William Douglas

  General Notes:

~ Colonial Families of United States, Vol. VI, pp. 193-194, William and his wife Ann Mattle, daughter of Thomas Mattle, Esq., first settled at Gloucester, but moved to Boston. The next year they moved to Ipswich, Massachusetts and later in 1659, he purchased land in New London, connecticut. He moved there the next year. His children were Ann, married to Nathaniel Geary; Robert, married to Mary Hampstead; Elizabeth, married to Decon John Chandler; Sarah, married to John Kenney; and William II. ¹¹⁵⁴

  Information about this person:

• Web Reference: The Douglas Archives . ¹¹⁵⁵
Deacon William Douglas, Sr. was born 9 Aug 1610 at Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbright, Scotland and was baptized in Glasgow on 8 Sep 1611. He married Anne Motley, 1636 in Ringstead, Northamptonshire, England. William and his wife, Anne, immigated to the Bristish American colonies, and William died on 26 Jul 1682 in New London, New London, Connecticut.

• Background Information. ¹¹⁵⁵
William Douglas was born in 1610 in Scotland. Had he been born in England and aquainted with his wife from childhood, there would have been mention of the Douglases on the parish records of Fingstead, the home of his wife and her family, the Mattles. How and where William Douglas became acquainted with his wife, Ann Matle, is not known. Their marriage most likely took place in 1636, both 26 at the time, and their daughter Ann was born in 1637.

William Douglas emigrated to New England with his wife and two children, Ann and Robert, in 1640. William settled at Gloucester, but removed to Boston the same year. The first mention of him on Boston records is under the date of "The 31st of the 6th moueth, 1640 [31 Aug 1640]" "William Douglas is allowed to be a townsesman, he behaving himselfe as becometh a Christian man." William did not remained in Boston, but removed the next year to Ipswich, where he was entitled to a share of the public land, 28 Feb 1641. He remained in Ipswich for four years, then returned to Boston in 1645.

While in Boston, William was a cooper, and on 1 May 1646, purchased of Walter Merry and Thomas Anchor, "one dwelling house in Boston, situate betweene the lotts of John Sweete and John Seabury, to-gether with the shopp which was Thomas Anchors and the ground thereunto belonging;" also, 12 Mar 1647, of Walter Merry, "one little house with the ouse late in the tenure and occupation of John Newgrove, adjoining to the former house and ground." [Ipswich Records, Vol. I, Book of Possecession, compiled by order of the General Court of April 1634, p. 142]

In 1660, William Douglas, his wife and three of his children, Robert, Sarah and William moved to New London. That same year he purchased "a house on the so. side of the meeting-house hill." A tract of land "by the waterside, on the band so. of Mr. Raymond's" was granted him by the town. He was also granted two farms by the town in remuneration of his services to that town.

From the frequent mention of William Douglas in the records of New London, it seems that William was one of the most prominent members of the flourishing community of New London. His education for those time, was liberal. He was one of the townsmen in 1662, 1666 and 1667. He was chosen deputy to the General Court in Hartford in 1672, and once or twice later. He continued to take an active part in the affairs of the church and town till the time of his death. The Rev. Simon Bradstreet, in his diary said: "1682 July 26, Mr. William Douglas one of ye Deacons of this church dyed in year 72 of his age. He was an able christian & this poor ehh will much want him."

~A Collection of Family Records: With Biographical Sketches, and Other Memoranda of Various Families and Individuals Bearing the Name Douglas. pp. 50 - 60

William married Ann Mattle, daughter of Thomas Mattle and Unknown, in 1636 in Ringstead, Northamptonshire, England ¹¹⁵⁴.^,1155 (Ann Mattle was born in 1610 in Ringstead, Northampstonshire, England ¹¹⁵⁵ and died on 10 Sep 1691 in New London, New London, Connecticut ¹¹⁵⁵.)