Helen (Douglas) Douglas Lady Graham (abt. 1436 - aft. 1486)

Born about 1436 in Scotland

Ancestors

Wife of William (Graham) Graham Second Lord Graham — married before 1460 in Scotland

Descendants

Died after 20 Nov 1486 after about age 50 in Scotland [uncertain]

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Biography

Helen (Douglas) Douglas Lady Graham is a member of Clan Douglas.

Helen Douglas was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Helen's exact birthdate is unknown but thought to have been about 1436, she was a daughter of William Douglas Earl of Angus and his wife Margaret Hay.^[1] Although not named as their daughter in the Royal Ancestry account of her father,^[2] she is so identified (twice) in Scots Peerage, first in the Graham article, where "in a writ of 9 December 1460 penes Lord Ruthven, she refers to William Douglas of Cluny as her brother, and he was brother of Earl George."^[3][4] and secondly with two mentions in the Addenda et Corrigenda.^[5] She is also shown as their daughter in two accounts in the Complete Peerage.^[6]

Marriages and Children

Helen married her first husband, William, Lord Graham of Kincardine by 1460.^[7] There were at least seven children from this marriage: (see research note below)

• William Graham^[8] born about 1463, heir to his father; died at Flodden in 1513.^[7]
• George Graham,^[8] also died at Flodden.^[7]
• Patrick,^[8] rector of Glasgow University.^[7]
• Marjory / Mariot Graham married James Lord Ogilvy, her step brother.^[7][9]
• Christian Graham married (1) James Haldane (2) Thomas Maule.^[7]
• Agnes Graham born c.1470; married Walter Forrester of the Torwood in 1488;^[10] died probably after 1505 after having seven children.
• probably Elizabeth Graham born about 1460; married Andrew Moncur of that Ilk before 23 February 1480/1.^[11] Scots Peerage does not include Elizabeth, but she seems highly likely based on the evidence presented in the profile of her husband.

William died about 1471/2,^[7] and in 1474, the widow Lady Graham and her mother-in-law the Dowager Lady Graham had a serious dispute whereby Helen, Lady Graham raised an action against Christian, Lady Graham. The latter successfully pleaded the exception "again ye said Elene yt scho suld be under sentence of cursing."^[12][13]

Helen married secondly, as his second wife Sir James, Lord Ogilvy of Airlie before May 1478.^[1][14] Helen retained the title of Lady Graham even after this marriage. Her younger children by William Graham appear to have accompanied her to be brought up in the Ogilvy household. Sir James Ogilvy and Helen Douglas had issue:

• Oliver Ogilvy married Felicia Fenton of Cookston.^[14][15]
• Alexander Ogilvy married Nicholas Stratoun.^[14]
• Isabella Ogilvy married Alexander Stewart, son of James Stewart, Earl of Buchan & Auchterhouse.^[14]
• Malcolm Ogilvy married Magaret Ouchterlony.^[14]
• probably John Ogilvy of Craig married Helen Cossour before 1506;^[16] died, probably at Floddin in September 1513, but certainly before 31 May 1514.^[17] Scots Peerage does not include John (second of the name) as a son of Helen.^[14] Please see the research note below for more on this.

At Arbroath on 8 May 1478 the Abbot and Convent of Arbroath granted a tack to Helen, Lady Graham, and Oliver, her eldest son by Sir James Ogilvy, of the lands of Balfour and Kirkton, with the mill and teind sheaves, for nineteen years from Whitsunday 1480.^[18]

Death

Helen died probably well after 20 November 1486 when in the last known record of her, she is named as Helen, Lady Graham, the spouse of and procurator for Sir James Ogilvy of Airlie with Andrew Moncur as principal witness. In this action, she appeared before David, Earl of Crawford, presenting letters of discharge under the seal and subscription of her husband asking to be freed from his service to the Earl for reasons contained in the letters, but the earl rejected the request.^[19]

After her death, her husband later married Janet Lyle as his third wife.^[1][20]

Research Notes

Isabella Graham

Previously, this profile has shown Isabella Graham, wife of Walter Buchanan, as the daughter of Helen Douglas and William, 2nd Lord Graham. For chronological reasons, this is impossible and she has been detached. See the research note on her profile for more on this.

