Does your FAN club ever surprise you? Have you ever found a new connection between members of your FAN club? I’ve recently been paying more attention to Moses Dooley and his family since he is in the same locations as my James Crawford.
As I’m starting to seriously research Moses Dooley and his family, I discovered that his son, Abner was married to Nancy Douglass. And of course, Douglass is another surname in my Kentucky FAN Club. According to FamilySearch, Nancy is the daughter of George Douglass.
While we still lack proof, it is suspected that George Douglass had a sister, Rebekah who married John Crawford. Based on their marriage records, Rebekah Crawford is thought to be the mother of James Crawford (wife Martha Knight), Mary Crawford (husband James Sellers) and Sarah Crawford (husband William Sellers). If Rebekah is a sister to George Douglass, then Nancy Douglass Dooley would be a niece. That would also make Nancy Douglass Cooley a first cousin to James Crawford (wife Martha).
While George Douglass’ will does not mention siblings, it does identify his children, including Nancy Dooley. This establishes a connection between the DOUGLASS and the DOOLEY families in my Kentucky Fan Club.
Will of George Douglass
Image 334 – page 74 George Douglas Will
In the name of God, Amen. I George Douglass of the County of Barren and State of Kentucky being in a weak and lonely state of health and knowing the uncertainty of death, but in my usual state of mind and memory do make and ordain this to be my last will & testament in the words and manner following, to wit I will devise and bequeth to my son Saml Douglass one negro girl named Fenny to him and his heirs forever I will devise and bequeath to my son William Douglass the sum of four hundred dollars to be deducted out of the money he justly owes me to him and his heirs forever. I will devise and bequeth to my daughter Salley Shaw one dollar in cash to her and her heirs forever. My will [?crossout mark] desire also is that my Negro girl Emily and my riding horse be sold and all my just debts collected and the money arising from the same to be equally divided between six legatees namely Mary Hill, Nancy Dooley, Betsy Bagby, Nathan Douglass, William Douglass, & Saml Douglass to theirs and their heirs forever and also will same equality between the heirs of my son John Douglass decd and the heirs of my daughter Milly Newland decd that is to say the heirs of my son John Douglass Desc all jointly to have one equal share with each one of the before mentioned six legatees and that one equal share to be equally divided among the said heirs of John Douglass Decd and the heirs of my daughter Milly Newland decd to have an equal share with the heirs of John Douglass Decd to them and their heirs forever. I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint Henry F Greenwood my executor tho this my last will & testament Acknowledged Signed and Sealed in presence of John Fox, J.A. Rice, William Bell George Douglass
Barren County, To Wit November Court 1820 The foregoing writing purporting to be the last will of George Douglass Decd ws produced in Court & John Fox, Jonathan A Rice and William Bell subscribing witnesses being sworn saith that the said writing was signed and delivered by the said George Douglas as his will, and that they believe he was in his proper sense and of a disposing mind and thereupon the said writing was ordered to be recorded as the true last will of the said George Douglass Deceased Test W. Logan Clk
Kentucky, Barren. Mixed Probate Records, Vols. 1-2 1799-1829. Film #film 209740 DGS 004818752. George Douglass, 1820; Book 2: page 74; digitized images, FamilySearch http://www.familysearch.org : viewed online 17 February 2020.
