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Joanna Douglas, Lady Yester

Female Abt 1325 - Aft 1400  (> 76 years)


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  • Name Joanna Douglas 
    Suffix Lady Yester 
    Nickname Gifford 
    Born Abt 1325 
    Address:
    Douglas
    Douglas, Scotland 
    Gender Female 
    Occupation Baroness 
    Died Aft 1400 
    Address:
    Gifford
    Gifford, Scotland 
    Notes 
    • {geni:about_me} In Summary: Hugh Giffard III ( c. 1322-1365) married Joanna Douglas in 1345/46. After the death of Hugh Giffard, Joanna Douglas married Sir Nigel Cunningham as her second husband in 1366. Joanna Douglas can be shown to be living as late as the year 1400 in the Yester charter of her grandson "Tassy" Maxwell.

      Children of Hugh Giffard and Joanna Douglas:

      # Joanna, who married Sir Thomas de Hay of Locherworth.
      # Alicia, who married Thomas Boyd of Kilmarnock.
      # Euphemia, who married a McDowell of Mackerston.
      # Mary, who married the father of Eustace "Tassy" Maxwell.


      Ancestry of Joanna Douglas:

      Joanna Douglas has been stated to be the daughter of [http://www.geni.com/people/Sir-James-Douglas-of-Lothian/6000000000701222091 Sir James Douglas "the good"] and also the daughter of Sir James Douglas of Lothian in a few internet sites. Unfortunately, these sites give no sources or any documentation for the statements. (The Scots Peerage does not list Joanna as a daughter of either Sir James Douglas). Both James Douglases would fit the time frame of Joanna's birth, but Douglas of Lothian, who dies in 1323, would seem the less likely from a dating standpoint.

      The charter of Hugh Giffard to John Douglas made circa 1346 concerning Giffard lands may provide some clues. This charter would be close in date to Hugh Giffard's marriage to Joanna Douglas, and would likely be a Douglas related to Joanna. John de Douglas is stated as having been the son of James, Lord Douglas in the document. This seems like a reference to one of the above discussed Sir James Douglases, but a contradiction exists as to which. James Douglas "the good" was always referred to as "Lord Douglas", but had no known son John. James Douglas of Lothian had a second son John who was killed in 1349, but was always addressed as Sir James Douglas "of Lothian".

      The 1366 papal dispensation given at the time of Joanna's second marriage to Nigel Cunningham could provide a definitive answer, but a critical piece of information is lacking. The dispensation says: "Joanna Douglas is related to Nigel Cunningham in the third degree of affinity". This means she is not related to Nigel Cunningham by blood (consanguinity), but a second cousin to someone who was closely connected to him. In all likelyhood this was his deceased first wife. If her name could be discovered, proof of Joanna's ancestry would be possible. Other connections of Hugh Giffard and Joanna's descendants with the Black Douglas line provide clues and suggestions, but no absolute proof of the Douglas ancestry of Joanna. Joanna Douglas certainly is descended from the Douglases originating with Archibald Douglas in the early 13th century. But whether her descent is through the Black Douglas line of Sir James Douglas "the good", or their cousins the Douglases of Lothian requires more documentation to resolve.


      Notes

      Another interesting fact found in Euphemia Morham's charter is that she styles herself as Euphemia "Giffard", adopting the use the deceased husband's surname was a common practice of widows. In their widowhood, both her daugher-in-law (Joanna Douglas), and her grand-daughter (Joanna Giffard), will follow the similar practice of using the surname of their deceased husbands.


      Links
      * http://community-2.webtv.net/NUbrubun55/GIFFARDOFYESTER/page2.html

      http://www.palmspringsbum.org/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I10046&tree=Legends
      --------------------
      http://www.montyhistnotes.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I4419&tree=MontyHistNotes_II

      Name Joanna Douglas
      Born 1314 Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location
      Gender Female
      Died 15 Feb 1398 Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location
      Person ID I4419 MontyHistNotes_II
      Last Modified 5 Sep 2016

      Father James Douglas, b. 1300, Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location, d. Bef 20 Apr 1323, Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age < 23 years)
      Relationship natural
      Mother Joan Stewart, b. 1286, Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location, d. 1337 (Age 51 years)
      Relationship natural
      Family ID F2068 Group Sheet | Family Chart

      Family Hugh Gifford, b. 1306, Yester Castle/Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location, d. 11 Mar 1409, Yester Castle/Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 103 years)
      Children
      + 1. Alice Gifford, b. 1350, Yester, East Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location, d. 1384, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 34 years) []
      Last Modified 5 Sep 2016
      Family ID F2069 Group Sheet | Family Chart
    • 1 UID E9E3145DECC76E46B5CC6C120619FF0ECF9A

      1 UID AD21E954EE4D5547BCA5FFF507E75627A2D3
    Person ID I6000000002187913198  Ancestors of Donald Ross
    Last Modified 2 Jan 2019 

    Father James Douglas of Hermiston and of Lothian,   b. 1286, Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 20 Apr 1323  (Age < 37 years) 
    Mother Joan unknown,   b. Abt 1278,   d. Abt 1337  (Age 59 years) 
    Family ID F6000000046523762860  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Hugh Giffard of Yester, Knight,   b. Abt 1322, Castle Yester, Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1365, Castle Yester, Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 43 years) 
    Married Between 1345 and 1346  Castle Douglas, Douglas, Lanark, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Joanna Giffard, Lady Yester,   b. Between 1345 and 1350,   d. Aft Jan 1401  (Age > 56 years)
     2. Alice Gifford of Yester, Lady Kilmarnock,   b. Between 1346 and 1350,   d. 1384, Kilmarnock Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years)
    Last Modified 14 Mar 2021 
    Family ID F6000000003828584500  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart