land owned by Douglass families at the time may clarify this.
  • It's also very unlikely that the William Douglass who married Eleanor Carr is the same William Douglass that married Mary Atkins, given the overlap in marriages: Eleanor's last confirmed child with William was born 1811, while the marriage of William and Mary took place in 1806.
• Records related to the Rev. William Douglas (1771-1860)
  • Death notice for Rev. William Douglas in the Belfast Newsletter^[7]
  • Find A Grave: Memorial #70095204
  • Death notice of Mary Douglas, wife of the Rev. William Douglas, in the Belfast Newsletter. She died 12 Feb 1878 at 95 years old (born abt 1783). She was living with her son, Samuel Douglas Esquire of Irvinestown.^[8]
  • A collection of sources about Rev. William Douglas: https://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/downloads/Mavis_Book/13%20Rev%20William%20Douglas%20%20.pdf
  • If the information from the above link is correct, then it's unlikely that Rev. William Douglas is the father of this William Douglas, as William and Mary were married 1806 and their children born 1810 at the earliest. Their son William Henry Douglas is listed as having lived 1811-1903.
  • Rev. William Douglas does not seem to have any strong ties to Wexford, although his wife's family, the Atkins, are from there. Mary Atkin supposedly lived through the Wexford Rebellion of 1798 and many of her relatives supposedly lost their lives in the fighting.
• Other notes
  • The Wexford Rebellion took place in 1798, only a few years before William Douglass was born. A significant number of lives were lost during these battles, and it's worthwhile to consider how this may have impacted the Douglass family living in Wexford at this time.
  • Douglass families in Ireland are often said to originate from Scotland via Ulster.
  • Collection of history/research around various Douglas', descendants of Moses Douglas and Katherine Marsden. Possible DNA connections to check. http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/downloads/Mavis_Book/2%20Index.pdf

Sources

1. ↑ "Ireland, Diocesan and Prerogative Marriage License Bonds Indexes, 1623-1866," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-994X-BP5R?cc=3460239 : 15 October 2019), > image 1 of 1; extracted by FindMyPast. Images digitized by FamilySearch. National Archives of Ireland, Dublin.
2. ↑ Ireland, Indexes to Wills, Probate Administration, Marriage Bonds and Licences, 1591-1866, Microfilm of Original Records at the National Archives; Dublin, Ireland; [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2021. Surname & Year Ranges: Ossory, Ferns, Leighlin Dioceses K-Z: 1691-1845 Search: Marriage Licenses > Ossory, Ferns, Leighlin Dioceses K-Z: 1691-1845 > image 153 of 390 > middle of left page. Accessed on ancestry.ca, July 2021.
   • View Image on ancestry.ca, (requires subscription).
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link on ancestry.ca,

   Marriage Licence Bonds, Diocese of Ossory
   Percival Ann and William Douglass - 1821

3. ↑ "Ireland Tithe Applotment Books, 1814-1855," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-GMHH-7?cc=1804886&wc=M6LZ-ZM3%3A147765101%2C147995601 : 20 May 2014), Wexford > Templeshanbo, 1824 > image 31 of 39; Public Record Office, Dublin.
4. ↑ "Ireland Tithe Applotment Books, 1814-1855," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-GMCL-G?cc=1804886&wc=M6LZ-ZM3%3A147765101%2C147995601 : 20 May 2014), Wexford > Templeshanbo, 1824 > image 30 of 39; Public Record Office, Dublin.
5. ↑ Find My Past, Historical Newspapers, Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. Wexford Conservative, 3 April 1841, page 3 of 4
6. ↑ "Ireland, Valuation Office Books, 1831-1856," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-894N-14L4?cc=2329951&wc=Q6FW-Y2F%3A1069019003%2C1069019033%2C1069050705 : 5 December 2016), Wexford > St Mary > New Ross > image 31 of 210; from “Griffith's Valuation 1847-1864,” database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2014); citing various libraries, offices, and a private collection.
7. ↑ Death: "Belfast, Northern Ireland, The Belfast Newsletter (Birth, Marriage and Death Notices), 1738-1925"
   Linen Hall Library; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Periodicals & Newspapers, Irish & Reference
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 2193 #1162974 (accessed 2 January 2023)
   Rev William Douglas death 2 Jul 1860 (age 90).
8. ↑ Death: "Belfast, Northern Ireland, The Belfast Newsletter (Birth, Marriage and Death Notices), 1738-1925"
   Linen Hall Library; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Periodicals & Newspapers, Irish & Reference
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry au Record 2193 #1279969 (accessed 2 January 2023)
   Mary Douglas death 12 Feb 1878 (age 95) in Irvinestown.

• "Public Member Trees", database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.ca/family-tree/person/tree/119843346/person/200181390854/facts : accessed 4 October 2018), profile for William Douglass. NOTE: entries ABOVE William Douglass in this tree have NOT been proven with sources (as of July 2021) - proceed with caution !