Janet married William Irving on 13 Nov 1767 in Prestonfield. William was born about 1731; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Contested Dumfries Burgh unsuccessfully in the Queensberry interest in 1735; returned as a Tory for the county in 1741, he voted against the government. In January 1746, during the siege of the castle of Stirling, he arrived from London to see the Young Pretender with reports of messages sent to France by the English Jacobite leaders, Lord Barrymore and Sir William Watkins Wynn (q.q.v.) and with the news that the sum of 10,000 pounds was lying in the city of London for the Prince's use. This was disclosed by Murray of Broughton, the Young Pretender's secretary, who turned King's Evidence with the result that in August 1746, Sir John was sent to the Tower, the house being notified of his arrest for high treason. At a meeting of the Privy Council, 11. Nov., John Douglas, being then asked what he has to say to the facts above mentioned (Murray's evidence) he saith that he shall make no answer in any shape, that perhaps this may be ill manners, but that being no lawyer he doth not think fit to give any answer.'Attempts to get corroborative evidence having failed, he was released in March 1748 on bail of 4000 pounds. Excepted by name from the subsequent Act of Indemnity, 20 Geo II, c. 52, he did not stand again.16At the Privy Coucil hearing, in response to a question 'Do you know the witness?' ( Murray of Broughton) 'Not I, I once knew a person who bore the designation of Murray of Broughton, but that was a gentleman and a man of honour, and one that could hold up his head.'17 Murray of Broughton was third cousin to Sir John Douglas of Kelhead, being descended from the first Earl of Queensberry. Sir John's grandson, Henry Alexander Douglas, married Elizabeth Dalzell, also a descendent of the first Earl of Queensberry through the Murrays of Broughton.The Gentleman's Magazine Vol. XVI. of August 1746 has a short notice of Sir John's being 'brought to town in custody of a messenger'. The same page has entries on sums of money raised in London by a Dr. Barry sent to Newgate and the arrival of Lord Lovat at the Tower and seeing the scaffold upon which he would be executed being built. 18 An article in the Gentleman's Magazine of March 1848 notes Sir John's release on bail, 'his sureties in 2000 l and himself in 4000 l'.19Sir John was the 'chief director of his friend the Duke of Queensberry's country affairs and parliamentary interest in the county of Dumfries but 'Sir John was no economist....he run aground and as he likewise had been nibbling to serve the Jacobite party...this added to the distraction and confusion of his affairs'....On Sir John's release in March, 1748 the Duke of Queensberry 'got his estate put under trustees...himself lent money....and had his creditors thereby pacified. ..By 1762, when James Boswell met him, the family were again in financial trouble by Sir John's extravagant 'improvements' which had 'burthened his estate with about 30,000 pounds'. He was imprisoned for debt in January 1778 and died in November of that year.16Sir John wrote a very lengthy and impassioned letter to the Duke of Queensberry on 17 January 1775 apologising for letting him down but defending his situation and desperately seeking the Duke's support against his detractors. Si John seems to have been acting as a factor on the Estate and allowed arrears of rent to accumulate. He was also accused of obstructing the sale of woods, which he denied as an "injurious scandalous falsehood". Advances to his brother, David, are also mentioned.20Substantial holdings in Cummertrees and some other parts of Dumfriesshire are listed in a directory of Land Ownership circa 1770.14"Biography from James Boswell siteJohn Douglas. (ca. 1708-1778) (aka. 3rd Bart of Kelhead) 3rd Bart of Kelhead. Son of Sir William Douglas (d. 1733), 2nd Bart of Kelhead, and Helen Erskine (d. 1754), a half-sister of Boswell's mother Euphemia. Brother of Charles and William Douglas. Married to Christian Cunningham (1710-1741), daughter of Sir William Cunningham of Caprington. Father of William Douglas and about 7 other children.Life with James Boswell: Boswell visited the family at Kelhead on October 6 and 7, 1762. He wrote of Douglas that by his princely improvements [of the estate] Sir John Douglas has burthened his estate with about ?30,000. [...] a lively man, but hurried away by fanciful project.

John married Christian (of Caprington) Cunningham about 1730. Christian (daughter of Sir William (2nd Bt of Caprington) Cuninghame and Janet (of Prestonfield) Dick) died in Nov 1741. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

An only son

Alexander Carlyle says of dining with Sir William in the summer of 1733 , with his father and Mr. Rob Jardine when Carlyle was 11 years of age 'When he met us in the Stable Yard, I took him for a Grieve or Barn Man, for he wore a Blew Bonnet over his thin Gray Hairs and a Hoddan Grey Coat. But on a nearer view of him, he appear'd to be well Bred and Sensible, and was particularly Kind to my Father who I understood had been his Godson, having been Born in the neighbourhood on a Farm his Father Rented from Sir William

Died:
Family bible says he was aged 64 upon his death in 1733
Family bible shows death as 26 September, 1733

William married Helen Erskine on 8 Sep 1705. Helen (daughter of Colonel John Erskine and Jean Murray) was born about Feb 1683 in Stirling, Scotland; was christened on 1 Mar 1683 in Stirling, Scotland; died on 26 Jul 1754. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The sources relating to Helen Erskine are conflicting. However, it has now been confirmed, particularly through family wills, that she was the daughter of the Colonel John Erskine of the Alva family not the contemporaneous Colonel Jon Erskine of Carnock as stated in the Scots Peerage.

Scots Peerage (SP)-Helen Erskine is not referred to in Erskine, Lord Cardross entry but an unnamed daughter of Anna Dundas is. Referred to by name and parentage ( father only, John Erskine of Carnock) in Queensberry entry (However, SP is incorrect in this instance).2,8 Burke's Landed Gentry 20011 states her father is 'Col. John Erskine (brother of Sir Charles Erskine) of Alva,1st Bt and Deputy Governor of Stirling Castle (See Rosslyn, E.)'. The First Baronet of Alva was, in fact, Sir Charles Erkine, in turn, son of Sir Charles Erskine of Alva. The second Sir Charles Erskine had a brother, John, who was a colonel. The Douglas family Bible also says that Helen was the daughter of Colonel John Erskine, second son of Sir Charles Erkine of Alva.
The 1741 will and associated document of 1744 of Colonel John Erskine, brother of Sir Charles Erskine of Alva, names his four living daughters including Dame Helen Erskine, wife of Sir William Douglas of Kelhead.9 Named as eldest daughter of the "deceast Colonel John Areskine" in a dispute over his will brought about by Helen's half-sister, Mary in 1739

Christened:
The only Helen Erskine found born to a John Erskine and Jean Murray in Scotland in the right time period. This Helen was born in Stirling where it is known her father was based. The only other Helen Erskine in the right time period was baptised in Torryburn and her mother was called Helen.

Died:
20 July 1754 according to the Scots Peerage but 26 July 1754 according to the record of her last will and testament.

William married Janet (of Prestonfield) Dick about 1696. Janet (daughter of Sir James (of Prestonfield) Dick and Anne Paterson) was born about 1672; died on 20 Jun 1753. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Made a Baronet of Nova Scotia in his father's lifetime

James married Catherine (of Queensbury) Douglas about 28 Oct 1667. Catherine (daughter of James (2nd Earl of Queensbury) Douglas and Margaret (of Traquair) Stewart) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

of the Sandhaven, Culross, Fife

John + Jean Murray. Jean was born about 1660; died about 1773. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

of Polmaise

John + Margaret (of Touchadam) Murray. Margaret (daughter of John (of Touchadam) Murray) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

1st Bt of Prestonfield

James + Anne Paterson. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]