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Origins of

the Surname

Variations of

the Surname

Armorial Bearings,

 Symbols and Mottoes

Locations of

the Surname

Internet Resources

Our Family History

Origins of the Surname

An Introduction

to the Surname

Source/Meaning

of the Surname

History of

the Surname

More About

Surnames

An Introduction to the Surname

The practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11^th century.   Surnames were first utilized in the Germanic region of central Europe during the second half of the 12th century.  The custom of taking on surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northward during the Middle Ages.  It took about three hundred years for this tradition to apply to most families and become a constant part of one’s identity.        With the passing of generations and the movement of families from place to place many of the original identifying names were altered into some of the versions that we are familiar with today.  Over the centuries, most of our European ancestors accepted their surname as an unchangeable part of their lives.  Thus people rarely changed their surname.  Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in transcription. 

Map of European Languages

Research into the record of this DOUGLASS family line indicates that the variations, meanings and history of this surname are most likely linked to that area of Europe where English, and Scottish linguistic traditions are commonly found. 

Sources and Meanings of the Surname

Most modern Germanic and French family names are a means conveying lineage.  For the most part, German surnames were developed from four major sources: (1) Patronymic & Matronymic surnames most common in northern Germany are based on a parent’s first name, such as Niklas Albrecht (Niklas son of Albrecht);  (2) occupational surnames are last names based on the person’s job or trade for example Lukas Fischer (Lukas the Fisherman);  (3) descriptive surnames are based on a unique quality or physical feature of the individual like Karl Braun (Karl with brown hair); (4) geographical surnames are derived from the location of the homestead from which the first bearer and his family lived such as Leon Meer (Leon from by the sea), or derived from the state, region, or   village of the first bearer's origin for example Paul Cullen (Paul from Koeln/Cologne).

Most of the modern English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh family names throughout Great Britain have originated as a result of the following circumstances: patronym or matronym, names based on the name of one's father, mother or ancestor, (Johnson, Wilson). Each is a means of conveying lineage; occupation (i.e., Carpenter, Cooper, Brewer, Mason); habitational (Middleton, Sidney, or Ireland) or topographical (i.e. Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale); nicknames (i.e., Moody Freeholder, Wise, Armstrong); status (i.e. Freeman, Bond, Knight); and acquired ornamental names that were simply made up.

DOUGLASS is a variant spelling of Douglas.  It is Scottish habitational name from any of the various places called Douglas from their situation on a river named with Gaelic dubh ‘dark’, ‘black’ + glas ‘stream’ meaning "black stream".   There are numerous places in Scotland from which the surname is derived. The surname has developed into the given name Douglas. While there are numerous places with this name in Scotland, it is thought, in most cases, to refer to Douglas, South Lanarkshire, which was once the stronghold of Clan Douglas. The Scottish Gaelic form of the given name is Dùbhghlas; the Irish language form it is Dúghlas,^[3] and Dubhghlas, which are pronounced Irish pronunciation: [duːɣləs].^[4] According to George Fraser Black, in southern Argyllshire the surname is an Anglicised form of the surnames MacLucas, MacLugash (which are derived from the Gaelic Mac Lùcais).

History of the Surname

Most Germanic Surnames from Central Europe have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages.  The process of forming family names in what is present day Germany began during Middle High German period in the history of the German language from the early 12^th Century to the 16^th century.   The nobility and wealthy land owners were the first to begin using surnames.  Merchants and townspeople then adopted the custom, as did the rural population.  This process took two or three centuries.  In most of the Germanic States of the Holy Roman Empire, the practice of using surnames was well established by the 1500s.

Surnames of the British Isles as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th century. They were not in use in England or Scotland, before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and were first found in the Domesday Book of 1086. The employment in the use of a second name was a custom that was first introduced from the Normans who had adopted the custom just prior to this time.    Soon thereafter it became a mark of a generally higher socio-economic status and thus seen as disgraceful for a well-bred man to have only one name.  It was not until the middle of the 14^th century that surnames became general practice among all people in the British Isles

The concept of French Surnames come from the Medieval French word 'surnom' translating as "above-or-over name," surnames or descriptive names trace their use back to 11th century France, when it first became necessary to add a second name to distinguish between individuals with the same given name. The custom of using surnames did not become common for several centuries, however.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE SURNAME

     The Douglas name was first found in Moray County, Scotland where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.  The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Duglas,  which was dated 1175, in the "Records of Kelso Abbey", Roxburghshire. 

     There are several localities in Scotland and Ireland named Douglas, but the one from which the surname is derived in most if not all cases is 20 miles south of Glasgow, in the county of Lanarkshire, situated on the Douglas Water.  This place was the original stronghold of the influential Douglas family and their retainers.  Several notable Douglas lineages originated from the following families: the old Douglas of Douglasdale (the Black Douglas), illustrious in the Scottish War of Independence;   the line of Morton who were closely connected with Mary Queen of Scots;  the house of Drumlanrig and Queensberry;  and the House of Angus, the Red Douglas.  The Douglas family also holds the following titles: Earl of Douglas; Earl of Angus and Earl of Forfar.  A notable name bearer is Sir James Douglas, "the good" (1286 - 1330), who set out on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, carrying the heart of the dead Robert Bruce.   A Coat of Arms having a silver shield with a red man's heart, on a blue chief three silver stars, was granted to William Douglas the nephew of the aforementioned Sir James Douglas, see  Figure 2 in our Coat-of-Arms Gallery.

Some Notable Persons or Places Having This Surname

Some of the best known persons or places bearing the DOUGLASS name or its close variants are:

Abel Douglass (before 1849 – c. 1907), American whaler;  A. E. Douglass (1867–1962), American astronomer;  

Bill Douglass (1923–1994), American jazz drummer;  Bobby Douglass (born 1947), former American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears;  Charles Douglass (1910–2003), American sound engineer, credited as the inventor of the laugh track;  Frank Douglass (1875–1972), South African rugby union player;  Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), American abolitionist and writer;  Gordon K. (Sandy) Douglass (1904–1992) racer, designer, and builder of sailing dinghies;  Herbert E. Douglass (born 1927), Seventh-day Adventist theologian;  James W. Douglass, American writer and activist;  John J. Douglass (1873–1939), member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts;  John Thomas Douglass (1847–1886), American violinist, composer of "Virginia's Ball";  Kingman Douglass (1896–1971), American investment banker, member of the United States intelligence community;  Klondike Douglass (1872–1953), American Major League Baseball player born in Boston; and Leon Douglass (1869–1940), American inventor. 

More About Surname Meanings & Origins

GERMAN SURNAMES

Many German names have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages. The process of forming family names began early in the 12^th Century and extended through the 16^th century. All social classes and demographic strata aided in the development of names. First Names (Rufnamen) identified specific persons. Over time the first name began to be applied to the bearer's whole family.  At first through verbal usage, family names (Familiennamen) were later fixed through writing.  Until the 17th century, first names played a more important role. The earliest family names derived from the first name of the first bearer (Patronym). Later names derived from the place of dwelling and location of the homestead.  If a person of family migrated from one place to another they were identified by the place they came from.  Of more recent origin are names derived from the vocation of profession of the first bearer. These names comprise the largest group and the most easily recognizable, for they tell what the first bearer did for a living.  Another group are names derived from a physical or other characteristic of the first bearer.  Finally, there are names that tell you the state or region a first bearer and his family came from; the age old division in tribes and regions (Low German, Middle German and Upper German) is often reflected in names.

