William Douglas, Jr.

1725 - 1797  (72 years)

• Name	William Douglas
  Suffix	Jr.
  Birth	1725
  Gender	Male
  Death	1797
  Person ID	I197141	First tree
  Last Modified	26 Aug 2026

  
  

  Mother	Martha
  Family ID	F79993	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Children	1. William Douglas, Esq.,   b. 4 Dec 1763, Chanceford Township, York, Pennsylvania d. 24 Jan 1850, Chanceford Township, York, Pennsylvania (Age 86 years)
  Family ID	F48155	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  (Research):The man you're asking about **is well-documented**, and the two sources retrieved give us a clear, consistent picture of **William Douglass/Douglas of Chanceford Township**, and of his father, **William Douglass "Jr." (1725– 1797)**. Below is a structured, heritage-grade synthesis tailored to your genealogical work. --- ## ?? Core Identification **William Douglas of Chanceford Township** refers to the **son** of **William Douglass (1725– 1797)**, a Scottish-born settler who established himself in **York County, Pennsylvania**, particularly **Chanceford Township** and later **Hopewell**. [WikiTree](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Douglass-701) The father is the man you describe as **"William Jr." (1725– 1797)** — though the "Jr." designation in American records often simply distinguishes two contemporaries rather than indicating strict father– son naming order. --- ## ?? William Douglass (1725– 1797) — the father ("Jr.") **Born:** 1725, Scotland (Find A Grave specifies Drakemyre, North Ayrshire) **Died:** 20 April 1797, Hopewell, York County, Pennsylvania [WikiTree](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Douglass-701) [Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49464196/william-douglass) ### Key biographical points - Early settler in **Chanceford Township**, appearing on the **1783 tax list** with a household of ten. [WikiTree](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Douglass-701) - Married **Elizabeth Matthews** on 21 June 1753 in York County. [WikiTree](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Douglass-701) - A farmer of good reputation: industrious, energetic, Presbyterian, and known as a violinist. [Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49464196/william-douglass) - Father of **11 children**, including: - **Rachel Douglass Long (1758– 1844)** - **William Douglass Jr. (1763– 1850)** - **James Douglass (1769– 1835)** [Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49464196/william-douglass) ### Parentage Find A Grave lists his parents as: - **William Douglass (1700– 1740)** - **Martha Douglass (1703– unknown)** [Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49464196/william-douglass) WikiTree, however, lists his father simply as **William Douglass**, mother unknown. [WikiTree](https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Douglass-701) This discrepancy is common in 18th-century Scottish– American genealogies; the Find A Grave data appears to be a later reconstruction rather than a primary-source-anchored fact. --- ## ?? William Douglass Jr. (1763– 1850) — the son This is the **William Douglas of Chanceford Township** you are asking about. ### Key points - **Born:** 1763, York County, Pennsylvania - **Died:** 1850 - Son of **William Douglass (1725– 1797)** and **Elizabeth Matthews** [Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49464196/william-douglass) He appears in York County records as part of the extended Douglass family network that settled in Chanceford and Hopewell. While the search results do not provide a full biography of the son, his presence in the family list confirms his identity and relationship. --- ## ?? How the "Jr." designation fits In colonial Pennsylvania, **"Jr." did not always mean "son of."** It often distinguished two men of the same name living in the same township. However, in this case, both sources agree that: - **William Douglass (1725– 1797)** is the **father** - **William Douglass Jr. (1763– 1850)** is the **son** Thus your interpretation — that the father is the man born in 1725 — is correct. --- ## ??? Genealogical Context for Chanceford Township The Douglass family appears in **York County tax lists, land records, and Presbyterian church networks**. The 1783 Chanceford tax list entry (household of ten) strongly suggests: - A large, established farm - Multiple children already present - Integration into the early Scots-Irish settlement pattern of southeastern Pennsylvania This aligns with the broader migration of Ayrshire and Galloway families into York and Lancaster counties in the mid-18th century. --- ## ?? Next step for deeper research Would you like me to reconstruct a **full family tree**, or produce a **heritage-grade narrative** linking the Douglass migration from Ayrshire to York County?