Deacon William DOUGLAS

Male 1672 - 1717  (44 years)


Personal Information    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name William DOUGLAS  [2
    • "A Collection of Family Records, with Biographical Sketches, and other memoranda of various families and individuals bearing the name DOUGLAS": he was admitted to the church, July 24, 1698. The next year he removed with his wife and two children to "the new plantation on the Quinnebaug, which was afterwards named Plainfield." Here lands were set off to him "on the east side of the river." He also owned lands in Voluntown, which he purchased of his father, Aug. 18, 1715, for "thirteen pounds of good and current money."
      He was one of the little company that covenanted together and formed a church in Plainfield, in 1705. The Rev.Joseph Coit was called to the charge of this little flock, and William Douglas was chosen the first deacon. In the old burial ground at Plainfield, an ancient gravestone bears this inscription:----

      "in memory of Mr. William Douglas, Who was ye first Deacon of ye churh of Christ in Plainfield who departed this Life August ye 10th A.D. 1719 in ye 46th year of his Age."

      Deacon Douglas died in the prime of life, and greatly lamented. All the church and town records, and all but a few files of the probate records, of Plainfield, were consumed at the burning of the town by Arnold, in 1781. Among the probate records saved, was the will of Dea. William Douglas. It was dated july 6, 1717, and proved Sept. 25, 1717. In it he provided for his wife, Sarah, and eleven children, all of the latter under twenty-ine years of age. His wife was Sarah Proctor, but no date of his marriage can be found in the New London records. His eldest two children were born in new London, all the others in Plainfield. His widow, Sarah, was living in 1729, but no record of her death has been found. [1]
    Title Deacon 
    Birth Abt 1672  New London, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Birth 19 Feb 1672  New London, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Gender Male 
    Death 1717  [1
    Person ID I19628  Main Tree
    Last Modified 29 May 2012 

    Father William DOUGLAS,   b. 01 Apr 1645, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 09 Mar 1725, New London, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 79 years) 
    Mother Abiah HOUGH,   b. 16 Sep 1648, Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Feb 1715, New London, New London, Connecticut, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 66 years) 
    Marriage 18 Dec 1667  Boston, Mass. Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5
    Family ID F04554  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Sarah PROCTOR 
    Children 
     1. Asa DOUGLAS,   b. 11 Dec 1715, Plainfield, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Nov 1792, Stephentown, New York Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
    Family ID F27539  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 29 May 2012 

  • Sources 
    1. [S4815] Charles Henry James Douglas, "A Collection of Family Records, with Biographical Sketches, and Other Memoranda of Various Families and Individuals bearing the Name DOUGLAS", (Providence: E.L. Freeman & Co., Publishers - 1879).

    2. [S02893] Pane-Joyce Genealogy.

    3. [S03420] The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records: New London.

    4. [S02293] Family Group Sheet by Varro Anderson.

    5. [S12696] American Ancestors.org: Connecticut Nutmegger Vol. 39 2006.