BRITISH SURNAMES

Although the Domesday Book compiled by William the Conqueror required surnames, the use of them in the British Isles did not become fixed until the time period between 1250 and 1450.  The broad range of ethnic and linguistic roots for British surnames reflects the history of Britain as an oft-invaded land. These roots include, but are not limited to, Old English, Middle English, Old French, Old Norse, Irish, Gaelic, Celtic, Pictish, Welsh, Gaulish, Germanic, Latin, Greek and Hebrew.  Throughout the British Isles, there are basically five types of native surnames. Some surnames were derived from a man's occupation (Carpenter, Taylor, Brewer, Mason), a practice that was commonplace by the end of the 14th century.  Place names reflected a location of residence and were also commonly used (Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale) as a basis for the surname, for reasons that can be easily understood.  Nicknames that stuck also became surnames.  About one-third of all surnames in the United Kingdom are patronymic in origin, and identified the first bearer of the name by his father (or grandfather in the case of some Irish names). When the coast of England was invaded by William The Conqueror in the year 1066, the Normans brought with them a store of French personal names, which soon, more or less, entirely replaced the traditional more varied Old English personal names, at least among the upper and middle classes. A century of so later, given names of the principal saints of the Christian church began to be used. It is from these two types of given name that the majority of the English patronymic surnames are derived and used to this day.  Acquired ornamental names were simply made up, and had no specific reflection on the first who bore the name. They simply sounded nice, or were made up as a means of identification, generally much later than most surnames were adopted.   Source: http://www.obcgs.com/LASTNAMES.htm

FRENCH SURNAMES

Suffixes & Prefixes - While not in common use as in Italy or Sweden, some French surnames are formed by the addition of various prefixes and suffixes. A variety of French suffixes including -eau, -elet, -elin, -elle, and -elot, mean "little son of" and can be found attached to a given name to form a patronym. Prefixes of French surnames also have specific origins. The prefixes "de," "des," "du," and "le" each translate as "of" and may be found used in patronymic and geographical French surnames. Some French-Norman patronymic surnames will have the prefix "fritz," from the Old French for "son of" (Fitzgerald - son of Gerald). 

Alias Surnames or Dit Names - In some areas of France, a second surname may have been adopted in order to distinguish between different branches of the same family, especially when the families remained in the same town for generations. These alias surnames can often be found preceded by the word "dit." Sometimes an individual even adopted the dit name as the family name, and dropped the original surname. This practice was most common in France among soldiers and sailors.

Germanic Origins of French Names - As so many French surnames are derived from first names, it is important to know that many common French first names have Germanic origins, coming into fashion during German invasions into France. Therefore, having a name with Germanic origins does not necessarily mean that you have German ancestors!

Official Name Changes in France - Beginning in 1474, anyone who wished to change his name was required to get permission from the King. These official name changes can be found indexed in: Jérôme, archiviste. Dictionnaire des changements de noms de 1803 à 1956 (Dictionary of changed names from 1803 to 1956). Paris: Librairie Française, 1974.   Source: French Surname Meanings & Origins

Use this LINK to find the ethnic origin and meaning of last

names. Surname dictionary and

genealogy helps include names of Irish, German, English, French, Italian, and Jewish descent.

Variations of the Surname

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of variants.  As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized.  Later on spellings would change with the branching and movement of families. The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may have been misspelled.  This is especially true when searching census documents. 

Spelling variations of this family name include: Douglas, Douglass, Dougliss, Dougless, Dowglas, Duglas, Duglass and many more, (as noted below). 

Spelling variations of this family name may be ascertained through the utilization of several systems developed over the years.  The most prominently known are Soundex, Metaphone, and the NameX systems.  Of the three we recommend NameX as the most accurate for family historians.

Click on the button to find the variants of this or any other surname by utilizing The Name Thesaurus a ground-breaking technology for finding Surname and Forename variants.

This useful genealogy research tool has identified 385 million variants for 5,929,000 Surnames and 26 million variants for 1,246,000 Forenames, as well as gender identification for more than 220,000 Forenames.

NameX matched 187 spelling variations of the DOUGLASS surname. The top 22 are:

Metaphone is a phonetic algorithm, first published in 1990, for indexing words by their English pronunciation.  It fundamentally improves on the Soundex algorithm by using information about variations and inconsistencies in English spelling and pronunciation to produce a more accurate encoding. Later a new version of the algorithm named Double Metaphone was created to take into account spelling peculiarities of a number of other languages. In 2009 a third version, called Metaphone 3, achieves an accuracy of approximately 99% for English words, non-English words familiar to Americans, and first names and family names commonly found in the U.S.  The Metaphone Code for DOUGLASS is TKLS.  There are 576 other surnames sharing this code.

The Soundex System was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname. Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research.  The Soundex Code for DOUGLASS is D242.  There are 2245 other surnames sharing this Code. 

If The Name Thesaurus doesn’t adequately address the name you are looking for check out the following link:

Top 10 Tips for Finding Alternative Surname Spellings & Variations

Searching for more Information about this and other surnames?

Use LINK button to view our Surname Locator & Resources page.

Locations of the Surname

Locational Distribution of this Surname

Historical Distribution of this Surname

Locational Distribution of This Surname

Knowing the geographical areas where the surname you are researching is clustered and distributed is an indispensable tool in deciding where to focus your research.  We believe that the “Public Profiler” website will open up to you a wide range of solutions which implement current research in spatial analysis.  This site provides an array of local spatial information tools useful to the genealogist. 

The information presented herein shows where the DOUGLASS surname is distributed within North America as well as in Europe the location of origin for this surname.      Statistics show that the country were this surname is the most highly clustered is Australia with approximately 117.27 persons per million of population.  The density of population in the within the United States is 65,05 persons per million of population.  The top region in the World where this surname is the most highly clustered is Maine, U.S.A. with 321.71 persons per million, and Newcastle Upon Tyne , North , United Kingdom is the top city where this surname is found.

North America

Europe

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Click on the LINK to the right to see more information about the World distribution of a surname.  You can

get greater detail for any of the following maps by clicking on the area, i.e state, county that you are interested in.

·        Database of Surnames in the Netherlands

·        Database of Surnames in Belgium

·        Names Distribution in France

·        Map of the surname: Austria

·        Distribution of Surnames in Spain

·        Map of the Surname: Switzerland

·        Distribution of Surnames in Italy

Historical Distribution of this Surname

The main value in historical surname distribution databases and maps is that they enable genealogists to pinpoint the predominant location of a surname. This can quickly narrow down your search for a BDM certificate.  Knowing where to look is half the battle to finding ancestry records; if you can narrow down the search field it can save you a lot of time and trouble.  The core of historical surname distribution is that most people stayed within a fairly close locale.  Concentrations of surnames are clearly visible on Surname Distribution Maps, and name distribution tables (along with an atlas) make it quite likely that the origin of that name is from the area of its highest concentration.

The following “historical locations” for the DOUGLASS surname and some of its close variant spellings have been primarily extracted from either Burke’s The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, or Rietstap’s Armorial General.   Both books were first published in the 1860’s and revised over the next two decades.  The information therein is relevant to that period as well as earlier times as far back as 1500.   Most of the locations cited by Riestap are on the continent of Europe such as Germany, France, Switzerland, etc.       

(2) = the frequency with which this place occurs.

We recommend that you utilize our Tools for Finding Ancestral Locations.  If you have an elementary knowledge of heraldry you may wish to use this practice to trace your founding forefather.  For more information about this approach to seeking out your ancestral locations see our Using Heraldry as a Family History Research Tool.  

·        Great Britain Family Names - 1881 Census

·        England and Wales: 1891 Census

·        Scotland: 1891 Census

·        Distribution of surnames in Ireland in 1890

·        Family Name Distribution in Germany: 1942

·        Nom de famille en France: 1891-1915; 1916-40; 1941-65; 1966-90

·        United States: 1920

Armorial Bearings, Mottoes & Symbols

An Introduction to

 European Heraldry

Gallery of Images

Descriptions of the

Armorial Bearings

Motto(es) Associated

 With This Surname

Heraldry as a Family

History Research Tool

More About

Armorial Bearings

An Introduction To European Heraldry

The seeds of heraldic structure in personal identification can be detected in the account in a contemporary chronicle of Henry I of England, on the occasion of his knighting his son-in-law Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, in 1127. He placed to hang around his neck a shield painted with golden lions. The funerary enamel of Geoffrey (died 1151), dressed in blue and gold and bearing his blue shield emblazoned with gold lions, is the first recorded depiction of a coat of arms.