John Ogilvy

A letter of reversion shows John Ogilvy was "uncle to said Lord [James, Lord Ogilvy] on his mother's side."^[17] It does not specify if John was brother german to James' mother or not. John could still be called uncle if he were only a half-brother.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Adrian Benjamin Burke, "The Livingston Ancestry of the Duncanson Sisters of New Netherland: Part II of III: Identifying their maternal great-grandmother Margaret Forrester," The Genealogist 27 (2013): 162-181 at 176, American Ancestors.
2. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, Kimball G. Everingham, editor (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), 1: 653 BRUS 11.v.a.
3. ↑ James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage: founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom 9 volumes, (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1904-1914), 6: 222n, Internet Archive.
4. ↑ William Fraser, The Douglas Book, 4 vols (Edinburgh: 1885), 3: 91 #95, Internet Archive.
5. ↑ Scots Peerage, 9: 7 (Airlie), 11-12 (Angus), Internet Archive.
6. ↑ George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage of England Scotland Ireland Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant Extinct or Dormant 14 vols in 13 (London: St. Catherine Press), 6: 53 (sub Graham), Family Search and 9: 146 (sub Montrose), Family Search.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6} Scots Peerage, 6: 222-223, Internet Archive.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum: Register of the Great Seal of Scotland (Edinburgh: H.M. General Register House, 1882-), 2: 363-4 #1728, Internet Archive,
9. ↑ Scots Peerage, 1: 116, Internet Archive
10. ↑ Papers of the Earls of Airlie: Marriage Contracts, National Archives of Scotland, GD16/44/2, National Archives of Scotland catalog entry.
11. ↑ Register of the Great Seal, 2: 304-5 #1462, Internet Archive.
12. ↑ Scots Peerage, 6:222 citing "Acta Audit., 34, 36," Internet Archive.
13. ↑ The Acts of the Lords Auditors of Causes and Complaints A.D. M.CCCC.LXVI_A.D. M.CCCC.XCIV [1466-1494] (n.p.: n.p., 1839) 34, 36, Google Books.
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5} Scots Peerage, 1: 114-115, 9: 7, Internet Archive.
15. ↑ Liber S. Thome De Aberbrothoc; Registrorum Abbacie De Aberbrothoc [Register of the Abbey of Aberbrothoc], Cosmo Innes and Patrick Chalmers, eds., 2 vols. (Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club: 1848-1856) 2: 176-177 #200, 300-301 #369, Internet Archive.
16. ↑ Papers of the Earls of Airlie: Lands & Barony of Lintrathen, National Records of Scotland GD16/3/149, National Records of Scotland catalog entry .
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Papers of the Earls of Airlie: Lands & Barony of Alyth, National Records of Scotland GD16/12/244, National Records of Scotland catalog entry.
18. ↑ Liber de Aberbrothoc, 2: 176, Internet Archive.
19. ↑ Papers of the Earls of Airlie: Bonds of Manrent, Grants…, National Archives of Scotland, GD16/25/1, National Archives of Scotland catalog entry.
20. ↑ Scots Peerage, 1: 114, Internet Archive.

Acknowledgements

Thank you to all who have contributed to this profile. Click the Changes tab to see those previous edits.

Magna Carta Project

This profile was developed for the Magna Carta Project 12 November 2023 by Greg Cooke, and reviewed 19 November 2023 by Jen Hutton.

This profile has been identified by the Magna Carta Project as in a trail from Magna Carta Surety Baron Gilbert de Clare to Margaret and Catherine Duncanson. The trail, which was badged 11 December 2023, is set out in the Magna Carta trails section of Margaret Duncanson's Profile.

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".