Person:Alexander Douglas (15)

Alexander Sholto DOUGLAS was b. 27nov1829, chr 4jan1830 at Edinburgh (C. Titchett, rootsweb). “History of the Society of Writers to her Majesty's Signet” (1890): Alexander Sholto Douglas (b. 27nov1829), son of Alexander Douglas, W.S., marr 16dec1858 Helen M'Caul, dau of John Forrester, W.S. Alexander Douglas (19jun1780-1jul1851), 3rd son of Dr. Christopher Douglas, physician in Kelso, was Fiscal 1844-51; he marr 20mar1810 Janet Hardie, 2nd dau of Robert Bow, Edinburgh merchant.

Helen (dau of a Writer to the Signet) marr Alexander Sholto Douglas of Gateshaw, W.S., son of Alexander Douglas of Chesterhouse (Fiscal of the Signet) and Janet Hardie Bow (“Seekers of Truth”).

Alexander Sholto Douglas (abt 1829-1916) and wife Helen M. Forrester (abt 1833-1909) were buried at Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh (gravestonephotos). Scottish archives have documents (eiks etc.) of Helen MacCaul Daouglas or Forrester, wife of Alexander Sholto Douglas, W.S., 26 Drumsheugh Gdns, Edinburgh, d. 16nov1909, Edinburgh (scotlandspeople). Will (25 pages) of Alexander Sholto Douglas, Gateshaw, W.S., 26 Drumsheugh Gdns, Edinburgh, d. 4aug1916 at Edinburgh (scotlandspeople). Southern Reporter, Selkirk: Alexander Sholto Douglas of Gateshaw, WS, d. 4aug1916, aged 86, at 26 Drumsheugh Gdns, Edinburgh. He followed his father and brother, Christopher, and became a Writer to the Signet. He succeeded his brother, Christopher in the property of Gateshaw, Roxburghs.; Corbet Tower is on that estate. He was predeceased by his wife, dau of John Forrester, WS, and leaves no family (findmypast). His estate was inherited by Robert William Cowan (1861-1934) who changed his surname to Cowan-Douglas. In 1917 on death of Alexander Sholto Douglas (W.S., res 26 Drumsheugh Gdns, Edinburgh), John Marshall Cowan, MD, Glasgow, and Robert William Cowan-Douglas, esq., of Corbet Tower, Kelso, were executors (GWR shares, findmypast); John (b. 1870) and Robert (1861) were 1st cousins once removed of Helen McCaul Forrester (b. 1833), wife of Alexander S. Douglas.

In 1917 Robert William Cowan-Douglas of Corbet Tower, Roxburghs., in compliance with the will (1915) of Alexander Sholto Douglas of Gateshaw, W.S., assumed the surname Cowan-Douglas in lieu of the present surname of Cowan (London Gazette).

Alexander S. Douglas (1830 Edinburgh, W.S.) and wife, Helen M. (1834 Edinburgh) were in 1861 at India St., Edinburgh, in 1871 and 1881 at Gt King St., Edinburgh, and in 1901 at Morebattle, Roxburghs.; in 1871 Francis Douglas (1815 Kelso, unm, retd surgeon) visited (census).