       By the middle of the 12th century, coats of arms were being inherited by the children of armigers (persons entitled to use a coat of arms) across Europe. Between 1135 and 1155, seals representing the generalized figure of the owner attest to the general adoption of heraldic devices in England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.  By the end of the century, heraldry appears as the sole device on seals.  In England, the practice of using marks of cadency arose to distinguish one son from another: the conventions became standardized in about 1500, and are traditionally supposed to have been devised by John Writhe.

     In the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, heraldry became a highly developed discipline, regulated by professional officers of arms. As its use in jousting became obsolete, coats of arms remained popular for visually identifying a person in other ways – impressed in sealing wax on documents, carved on family tombs, and flown as a banner on country homes. The first work of heraldic jurisprudence, De Insigniis et Armis, was written in the 1350s by Bartolus de Saxoferrato, a professor of law at the University of Padua.

    In the Germanic areas of Central Europe heraldry spread to the German burgher class in the 13th century, and even some peasants used arms in the 14th century.  A German coat of arms is usually referred to by any of the following terms; Wappen, Familienwappen, Blasonierung, Heraldik, or Wappenschablonen.

     In the British Isles the College of Arms, (founded in 1483), is the Royal corporation of heralds who record proved pedigrees and grant armorial bearings.  In Scottish heraldry, the Lord Lyon King of Arms in the Act of 1672 is empowered to grant arms to "vertuous [virtuous] and well deserving persons."

     Although heraldry in France and the lowlands of Belguim and Holland had a considerable history, like England, existing from the eleventh century, such formality has largely died out in these locations. The role of the herald (héraut) in France declined in the seventeenth century.  Many of the terms in international heraldry come from French.

Gallery of Images

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Descriptions of the Armorial Bearings

Heraldry symbols such as the colors, lines and shapes found on coats-of-arms are generally referred to as charges.  Although there is some debate over whether or not the charges have any universal symbolism many persons do believe they may represent an idea or skill of the person who originally had the armorial bearings created.  If this assumption has any validity charges may provide clues to early family history of that person.  The associated armorial bearings for this surname and close variant spellings are recorded in Burke’s General Armoire and Rietstap’s Armorial General.  The additional information, presented below, is offered with regard to the armorial bearings depicted above.    For additional information regarding the many Armorial Bearings associated with the Douglas surname see the Douglas Archives.

When reading the following descriptions of these armorial bearings you may come across a term that you would like to know more about. 

As such we recommend you utilize this LINK BUTTON to locate additional information within the classic resource book originally published by James Parker and Company in 1894.

Mottoes of this Surname

British Isles

A motto is a word or sentence usually written upon a scroll and generally placed below the shield, but sometimes, especially in Scotland, above the crest.    Many ancient mottoes were war-cries such as the Douglas motto of “Forward.”    Many mottoes refer to the name of the bearer, for example “cole regem” for Coleridge.   In general most mottoes convey a sentiment, hope, or determination, such as the Cotter motto “Dum spiro spero” where the meaning is “While I have breath I hope“.     Mottoes are often used by several successive generations, but may be changed at any time by the grantee. The languages most in use are Latin, French, and English.  Exceptions are seen in Scotland where they are often in the old Lowland dialect, and in Wales, often in the language of the principality.   

Germany

It is unusual to find a motto associated with the coat-of-arms of a noble of the European continent especially a German family.  This does not necessarily mean that the Germanic culture is devoid of mottos.  For example, the national motto of Germany is “Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit”, meaning Unity and Justice and Freedom.  The German word for motto is “Wahlspruch.”   Some of the more well known German mottoes are as follows: Alte Wunden bluten leicht – Old wounds readily bleed anew;    Blut und Eisen – Blood and iron;  Das beste is gut genug – The best is good enough;  Ein’ feste Burg is unser Gott – Our God is a strong tower of defense;  Ewigkeit – Eternity;  Für Gott und Iht – All for God and her;  Gott is überall – God is over all;  Gott mit uns – God is with us;  Ich dien – I serve;  Krieg – War;  Mehr Licht! – More light!;  Nichts zoviel – Nothing in excess;  Prosit! – Good luck!;    Vaterland – Fatherland;  Vertrau’ auf Gott – Put your trust in God;  Vorwärts! – Forward!;        Zu dienen – At your service.

France

French phrases adopted as mottos, have a certain air of chivalry and perhaps a distinctly feudal sense of duty and allegiance. French mottos are more indicative of the warrior culture of the Middle Ages. Some of these phrases, however, are translations of better known Latin mottos, such as Toujours fidèle for Semper fidelis. Some of these phrases are often found in Old French spelling.  Examples of some well known French mottoes are as follows: Aimez loyaulté - Love loyalty;  Boutez en avant - Push forward;  C’est la seule vertu qui donne la noblesse - Virtue alone confers nobility;  Droit à chacun - To each his right;  En Dieu est ma foy - In God is my faith;  Foy pour devoir - Faith for duty;  Garde la foy - Keep the faith;  Inébranlable - Not to be shaken;  J’ai bonne cause - I have good reason;  Loyauté sans tache - Loyalty without defect;  Maintien le droit - Support the right;  Ni dessus, ni dessous - Neither above nor below;  Oublier ne puis - I cannot forget;  Parle bien ou parle rien - Speak well or say nothing;  Rien sans Dieu - Nothing without God;  Suivez raison - Follow reason;  Tachez surpasser en vertue - Strive to surpass in virtue;  Un Dieu, un roy, un foy - One God, one king, one faith;  Veilliez et ne craignez pas - Watch and fear not.

Heraldry as a Family History Research Tool

Wondering whether you are descended of the nobility*?  Are you aware of an ancestor who held a prominent political position or had a title such as Sir, or Esquire?  If so you just might be descended from royalty.   If you are of European descent, you are probably a descendant of Charlemagne.  Once you are able to prove your line of descent from him, you will then find thousands of links to other royalty in your list of relatives.  It is rare indeed that the genealogy of a person of European descent, when traceable, doesn’t hit nobility somewhere.  And once it hits one European noble, whether you like it or not, hundreds of new names will become a part of your family.

*The nobility is a class of people who had special political and social status. Nobility is inherited or granted by the Crown as a reward to people who perform a heroic deed, achieve greatness in some endeavor, or hold a prominent government position.

    If you have an elementary knowledge of heraldry you may wish to use this practice to trace your founding forefather.  If you know the geographical place (country, county, city) where the family coat-of-arms was first identified, you may well search its history for the family name in question in order to find your direct ancestor.  Remember that most noble European family pedigrees have been thoroughly researched and published.   By putting together the family surname with the known location you may find a treasure trove of valuable information about your ancestors.  Upon pursing your research you should be aware of the possibility of variant spellings of the surname.  See Variations of the Surname for more information about variant spellings of the surname.

Many family historians who have not connected with a noble ancestor may just want to know what their family coat-of-arms looks like.  If this is the situation you must know that except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname.  A coat of arms is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname.  Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee.  As a result you are advised to seek out a coat-of-arms for the locale where your ancestor resided.

