Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Dougall, Capt William, M D 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 7, 2007, 8:47 pm

Author: Genealogical & Biographical Record

CAPT. WILLIAM DOUGALL, M. D. While Dr. Dougall has been successfully engaged 
in the practice of medicine in Joliet since 1872 he is perhaps best known to 
the outside world as the president of the Illinois Pure Aluminum Company, of 
Lemont, a comparatively recent but very flourishing organization.  The company 
owns a plant in Lemont that is rapidly becoming celebrated and is the largest 
of its kind in the world.  Started in 1892, two years later it came into the 
charge of its present president, under whose wise oversight the output has 
been greatly increased.  The products include everything in aluminum, from a 
hairpin to cooking utensils as large as three hundred gallon kettles.  
Shipments are made to different parts of the United States and to other 
countries.

Dr. Dougall is a graduate of Chicago Medical School (now the Northwestern 
University medical department), from which he received the degree of M. D., 
March 4, 1868. Afterward he practiced at Lemont, Cook County, for four years, 
and acted as chief surgeon of the Illinois and Michigan canal when it was 
deepened.  Since 1872 he has made his home in Joliet, where, under President 
Harrison, he held the position of pension surgeon.  At one time he was 
president and later secretary of the Will County Medical Society, and he is 
also connected with the Illinois State and American Medical Associations.  In 
1879 he was appointed postmaster of Joliet by President Hayes and filled the 
position during the administrations of Garfield and Arthur, retiring in 1883.  
In 1875 he was elected chairman of the county Republican central committee and 
continued in that capacity until 1879.

In Paisley, Scotland, March 1, 1842, William Dougall was born to John and 
Margaret (Hotistoun) Dougall.  The family descended from the McDougalls, who 
were represented in the battle of Bannockburn; they were not friendly to the 
historical Robert Bruce, because one of their family, Red Comyn, had been 
assassinated by him.  John Dougall was born December 10, 1799, and became a 
cotton spinner near Paisley. In 1858 he brought his family to America and 
settled near New Haven, Ind., where he died December 28, 1874.  His wife was 
born in Houstoun, Renfrewshire, January 1, 1801, and descended from Sir 
Patrick Houstoun, a Huguenot, who settled in Scotland about 1585 and became 
owner of Houstoun castle.  Her father, John Houstoun, was a farmer there.  Of 
her twelve children five are living, viz.: Mrs. John Hadden, Allan H., 
William, Mrs. M. F. Williamson and Mrs. J. F. Beuret.  One of her daughters, 
Isabelle F., Mrs. Williamson, spent thirty years in the mission field of 
China, and died there in August, 1886.

June 14, 1861, the subject of this sketch was one of the first who enlisted in 
a three years' regiment, the Fifteenth Indiana Infantry, and was appointed 
corporal. He took part in the battles of Rich Mountain, Elk Water, Greenbrier 
(Va.), Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Perryville, Stone River (where he was wounded 
by a canister shot), Tallahomaand Chattanooga. October 1, 1863, he was 
commissioned a captain in the Thirteenth United States Colored Infantry, in 
which capacity he continued until the close of the war. At the charge of 
Overton, where the colored troops fought nobly, he lost seventeen out of the 
forty-three men in his company and also had thirteen wounded.  In that charge 
he was the only man who put his foot on the rebel works, and when the line was 
formed again he was once more at the front and captured a number of 
prisoners.  His being the color company suffered more than the others.  At the 
close of the war he refused a commission in the regular army and resigned as 
an officer.  Returning to his home he took up the study of medicine, which he 
has since followed.  October 1, 1872, he married Miss Cassie Walker, of 
Lemont, by whom he has two children, Mary C. and William Houstoun.

At Maysville, Ind., August 18, 1865, Dr. Dougall was made a Mason.  Afterward 
he was senior warden of Mt. Joliet Lodge No. 42, of Joliet.  He has also been 
an officer in Joliet Chapter, R. A. M., and Joliet Council No. 82. In 1872 he 
was made sir knight in Joliet Commandery No. 4, K. T.; in 1880-81 served as 
eminent commander, and in 1882 was prelate. He has been post commander of 
Bartleson Post No. 6, G. A. R., and an active member of the Illinois 
Commandery of the Loyal Legion.  Among the business enterprises with which he 
has been identified is the Lake street elevated railroad in Chicago.  Local 
movements receive his co-operation, and he is justly numbered among the 
leading professional and business men of his home city.

Additional Comments:
Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing 
Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical 
Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900

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