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•
James Douglas of Pumpherston,
the second son of William Douglas of the same, before-mentioned. On 21st
November 1672 this laird had a charter of the kirklands of Levingstoun,
called Canieland, in the shire of Linlithgow, reserving the liferent
thereof to his said father, and to Isobel Euart, his mother, and it is
worthy of remark that the old laird could not at this date have been
less than eighty years of age. James had a disposition of the lands of
Pumpherston, Knightsrig, and Canielands from Walter, Lord Torphichen,
7th May 1679, in which he is styled James Douglas of Knightsrig (Dechmont
Law). He was Commissioner of Supply in the year 1686, and Commissioner
for the Militia in 1689, and he was still living at 12th June 1696, when
he gave an annual rent of £160 out of his lands of Pumpherston and
Knightsrig to Mr James Henry, sone of Pittadro, W.S. He was deceased
before 5th July 1697.
• In the reign of Alexander II.,
circa 1216-1224, the feu of the lands of Levingstoun was granted by
Malcolm,Earl of Fife, to Archibald, son of William of Douglas (Registrum
Honorisde Morton, I. xxxiii, xxxiv).
Is The Registrum Honoris de
Morton contains no other reference to them.
• KILMARON FAMILY OF FIFE flourished
in the thirteenth century under the Celtic Earls of Fife. One of its
members, William of Kilmaron, held the feu of Levingstoun, circa
1200,and is mentioned as Douglas's predecessor in these lands in the
above Morton charter.
• Erkenbald of Douglas is found
witnessing charters before the end of the twelfth century, and is known
in transactions as late as 1228. This personage attained the dignity of
knighthood, and acquired lands beyond the original territory in
Douglasdale.
Several of the charters in the Morton Register throw
light upon those earlier generations of the family, even before it had
become historically illustrious. Thus, at the beginning of the
thirteenth century, Malcolm Earl of Fife granted to Archibld of Douglas,
son of William of Douglas, the land of Levington and the land of
Hirdmiston, both formerly held by
William of Kilmaron; and King Alexander II confirmed that charter before
the year 1226. It is remarkable that, although the family had been for a
century before in possession of the lands from whence they drive their
name, there is no charter evidence of any earlier property held by them
that theses grants of Levingston and Hirdmanston. One of the witnesses
of the Earl of Fife's charter, Freskin, Dean of Moray, marks the early
connection of the Douglases with that diocese, to which they had already
given a bishop.
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