For example: we have an Arnold ancestor who is known to have emigrated to America from the town of Erlangen, in Bavaria, Germany.  Current research shows Erlangen is located in the area of Bavaria known as Middle Franconia.  Upon review of the historic locations for Arnold as noted in one source of armorial bearings we find places in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands and others.   One coat-of-arms is listed as belonging to an Arnold of Franconia, Bavaria.  As such we may conclude that this is the coat-of-arms having some relevance to our ancestor.  He may well be a blood relative of the aforementioned noble Arnold.   He or his ancestor may have been employed by or a serf of the noble Arnold family of that locale.  In some cases the name of the noble family becomes the name of the locale resulting in the ancestor appropriating it a as surname, see Sources and Meanings of the Surname to ascertain whether the surname you are interested in is a locational name.

If you are interested in the armorial bearings of a particular surname we strongly advise that you utilize the resources provided within this area of our web page.  If you have any questions or need any assistance with regard to using heraldry as a means to further or widen your family history research you are welcome to contact us, see About This Webpage.

More About Heraldic bearings

The art of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is called civic heraldry.   A Coat of Arms is defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings) usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia of some person, family, or institution.  Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname.  A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short, is a design usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname.  Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee.  The rules and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the same. 

Some of the more prominent elements incorporated into a  coat of arms are :

Crest - The word crest is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms.  The crest was a later development arising from the love of pageantry.  Initially the crest consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet.

Wreath or Torse – The torse is a twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a crest. Always shown as six twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on.

Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield.

Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets.

Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms.  At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object.  The items appearing on the shield are known as charges.

Motto - The motto was originally a war cry, but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment. It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms.

Searching for more information about heraldry? Click on the button at the  right to look at our webpage featuring links   to   websites   with  

a wide variety of arms, crests, and badges.  They may also feature additional heraldry resources as noted in the accompanying descriptions.

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Our Ancestral Lineage

Family History

Ancestral Lineage

Source Documents

Migrations of the

American Family

Ancestral Locations

Family Images Gallery

Family History

     The story of our Douglass ancestors begins in Scotland with John Douglass born around 1660.  Because of the hardships suffered by many lowland Scots John migrated to the Plantation of Ulster in Northern Ireland.  His son Robert was born there, in County Antrim, around 1700. 

     Robert Douglass came to Virginia sometime prior to 1758 and as such is recognized as the progenitor of our Douglass family in America.  He and his wife, Mary, moved to the Virginia frontier and settled in Augusta County, Virginia, where their son. Robert Douglass, Jr., was born in 1758.

     In 1787, Robert, Jr. and his young family moved from Augusta County, Virginia to the upper part of East Tennessee.  This event occurred before the state of Tennessee was even formed. They settled first in Blount County, then Sevier County, and finally moving on to McMinn County, Tennessee in 1822. The Douglass’s moved down mountain valleys into this new region as the Indians moved out - - perhaps at times before. They doubtless knew what they were about, and thought only of making their homes and a livelihood in such a land, with all the fearlessness and steadfastness of purpose that characterized these Scotch-Irish frontiersmen.  Our Douglass ancestors were typical of the Scotch-Irish pioneers who settled in America during the 18th century in that they brought along their devout Presbyterian animosity toward Papists and Anglicans alike thus a political activism of the querulous and boat-rocking variety. These folk were tough, stubborn, touchy, combative, and full of energy.

    Robert’s son John (1793-1863) was quite content to live his life in McMinn County, Tennessee, where all of his offspring married and made their homes, with the exception of our 3^rd great-grandmother Sarah Rebecca Douglass (1829-1913).  Sarah was much like her ancestors in that she yearned to move on to “greener pastures”.  Immediately after her marriage to William Rhodes the young couple left Tennessee never to return.  It took Sarah and William almost 10 years to accomplish their migration west to California.  Along the way Sarah bore at least five of her 13 children and crossed the Great Plains in a wagon train that narrowly averted the massacre at Mountain Meadows, Utah.  Sarah was truly a “frontier woman” of her times.

Ancestral Lineage

Additional information about the persons in our database  as   well  as   a   complete  listing   of

individuals with this surname may be reviewed by clicking on this LINK.

JOHN¹ DOUGLASS was born about 1660 in Scotland. He died after 1770. He married Mary Douglass (nee?) in 1690. She was born in Scotland.  John Douglass and Mary Douglass (nee?) had the following child:

i. ROBERT² DOUGLASS SR. was born on 01 Jan 1700 in County of Antrim, N. Ireland. He died in 1794 in Campbell County, Virginia. He married (1) MARY CUMMINGS in 1739 in County of Down, Ireland. She was born on 06 Jun 1720 in County of Down, N. Ireland. She died on 20 Dec 1810 in Campbell County, Virginia. He married FIRST NM. UNK. DOUGLASS (NEE?).

ROBERT² DOUGLASS SR. (John¹) was born on 01 Jan 1700 in County of Antrim, N. Ireland. He died in 1794 in Campbell County, Virginia. He married (1) MARY CUMMINGS (Cummins) in 1739 in County of Down, Ireland. She was born on 06 Jun 1720 in County of Down, N. Ireland. She died on 20 Dec 1810 in Campbell County, Virginia. He married FIRST NM. UNK. DOUGLASS (NEE?).   Robert Douglass Sr. and Mary Cummings had the following children:

i.        JOSHUA³ DOUGLASS was born after 1739. He died about 1811 in Campbell County, Virginia.

ii.      BETTY DOUGLASS was born after 1740.

iii.     MARY DOUGLASS was born after 1740. She married Gasper Clemmons about 1760.

iv.   ROBERT DOUGLASS JR. was born on 10 Mar 1758 in Staunton, Augusta Co., Virginia. He died on 10 Jul 1837 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Robertson, daughter of William Robertson and Lettica Kerr on 28 Dec 1784 in Staunton, Augusta Co., Virginia. She was born on 06 Apr 1761 in Staunton, Augusta Co., Virginia. She died in Aug 1838 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee.

v.      NANCY DOUGLASS was born about 1762. She married John Ransbarger on 19 Aug 1793.

Robert Douglass Sr. and First Nm. Unk. Douglass (nee?) had the following child:

vi.    JAMES DOUGLASS.

ROBERT³ DOUGLASS JR. (Robert² Sr., John¹) was born on 10 Mar 1756 or 1758 in Staunton, Augusta Co., Virginia. He died on 10 Jul 1837 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee.  He married Elizabeth Robertson, daughter of William Robertson and Lettica Kerr on 28 Dec 1784 in Staunton, Augusta Co., Virginia. She was born on 06 Apr 1761 in Staunton, Augusta Co., Virginia.  She died in Aug 1838 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee.  He died on 10 Jul 1837 in Cog Hill (McMinn Co.), Tennessee. He also went by the name of Robert Buson Douglass II.   Robert Douglass Jr. and Elizabeth Robertson had the following children:

i.        WILLIAM B.⁴ DOUGLASS was born in 1784 in Augusta County, Virginia. He died in 1786 in Augusta County, Virginia.

William B. Douglass died about 1785 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was born about 1785 in Augusta County, Virginia.

ii.      ELIZABETH DOUGLASS was born about 1786 in Augusta County, Virginia. She died about 1786 in Augusta County, Virginia.

iii.     MARY DOUGLASS was born on 11 Apr 1788 in Tennessee. She married Richard Jones about 1820.

iv.  JAMES S. DOUGLASS was born on 09 Jun 1790 in Sevier County, Tennessee. He died on 06 Apr 1861 in Winterset, Madison Co., Iowa. He married Mary Cristobel Brown, daughter of James Brown and Mary Weir on 25 Dec 1816 in Maryville (Blount Co.), Tennessee. She was born on 07 Oct 1797 in Rockbridge Co., Virginia. She died on 03 Aug 1875 in Baker, Indian Territory, Oklahoma.

v.  JOHN DOUGLASS was born on 09 Mar 1793 in Sevier County, Tennessee. He died on 07 Apr 1863 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He married (1) NANCY DICKSON BISHOP, daughter of Nicholas Bishop III and Jane Dickson on 20 Feb 1817 in Pendleton District, South Carolina. She was born on 31 May 1802 in Pendleton District, South Carolina. She died on 30 Oct 1843 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He married (2) SUSAN BARKER on 09 Feb 1846 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died after 1852. He married (3) JULIA ANN PAYNE on 30 Dec 1862. She died on 23 Aug 1865.

vi.     WILLIAM ROBERTSON DOUGLASS was born on 24 Oct 1794 in Tennessee. He died on 21 Aug 1864. He married Margaret Ann McConnell on 28 Aug 1827. She was born about 1806.

