Transactions. 49 



The Doug-lases, who once possessed so many acres in the 

 County, now bulk poorly numerically. We hear of Sir William of 

 Douglas, or William the Hardy, possessing- lands in Dumfriesshire 

 about 1300. Sir William Douglas, of Liddesdale, had great 

 possessions in Eskdale and Ewesdaie 1335. Douglas, the hero of 

 Otterburn, had an illegitimate son, whose descendants were 

 created Viscounts of Drumlanrig 1628, Earls, and then Marquises 

 of Queensberry 1633. Exclusive of the Marquis of Queensberry, I 

 find Dryfesdale, four ; Dumfries, one ; Gretna, one ; Holy wood, 

 one ; Langholm, one ; Lochmabsn, one ; Tinwald, one — ^ten. 

 Even with occupiers there are few of this name. In Morton, 

 which gave title of Earl to the family, I only find one ; in Torthor- 

 wald, where the Marquis of Queensberry had much property, the 

 name does not occur in the list of occupiers. 



A more prolific family name, and one related to Nithsdale, is 

 the Fergussons. This is a Celtic name. Early in the fourteenth 

 century a charter of lands was granted to John Fergusson in the 

 parish of Glencairn. A branch of the family Fergussons of the 

 Isle resided for many centuries in Kirkmahoe. Dunscore holds 

 three ; Dumfries parish, three ; Annan, two ; Glencairn, one ; 

 Closeburn, one; Holywood, one; Penpont, two — 13 in all, of 

 which 1 1 are found in Nithsdale, the original Dumfriesshire home. 



Ruther is said to have been a genuine patriarch of the old 

 Gaelic stock, who, dying in the reign of David I., left his name to 

 the parish lands he possessed, Caer-Ruther, corrupted to Carruthers, 

 now annexed to that of Midrllebie, and signifying the town or 

 Castle of Ruthar. This family name keeps well in Annandale. 

 Dryfesdale has nine proprietary names : Lochmaben, three ; Saint 

 Mungo, three ; Middlebie, three ; Dalton, two ; Gretna, three ; 

 Annan, two. The name occurs once as proprietors in two or three 

 other parishes. 



Murray. This is the family name of the Earl of Mansfield, 

 who has large estates in Caerlaverock, &c. The ancient seat of 

 the family was Comlongan Castle. The Murrays make a poor 

 appearance in Nithsdale — Dumfries, two ; Ruthwell, one. In 

 Annandale they are numerous — Moffat, eight ; Dryfesdale, three ; 

 Cummertrees, two ; Langholm, six ; Mouswald, one ; Dalton, one. 



The Carlyles trace their descent from Crinan, Abthai^e of 

 Dunkeld. Thej^ held lauds, like the Kirkpatricks, under Robert 

 Brus, first Lord of Anuiudale. about 1185. William Carlyle 



