An American Family History

John Douglas was born about 1709 in Charles County, Maryland. He was the son of Captain Benjamin Douglas and Elizabeth Land. He swore in court that he was 45 years old in 1754.

On September 10, 1722, his father had the brand mark of a gray mare recorded for him. Thomas Hole gave John the mare. The mark was ulu on the near buttock.

He married Eleanor Howard about 1734 in Charles County, Maryland. She was born after 1715. She was the daughter of Captain John Howard and Rebecca Brooke.

Eleanor and John's children probably included:
John Douglas, Jr. (1734, married Frances Barnes daughter of Godshall Barnes),
Richard Land Douglas (1735),
Rebecca Douglas (1739, probably married Thomas Hussey Luckett),
Anne Douglas (1740),
Benjamin Douglas (1745),
Elizabeth Douglas (1748),
Eleanor Douglas, and
Joanna Douglas (1757).

Eleanor was mentioned in her father, Captain John Howard's, will which was signed on February 2, 1742 in Charles County. She inherited personal property.

In 1744 they resided at Blythswood in Charles County. It was on the main road from Piccowaxen Church. He inherited it from his father about 1749.

In 1752 John Douglas's seating number in the William and Mary Parish was 16.

In 1769, her mother left her and her sister her wearing apparel. On July 26, 1769 John Douglass sold Blythswood to Theophilus Yates for 205£.

Eleanor died about 1769 in Charles County.

John appeared on the census of 1778 at East Hundred, Port Tobacco in Charles County. John, Jr. died in 1778.

He signed his will on March 29, 1779 at Causens Manor in Charles County. He left his land at Causens Manor and Wathen's Adventure to his oldest surviving son, Richard Land Douglas. He passed on enslaved people to his other children and divided the remainder of the estate among all his children.

He died in 1780 in Charles County.

Blythswood Manor (Blithwood, Blythwood) was surveyed on May 10, 1667 for John Douglas (b. 1636). It was a 100 acre plantation on the north side of the Potomac River in the Piccowaxon area. Blythswood may have been the name of the family manor house in Scotland. Inherited by his son, Robert Douglas then by Benjamin Douglas (b. 1685) then his son, John Douglas (1709) who sold it in 1769.

Piccowaxen Creek is just south of Morgantown, Maryland. It has been spelled as Pickawaxon, Pickiawaxen, Pickwixon, Pyckywaxen and Pykawaxon in Douglas family documents.