William Robertson Douglass was born on 24 Oct 1796 in Blount Co., Tennessee.

vii.   LETTICIA DOUGLASS was born on 26 May 1800 in Tennessee. She died after 1850 in Arkansas. She married JOHN AMOS. He died before 1850 in Arkansas.

Letticia Douglass also went by the name of Lettitia Douglass.

viii.  MATILDA DOUGLASS was born on 09 Sep 1803 in Tennessee. She married WILLIAM L. BOLDING.

JOHN⁴ DOUGLASS* (Robert³ Jr., Robert² Sr., John¹) was born on 09 Mar 1793 in Sevier County, Tennessee. He died on 07 Apr 1863 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He married (1) NANCY DICKSON BISHOP, daughter of Nicholas Bishop III and Jane Dickson on 20 Feb 1817 in Pendleton District, South Carolina. She was born on 31 May 1802 in Pendleton District, South Carolina. She died on 30 Oct 1843 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He married (2) SUSAN BARKER on 09 Feb 1846 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died after 1852. He married (3) JULIA ANN PAYNE on Dec 1862. She died on 23 Aug 1865.  * see John Douglass, Sr. – Timeline of life Events @ Source Documents

John Douglass and Nancy Dickson Bishop had the following children:

i.        WILLIAM⁵ DOUGLASS was born on 21 May 1819 in Tennessee. He died before 1884.

ii.    ELIZABETH JANE DOUGLASS was born on 07 Feb 1824 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died on 24 Dec 1896 in Cleveland, Bradley Co., Tennessee. She married Ezekiel Bates, son of James Alexander Bates and Mary Murphy on 17 May 1847 in McMinn County, Tennessee. He was born on 14 Oct 1792. He died on 14 Jun 1864 in Cleveland, Bradley Co., Tennessee.

iii.    MARY LETITIA DOUGLASS was born on 22 Aug 1824 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died in Apr 1857 in Riesel, McLennan Co., Texas. She married Asahel Carlock, son of Isaac Carlock and Sarah Rucker on 26 Jan 1842 in McMinn Co., Tennessee. He was born in 1825. He died in Nov 1856 in Polk County, Missouri.

iv.  HUGH DICKSON DOUGLASS was born on 06 Jan 1827 in McMinn County, Tennessee. He died in 1862. He married Cynthia Emaline Lee, daughter of John Lee and Jane Rogers about 1855 in Tennessee. She was born on 07 Dec 1839 in Polk County, Tennessee. She died on 04 Nov 1921 in Sweetwater, Monroe Co., Tennessee.

v. SARAH REBECCA DOUGLASS was born on 04 Feb 1829 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died on 21 Mar 1913 in Los Angeles County, California. She married William Calvin Rhodes on 27 Apr 1848 in Athens, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He was born in Mar 1820 in Knoxville, Knox Co., Tennessee. He died in 1888 in frontier between Texas and Mexico.

vi.     NANCY MATILDA DOUGLASS was born on 24 Jul 1831 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died after 1867. She married (1) CAYNEL LEE on 02 Aug 1849. He died before 1865. She married (2) JOSEPH SMITH about 1867.

vii.  ELIZA CAROLINE DOUGLASS was born on 10 Mar 1834 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died on 06 Aug 1919 in Cleveland, Bradley Co., Tennessee. She married James Henderson Rucker on 23 Apr 1858 in McMinn County, Tennessee. He was born about 1832 in McMinn County, Tennessee. He died on 19 Apr 1884 in Cleveland, Bradley Co., Tennessee.

viii.  JULIA ANN DORCAS DOUGLASS was born on 11 Nov 1836 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died on 23 Jul 1879. She  married William Marion Cass on 01 Jan 1857 in McMinn Co., Tennessee.

ix.     JOHN ELLIS DOUGLASS was born on 24 Jan 1839 in McMinn County, Tennessee. He died on 19 Aug 1860 in Cog Hill, McMinn Co., Tennessee.

John Douglass and Susan Barker had the following child:

 x.    ANGELINE DOUGLASS was born after 1846.

SARAH REBECCA⁵ DOUGLASS (John⁴, Robert³ Jr., Robert² Sr., John¹) was born on 04 Feb 1829 in McMinn County, Tennessee. She died on 21 Mar 1913 in Los Angeles County, California. She married William Calvin Rhodes on 27 Apr 1848 in Athens, McMinn Co., Tennessee. He was born in March 1871 or1820 in Knoxville, Knox Co., Tennessee. He died in 1888 in frontier between Texas and Mexico.

William Calvin Rhodes and Sarah Rebecca Douglass had the following children:

i.  THOMAS⁶ RHODES was born in Jan 1850 in Rusk County, Texas. He died on 11 Sep 1917 in San Luis Obispo County, California. He married (1) SARAH ANN FLY, daughter of John R. Fly and Elizabeth Turner on 23 Mar 1871 in Tulare County, California. She was born on 27 Nov 1851 in Barry County, Missouri. She died on 02 Oct 1908 in San Luis Obispo County, California. He married (2) EMMA R. GRAY BLOSSER, daughter of George Blosser and Marie Klinefitter on 26 Feb 1909 in Oakland, California.

ii.   JOHN RHODES was born on 04 Jul 1851 in Rusk County, Texas. He died on 19 Jan 1919 in Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona. He married (1) MARY ANN CRIGGER, daughter of First Nm. Unk.? Crigger and Linda Ann Morkton on 20 Dec 1888 in Yavapai County, Arizona. She was born on 28 Oct 1864 in California, USA. She died on 23 Dec 1950 in Florence, Pinal Co., Arizona. He married FIRST NM. UNK. RHODES (NEE?). She was born in Mexico.

iii.  HARRIET RHODES was born in Dec 1853 in Rusk County, Texas. She died in Jun 1929 in Orosi, Tulare Co., California. She married James Lafayette Johnson, son of James H. Johnson and Mary Murray on 23 Jun 1870 in Tulare County, California. He was born on 22 Aug 1844 in Arkansas. He died after 1930 in Orosi, Tulare Co., California.

iv.   JULIA RHODES was born on 04 Feb 1855 in Rusk County, Texas. She died on 10 Oct 1922 in Porterville, Tulare Co., California. She married (1) ALBEA EDGAR SCRUGGS, son of Joseph C. Scruggs and Francis Parks Sheperd on 21 Oct 1875 in

Tulare County, California. He was born on 04 Feb 1846 in Palmyra Twp., Fluvanna Co., Virginia. He died on 23 Dec 1906 in Poplar, Tulare Co., California. She married (2) THOMAS TURNER on 25 Aug 1872 in Tulare County, California.

v.   ANN HAZELTINA RHODES was born on 08 Dec 1856 in Texas. She died on 22 Feb 1945 in Tulare County, California. She married Charles William Harper on 26 Jul 1874 in Tulare Co., California. He was born in Jan 1854 in Missouri. He died in Apr 1928 in California, USA.

vi.  WILLIAM ROBERT RHODES was born on 07 Mar 1859 in San Bernardino County, California. He died on 23 May 1946 in Riverside, Riverside Co., California. He married Louisa Mefford on 20 Sep 1880 in Prescott, Yavapai Co., Arizona. She was born in Oct 1862 in Missouri. She died on 07 Sep 1934 in Prescott, Yavapai Co., Arizona.

