Does anyone have her parents names? She arrived in NJ about 1742 as an indentured servant. Married her master's son, Benjamin Fortner, and had issue. I'm descended from her 2nd eldest daughter, Abigail Fortner. Abigail married Wm. Garrison.
I've read the stories about her. Grew up with "A Romance in Real Life." All the stories have a common theme told through her descendants; they're allover US and Canada. Isabel was born abt. 1725 somewhere in Scotland. The stories say Bothwell Castle. Haven't had any success there. I'm inclined to think she's from the Bonjeward area and even possibly Timpendean. My great-grandmother remembered her family telling her Isabella was from the Border Douglases.
Isabella has been my brick wall for years!! I have info on some of her other descendants I've gathered along the way will share. Any info about Isabel's parents in Scotland would be appreciated.
Linda (USA)

Country USA

I do hope that we can find out more about Isabella!

You can read more about her here: http://douglashistory.co.uk/history/IsabellaDouglas.htm

I have been researching my 6th great grandmother, Isobel Douglas Fortner, since 2000. I have much to share here, including collaboration I have done w/ a retired genealogist, Bonnie J. Everhart who was commissioned by Reuben Freeman (he gained recognition for our Revolutionary War Veteran, Benjamin Fortner) to conduct research in vicinity of Glasgow on Isobel and her immediate family.

Happy to work together to put clarity to her ancestry ... please see my website before contacting me.

Country USA

This is an interesting 'brick wall' that I would love to be able to get passed.
Your website refers to Douglas of Mains. The Douglas of Mains branch of the family is usually thought of as being the Dunbartonshire family rather than the Mains in Renfrewshire. See: http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/families/douglasofmains.htm
However, it may be that you have some evidence of the Renfrewshire property being owned by the Douglas family?
William

The connection to Renfrew, Douglas of Mains, was offered by a retired genealogist, Bonnie J. Everhart. She was commmissioned to research Isobel's family in Scotland, by Reuben Freeman (Gettysburg). In so doing, she concluded that her father was most likely James Douglas of Mains, who lived at the Blythswood Manor/Estate in Renfrew. She also shared photographs with me of what were four gravesites, allegedly Arcihbald, James, Sholto, and Charles Douglas, at the Renfrew Parish.

Country USA

Hi!
I have just come across this which might prove interesting to the Blythswood/Mains discussion.
William
http://www.archive.org/stream/heraldryofcampbe02john/heraldryofcampbe02john_djvu.txt

I am actually related to her and I have my family tree back to her father and mother. Her father was Lord Archibald Douglas (1691-1781) and her mother was Jane Edmunds(sp?) That is as far as we got. If you find anymore, please contact me.
Thank you,
Marla Castleman
PS My family tree shows an Elisabeth Fortner married to a Mattias Garrison. If you have any info that can help me, I would appreciate it.

What is your source documentation that ties Isobel as the daughter of Archibald Douglas? I am still on the fence here, as to whether her father was James or Archibald and have been researching aggressively and actively (off-and-on) for over twelve years. There is conflicting information regarding either as father, and I have yet to find any source documentation to reach an objective conclusion.

I just finished Bothwell Castle this summer, and did learn that if she was from Bothwell Castle it was most likely the "new" castle that has since been leveled for a real estate development project of townhouses.

Country USA

I am a rookie at this and having difficulty interpreting what info is actually correct. I am confident that my heritage goes back to Benjamin geo Fortner,sr & lady Isabella Charlotte douglas & their son Benjamin p. Fortner. I would appreciate anyone connected to this family to pls contact me with your findings. Have a safe & wonderful 2023!!

Country Usa

This is one of those stories that may have a bit of truth but most likely is fantasy.

The story goes:
Isabella arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 and was an indentured servant. There are plenty of stories that she was a long lost aristocrat who ran away from home because she was not allowed to marry the man she wanted. She was set upon by pirates, and lost all her money, meaning she had to indenture herself, but there is no proof.

Some theorise:
She was the daughter of either Sir Charles Douglas, of the Bonjedward branch, or Sir Archibald Douglas, of Bothwell Castle.

But again, there is no proof.

Country United Kingdom

I, too, have been researching my 6th great grandmother, Isabel (America)/Isobel (Scotland) Douglas Fortner. My lineage is as follows: Lord Archibald (b. 1691, possibly 1694) & Jane Edmunds (Bothwell Castle) --> Isabel Douglas (according to a book my mother has: b. 1726, plucky girl left home at age 17 with family jewels; pirates boarded her ship and took all she had; she landed in NJ and became an indentured servant to a farmer) & Benjamin Fortner (who paid off her indentured servitude, either 3 yrs in or with 3 yrs. left)[both are buried in the town of Knowlton, Sussex County, NJ]--> Elizabeth Fortner (b.1744 d.7-18-1825) [brother Benjamin b. 1755 d. 7-10-1835 and Elizabeth buried in the unmarked--but just there with mom and brother 6-24 with plenty of pics take--Brown Cemetery, Mifflinville, PA] & Mathias Garrison --> Mary Garrison (b.2-1772) & Emanuel Kirkendall (b.10-1766 d.11-10-1849) --> Levi Kirkendall & Margaret Grover (b. 3-1809 d. 2-20-1885) --> Elizabeth Kirkendall (b.10-23-1830 d. 11-8-1887) & Obadiah Swank (b.10-13-1829 d.8-17-1891) --> Dill Levi Swank (b.5-11-1865 d.11-30-1919) & 1st wife Hattie Wagner (b.11-3-1867) d. 12-14-1898, the day my grandma was born) & thank you 2nd wife Ida May Montgomery (b.1864 d. 1949) for raising her despite being a widowed, single step-mom; she took in laundry and borders to pay for my grandma to graduate from Penn State University...not many female graduates then) --> Irene May Swank (b.12-14-1898 d. 2-30-2000; yeah, she lived in 3 centuries...cool! and oh, the changes she saw and told me about) & Frank Tressler (b.1890 d. 1975) --> Jane Louise Tressler (b.9-14-34 and still going strong at 89 and the researching force of all I have offered above; she has the genealogy with siblings of all mentioned above mapped out if I can help others; the book which contains the story about Isabel; and much more) & Paul Lienhardt (b. 11-16-32 d.6-17-18) --> Amy Elizabeth Lienhardt (my brother Scott Tressler Lienhardt & Phyllis Ware Lienhardt --> Mark and Shawn Lienhardt) & Christopher Guy Farrar --> Kathryn Irene Solis (biological dad David Hochanadel and step-dad Chris). Our kids Mark and Kate, respectively is where the line is now.

I've been researching more about Scotland and have some of the same questions as others mentioned and am looking for confidence and reliability in my research before saying more. Side note: intriguing movie from 2021 Outlaw King, which tells the true story of Robert The Bruce, spotlights James Douglas. My post-movie research about James led to further sources about Isobel and her father Lord Archibald. I don't fully trust Wikipedia, but there's much there that lead me to more credible leads. I look forward to more sleuthing our heritage and lineage together.

Country United States

I just learnt that Isabella Douglas Fortner was my 8th great grandma. Very interesting

Country United States