vii.   TENNESSEE BOGART RHODES was born on 05 Dec 1862 in Farmersville, Tulare Co., California, USA. She died on 15 May 1947 in Ventura County, California. She married Spencer Fay, son of Benjamin A. Fay on 22 Jan 1882 in Tulare County, California. He was born in Aug 1849 in Concord, Erie, Co., New York. He died on 11 Mar 1932 in Alameda, Alameda Co., California.

viii.  MARTHA ELLEN RHODES was born on 17 Oct 1863 in Farmersville, Tulare Co., California, USA. She died on 28 Feb 1941 in Terra Bella, Tulare Co., California. She married Edward Duffield Halbert, son of Joel Blackburn Halbert and Mary Tirzah Sherrill on 24 Apr 1881 in Tulare County, California. He was born on 23 Nov 1846 in Hickory County, Missouri. He died in May 1917 in Porterville, Tulare Co., California.

ix.     SAMUEL JACKSON RHODES was born on 01 Dec 1866 in Visala, Tulare Co., California. He died on 19 Jun 1933. He married Mary Ann Garrison on 30 Sep 1901 in Prescott, Yavapai Co., Arizona. She was born about 1865 in Missouri.

x.      NANCY RHODES.  She died before 1880.

xi.     HUGH B. RHODES was born about 1869 in Tulare Co., California. He died in Oct 1870 in Tulare Co., California.

xii.    ORA RHODES was born on 13 Jan 1873 in Woodville, Tulare Co., California. She died on 22 May 1969 in Berkeley, Alameda Co., California. She married George L. Robbins in 1901 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was born on 22 Jun 1862 in Cedar City, Iowa. He died on 27 Jul 1940 in Los Angeles County, California.

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Source documents

The documents contained within this “Source Documents Archives” have been located during our research of this family, and used as evidence to prove many of the facts contained within the database of this family’s record.   We have source documents related to the following persons within our database with this surname.

·      An Account of the Douglass, Bishop, and Dickson Families

·      Douglass - Marriage Records of McMinn, Co, TN 1820-1870

·      Douglass - Wills & Estate Records, McMinn Co., 1820-1870

·      Douglass - Twin Children headstone

·      Elizabeth ROBERTSON Douglass -  Headstone

·      Hugh D. Douglass - 1860 Census

·      James S. Douglass - 1861 Death Notice

·      John Douglass, Sr. - Family Bible

·      John Douglass, Sr. – headstone

·      John Douglass, Sr. - 1860 Census

·      John Douglass, Sr. – Timeline of Life Events

·      John E. Douglass – headstone

·      Jonathan Douglass - 1820 & 1828 Land Grants

·      Nancy BISHOP Douglass – headstone

·      Robert B. Douglass - Rev. War Pension App. Transcript

·      Robert Douglass – headstone

·      Robert Douglass, Jr. - Rev. War Pensions Records

·      Robert Douglass, Sr. - 1794 Will Campbell Co., VA

·      Sarah DOUGLASS Rhodes - 1892 Property Map

·      Sarah DOUGLASS Rhodes - 1900 U.S. Census

·      Sarah DOUGLASS Rhodes - 1913 Death Certificate

·      Sarah DOUGLASS Rhodes – headstone

This Link will take you to our

archive of source documents.  

     Most of these documents can be considered as primary or secondary evidence.  Primary evidence is usually defined as the best available to prove the fact in question, usually in an original document or record.  Secondary evidence is in essence all that evidence which is inferior in its origin to primary evidence. That does not mean secondary evidence is always in error, but there is a greater chance of error.  Examples of this type of evidence would be a copy of an original record, or oral testimony of a record’s contents.  Published genealogies and family histories are also secondary evidence.

     Classifying evidence as either primary or secondary does not tell anything about its accuracy or ultimate value.  This is especially true of secondary evidence.  Thus it is always a good idea to ask the following questions: (1) How far removed from the original is it, (when it is a copy)?; (2) What was the reason for the creation of the source which contains this evidence?; and (3) Who was responsible for creating this secondary evidence and what interest did they have in its accuracy?

SOURCE: Greenwood, Val D., The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, 2^nd edition, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD 21202, 1990, pgs. 62-63

You are welcome to download any of the documents contained within this archive that does not cite a copyright.  Should you encounter a problem obtaining a copy you may get in touch with us via the contact information found at the end of this web-page.

Migration routes

       Tracing our own family’s paths of migration can prove crucial in identifying previous generations and eventually, figuring out where and how they arrived in the “New World” as well as where they eventually settled.  Knowing the network of trails American pioneers traveled can help you guess where to start looking.  The trail map(s) provided below may assist you in understanding the routes that our direct ancestors of this family may have taken to find new homes and opportunities in the vast area now encompassed by the United States.

      During the 17^th, 18^th and 19^th centuries hundreds of thousands of Europeans made the perilous ocean voyage to America.  For many it was an escape from economic hardship and religious persecution.  For most it was an opportunity to start over, own their own land, and make a better future for their descendents.

Immigration records show a number of people bearing the name of DOUGLASS, or one of its variants, as arriving in North America between the 17^th and 20^th centuries.  Some of these immigrants were: Charles Douglas who settled in New Jersey in 1685; Hugh Douglas settled in Virginia in 1635; John Douglas settled in Virginia in 1655; Lee William Douglas settled in Virginia in 1655.

Use the following links to find more early immigrants with this surname:

$ Search Ancestry.com Immigration Records; or Free Ship’s Passenger lists at OliveTreeGenealogy.com

Douglass 1750’s Migration Routes

Douglass Migration Routes 1787 – 1822

Douglass –Rhodes

1848 MigrationRoute

Douglass – Rhodes

1857 Migration Routes

Douglass 1750’s Migration Routes

It is believed that Robert Douglass, Sr. came to America sometime between 1739 and 1758.  It is probable that he made the voyage from Antrim, Ireland with his wife Mary Cummings.  Although it is possible, it is not known as to whether Robert’s parents or any siblings

Click on the map for a larger image

accompanied them.  There are several records of persons named Robert Douglas arriving in American between 1752 and 1756, but any association with our Robert Douglass is yet to be established.  Thus it is not clear as to when or where Robert Douglass did land in the English colonies.  Based upon information that shows Robert at Augusta County, Virginia in 1758 we may assume that ports in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland or Virginia are probable entry points.  Immigrants, who came to Augusta County, Virginia, from Pennsylvania, Delaware, and northern Maryland usually travelled there along the  Pennsylvania Road, and the Great Valley Road segments of the historic migration route referred to as the  Great Wagon Road.  Those from Southern Maryland would follow the Pioneer Road and from Eastern Virginia pioneers utilized a route known as the Three Notch'd Road.  It is not known when Robert and his family reached Augusta county. Based on information regarding the birth of his son Robert, Jr. in 1758 we can place the Douglass family there at that time.  Robert Douglass moved from Augusta County to Campbell County, Virginia and is listed in the 1785 Property Tax List along with his son Robert, Junior.  Robert Douglass, Sr. resided at Campbell County until his death in December, 1795. 

Douglass Migration Routes 1787 – 1822

     In 1787, Robert Douglass, Jr. and his young family moved from Campbell County, Virginia to the upper part of East Tennessee. This event occurred before the state of Tennessee was even formed.   The Douglass family had come from the Virginia frontier, moving down mountain valleys into this new region as the Indians moved out - - perhaps at times before. They doubtless knew what they were about, and thought only of making their homes and a livelihood in such a land, with all the fearlessness and steadfastness of purpose that characterized these Scots-Irish frontiersmen.  This move was probably precipitated because In 1785, the Treaty of Dumplin Creek was concluded with the Cherokee at Henry's Station in Tennessee, by which the Indians relinquished their right and title to the land comprising Sevier County Tennessee.  After this treaty, the occupation of the land south of the French Broad River continued rapidly.   It is likely that the young couple had heard news of open land in eastern Tennessee and was eager to go to this locale.  Robert and Elizabeth were probably typical of most Scotch-Irish Presbyterian settlers who were moving westward from Virginia and North Carolina. These settlers, for the most part, were a thrifty and energetic people looking for fertile land to farm, ample water supply, and abundant resources of lumber.

     There is little doubt that they left Augusta County along the now well established “Great Wagon Road.”  Eighty-five miles south they would come to the settlement of “Big Lick” now known as the city of Roanoke, Virginia. At Roanoke they would follow the southwest fork of the road that would lead them into the upper New River Valley and on to the Holston River in the upper Tennessee Valley.       It may have taken them almost a month to travel the 325 miles to the area now known as Sevier County.  At this time this was an unorganized region until after the Treaty of Holston in 1791, and the subsequent organization of Jefferson County, Tennessee in July, 1792.  Sevier County as it is

known today was formed on September 18, 1794 from part of Jefferson County.   It is unclear as to where or how long they resided here.  They may have moved on after Blount County was separated from Knox County by the Territorial Legislature in 1795.  Again it is It is unclear as to where or how long they resided in Blount County, although it is believed that they eventually left here as a result of the treaty with the Cherokee Indians in 1819 in which the Hiwassee District, was ceded to the United States, by the Cherokee.  Robert may have followed along that part of the Great Indian War and Trading Path in Tennessee.

     By 1822 the Douglass family had arrived in the new eastern Tennessee county called McMinn.  The territory now included in McMinn County had formed a part of the aforementioned Hiwassee District.   The Douglass homestead was eventually located in the Conasauga Creek at present day Cog Hill, Tennessee, and near the site of the ancient Cherokee town of Conasauga, said to have been visited by DeSoto and his expedition, June 1, 1540.  Robert passed away here, and is buried beside his wife Elizabeth are buried in the Old Salem Baptist Churchyard, near Cog Hill in McMinn County, Tennessee. 

Click on the map for a larger image

Douglass – Rhodes 1848 Migration Route

Click on the map for a larger image

The marriage of Robert’s granddaughter Sarah Rebecca Douglass to William Rhodes occurred on 27 April 1848 in McMinn County, Tennessee.   Soon after Sarah and William left Tennessee and moved to Texas.  William and Sarah are shown in the 1850 census as living in Rusk County, Texas along with their first child Thomas born in December, 1849.  There are many possibilities as to the route they took from McMinn County, Tennessee to Rusk County, Texas.  The most probable route would be along the Great Indian War and Trading Path which is now US Route 11.  This route ran through Eastern Tennessee in a southwesterly direction then through Alabama and into Mississippi.  In Alabama they would have probably taken one of several east-west routes to Natchez, Mississippi where they could cross the Mississippi River into Louisiana.  They may have then taken the “Natchez-Texas Trail( 5N6) from the Mississippi River.  This trail led up the Red River Valley to Natchitoches, Louisiana where it continued on into Texas as the Camino Real de los Tejas.  They probably left this route at Tehana, Texas and continued on the Tehana Trail (5T2)  into Rusk County, Texas.  After the Texas Revolution, this trail was used by new colonists, attracted by the availability of abundant cheap land, to come to the area around Rusk County in East Texas.  Most of them came from the Old South, particularly Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Douglass – Rhodes 1857 Migration Routes

  Our knowledge of the Rhodes-Douglass family 1857 migration to California was originally limited to a family history manuscript believed to have been written about 1971 by our cousin Jewel Margaret Coulson*.     Later more information was secured from the “History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California”, by Eugene L. Menfree and Fred A. Dodge published 1913, page 575.**  Utilizing the sketchy information in the following text, as well as several other sources, we have completed additional research into the subject and have been able to develop more in-depth story of the seven month journey from Texas to  California.

 * Julia Rhodes was just two years old when she crossed the plains by ox team to California, her parents being members of a party that narrowly missed being massacred by Indians. Their train was just three days behind the train of California-bound settlers that were massacred at Mountain Meadow, Utah.  In order to escape a like fate, the members of the train in which the Rhodes family was traveling, took a circuitous route over a very dangerous and mountainous country. So steep was the country that the wagons had to be let down over the mountains by ropes.  The oxen were able to get down by themselves, but could never have done it hitched to wagons. The party was several months on the way. The Rhodes family settled at San Bernardino, where they lived for about two years, coming from there to Tulare County and locating near the present site of Farmersville.”

** William C. Rhodes went to Texas in 1847 and in 1857 made his way overland to California by the southern route starting with a band of cattle that were eventually run off by Indians.  At the Platte river it was necessary to block up the beds of the wagons to keep them out of the water in crossing, and a box floated off with three children and their mother in it.  About this time Mr. Rhodes saw a Mexican amputate an arm of a man whose life was thought to be in danger of a gunshot wound, he having be accidentally shot while unloading bedding from his wagon.  Mr. Rhodes made his home in San Bernardino for three years…  (Ed. Note: When the aforementioned History of History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California was written Sarah Douglass Rhodes and the five children who rode the 1857 wagon train to California were still alive.)

Other Sources:

(1)  Juanita Brooks, The Mountain Meadows Massacre, University of Oklahoma Press, 2012, pages 115, 118, 121-22, 125-129, 146.

(2)  Mountain Meadows Massacre < http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wallner/mmm2.htm >, published by the Fancher Family Association at [email protected]>.

     In 1857 William Rhodes and his wife Sarah Rebecca Douglass made preparations to move west to California.  Most emigrants spent several weeks training their teams, adjusting them to yokes, and packing their wagons before actually setting out. The Rhodes-Douglass family as well as their traveling companions would have waited for the grass on the western plains to grow tall enough to support the grazing of their cattle.  As such this usually occurred by late April or early May, thus they timed their departure from Texas accordingly.  If they left too early, they might lose their animals because of lack of fodder, but if they left too late in the season, the mistake could be fatal as they then risked being caught by snowstorms in the high mountains of the West.   The long and difficult overland trip generally took 5 to 6 months to complete.    The family now consisting of their five eldest children probably departed Rusk County sometime in late March or early April, 1857.  Thus began the long and dangerous overland trek west.  It would take them seven months of traveling 10 to 15 miles per day to reach their final destination. 

     Starting in Rusk County they would travel north possibly to Fort Towson near the Texas-Oklahoma border.  From here they may have taken the road to Fort Smith.    It is believed that the group from Texas eventually attached itself to a wagon train that was variously known as the Duke Train, the Collins-Turner Company, the Duke-Turner Train, as well as the Honea-Davis Train.  Many accounts note that the Duke and Turner Party was made up of mostly Missourians, as such they may have joined up along the road from Fort Smith, or at Great Bend, Kansas where it connects with the Santa Fe Trail coming from Missouri.

Click on the map for additional information

     Much of what we know of their route from this point on has been derived from written accounts of the route taken by the Fancher wagon train with which the Duke and Turner Wagon Train traveled from time-to-time during this great journey to California. This map provides a good illustration of the routes the Fancher Party most likely took on their 1857 journey en route for California.  No one really knows exactly what routes the Fancher Train took during each part of the entire trip therefore only portions of their journey have been documented. This map, and associated information, is based on the records of their journey, and the undocumented segments appear to have been based upon the known route of the Cherokee Trail.

    The Cherokee Trail (also known as the Trappers' Trail) was the name used for the route followed by the Duke-Turner wagon train.  This historic overland trail ran through the present-day U.S. states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming.  It that was used from the late

1840s up through the early 1890s.  The route was established in 1849 by a wagon train headed to the gold fields in California. Apparently the name of the trail came from the fact that among the members of the expedition were a group of Cherokee.   The route of the trail ran from the Grand River near present day Salina, Oklahoma, northwest to strike the Santa Fe Trail at a ranch (trading post), near the present site of Great Bend, Kansas, where the Santa Fe Trail crossed the Walnut Creek.  From there it followed the Santa Fe Trail west into southern region of Colorado.   Near Bent’s Old Fort it then turned north along the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains over the Arkansas/Platte River divide and descended along into the valley of the South Platte River. The trail followed the east side of the South Platte River to present-day Greeley then west via a wagon road to Laporte in Larimer County. From Laporte, the wagon road went through present-day

Virginia Dale Stage Station to the Laramie Plains in southeastern Wyoming. From here the trail traveled westward and northward around the Medicine Bow Range crossing the North Platte River then turning north to present day Rawlins.  The trail proceeded about 45 miles north where it joined with the Emigrant Trail at Muddy Gap Junction.  From this point the Duke-Turner Party would follow the Emigrant Trail which continues west along the Sweetwater River and crosses the continental divide at South Pass.  From South Pass the main route which continues south to Fort Bridger.  Fort Bridger is the point at which the Mormon Trail splits from the Oregon Trail and California Trail.  From here they would continue southwest on the Mormon Trail to the Salt Lake Valley.  

      The only documentation known of any major mishaps from this part of the journey occurred in Wyoming when at the Platte River crossing it was necessary for the Duke wagon train to block up the beds in their wagons to keep them out of the water.  It was here that a box floated off with three children and their mother inside.  Around this same time William Rhodes observed the amputation of an arm of a man who had accidentally shot himself while unloading bedding from his wagon. Other than instances where Indians harassed their herd of cattle, we must assume that the journey from Texas to Salt Lake City was fairly routine for the times.  Their good fortune would change dramatically during the remaining 775 miles between Salt Lake City and San Bernardino, California. 

Click on the map for a larger image

     The Duke-Turner Party reached Salt Lake City in August, 1857 where very hostile atmosphere greeted the emigrant trains upon their arrival.  This air of unfriendliness was due to the Utah War, a conflict between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the United States government. The confrontation lasted from May 1857 until July 1858.  The Duke party may have camped here for a time, waiting for the weather to cool before traveling south through southern Utah on the Old Spanish Trail which would eventually cross the uncompromising terrain of the Mojave Desert.   Because of this many emigrants depended on buying much-needed supplies in places along the trail, like Salt Lake City.  Due to the aforementioned tensions the Mormons were under orders there, and in the towns that dotted the trail in southern Utah, to refuse to sell anything to non-Mormons emigrants. This factor would later contribute to the near-starvation endured by the members of the wagon train of which our ancestors were a part.

Click on the map for a larger image

     It is probable that the Fancher Wagons departed Salt Lake City around August 7^th.  The Duke-Turner Party followed them soon after and were the next train to travel the “Southern Route” behind the ill-fated Fancher Party.  Both wagon trains traveled south through the Utah Valley along a trail that is approximated by today’s Interstate 15. 

    At the first light of dawn, on Monday, September 7, the Fancher wagon train was attacked by Mormon militia, disguised as Indians, and their Indian allies.  After a five day siege, under a duplicitous flag of truce and a vow of safe passage by the Mormons, more than 120 men, women and children were murdered in cold blood on Friday, September 11, 1857.

     On September 10^th the Duke-Turner train, now traveling in three groups, was attacked by Indians at Mill Creek near Beaver located about 80 miles north of Mountain Meadows.  During this encounter the Indians attempted to drive off the cattle and a guard shot and killed an Indian.  The next day Turner and another group leader Collins were shot by Indians at the Beaver settlement.  These incidents delayed the Party for several days and probably saved them from a fate similar to that of the Fancher party. 

     Upon hearing of the massacre at Mountain Meadows members of the Duke party hired Mormon guides and interpreters for $1,810.  The guides took them on a route that by-passed Mountain Meadows where uncovered bodies were rotting and a great stench permeated the entire area.  The Duke Wagon Train was the first to take this alternate route that forked from the Old Spanish Trail near the Mormon settlement of Enoch, Utah  and followed along  present day Interstate 15 through Cedar City to near Santa Clara and present-day  St. George, Utah were they reconnected with the Old Spanish Trail.  The group had to move slowly because of the large number of cattle they were driving and also because of the steep mountain incline at Black Ridge where the wagons had to be lowered by ropes.

     On October 7^th, at the crossing of the Lower Virgin River, the Duke party was robbed of approximately 350 head of cattle by the Indians.   Some members of the group of so-called Indians were described, by a member of the Party as having blue eyes and light streaks where they had not used enough paint.  According to a Mormon report the Indians were following the Duke Train and were expected to attack them at their first opportunity.  As such several Mormons were sent out to follow and prevent another massacre by helping the Indians to stampede the cattle.   It most likely that William Rhodes owned many of these cattle and after more than 6 months herding them west his luck had finally run out.  Unfortunately this would not the only time he would encounter misfortune when attempting to move cattle to California.  The next year he returned to the East, via the Isthmus of Panama, for the purpose of obtaining more cattle.  After acquiring a new herd he drove them to Carson City, Nevada.  He left his herd there to be cared for during the winter.  When he returned the next Spring he learned that they had all died during his absence.

      After their cattle were taken the Duke Party separated into several smaller groups and made their way across the Mojave Desert.  On October 17^th the first group of 71 emigrants from the Duke Train arrived half-starved at San Bernardino.  Of the aforementioned persons there were 22 men, 17 women and 32 children.  They immediately requested that relief be sent back to the members on the road who were suffering from a lack of provisions.  Wagons were then loaded with food and a relief party started back up the trail.  Also upon their arrival the story of the Mormon theft of their cattle was added to the tale of the massacre.  It was from these various immigrant wagon parties that newspapers in Los Angeles and San Francisco pieced together a story of the attacks that so outraged the nation.   About 5 days later the second division consisting of 10 men, 5 women, and 14 children, under the supervision of Captain Thomas Turner, arrived safely at San Bernardino. 

    Upon reaching California William Rhodes traded his team and wagon to some departing Mormons for a furnished home.  The Rhodes family settled at San Bernardino, where they lived for about two or three years.  During this time their son Will Rhodes was born.  Some accounts say that he may have been the first or among the first white babies to be born in San Bernardino County after the Mormons had removed from the area. 

The Development of an Historical Migration Route

It is understood that in many if not all cases we do not know exactly what routes our ancestors took as they migrated throughout the United States.   As such certain assumptions have been utilized to re-create the migration path presented above.  With regard to 18^th and 19^th century land routes we assume that they travelled along few trails and roads that were in existence at the time.  Research shows that a great many of these old paths and trails are today designated as U.S. Highway Routes.  For example, a major east-west route of migration known as the National Road is now U.S. Route 40, and a primary north-south migration route of the 18^th century followed the Great Indian War and Trading Path is now U.S. Route 11.  In some situations the re-created migration route may travel along state routes that connect or run through the seat of a county as that populated place is probably the oldest settlement in the area. The use of water as a migration route is also likely.  For example, during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries many families travelled west on the Ohio River as they moved on the new lands in Missouri or the Old Northwest Territory.  As such when applicable water routes have been included as the possible migration route.   

Ancestral locations

Researching the locations where our ancestors lived has provided us with valuable evidence needed to fill in the gaps in our family trees.  It has also led us to many interesting facts that enhance the overall picture of each family group.

The names of states and counties on the following list were derived from the known places where the Direct Ancestors in the “Ancestral Lineage” (see above) were born, married, and / or died.

UNITED KINGDOM

Northern Ireland (Ulster)

Antrim;   Down

Scotland

UNITED STATES

California

Tulare

Tennessee

Blount;   McMinn;   Sevier

Virginia

Augusta;   Campbell

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·        Sarah Rebecca Douglass

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