DOSS, (Hon.) William L., Dallas County, TX., then Vermilion Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller



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Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions,
and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 516-518.  Edited
by Alc‚e Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical
Association.

Doss, Hon. William L., successful merchant, legislator, and bank director
of Gueydan, Vermilion parish, La., was born in Dallas county, Ala., Feb.
24, 1850, and is a son of Thomas Allen King and Martha (Traylor) Doss, the
former a native of north Alabama and the latter of the Carolinas.  The
paternal great-grandfather, Jonathan Doss, was a native of Germany, and
came to America, locating in the state of Virginia, in 1737.  The paternal
grandfather, John Doss, was born in Virginia, but ran away from home when
14 years old, and finally settled in Alabama.  William L. Doss' mother died
when the lad was 8 years old, the father following the mother 3 years
later.  He was educated in private schools of the county in which he was
born, and remained on the old homestead in Dallas county, Ala., with his
stepmother, until 24 years old.  In Jan., 1874, he located in Morehouse
parish, La., where he engaged in farming, later adding a sawmill
enterprise, and still later a mercantile business to his pursuits.  All of
his undertakings prospered, and in 1891 he had become the largest
individual shipper of cotton in Morehouse parish, his shipments in that
year being 1427 bales.  Following this he was drowned out by an overflow,
losing nearly all he possessed, and in Jan., 1895, he removed with his
family to Acadia parish and there located in the vicinity of Crowley, where
he again engaged in farming and began the rehabilitation of his fortune.
In Feb., 1897, Mr. Doss opened the first mercantile business at Gueydan,
and built the sixth house erected in the town.  He carried only an $800
stock of goods, but even with the handicap of small capital, his first
year's business amounted to more than $14,000.  He has remained in
mercantile business at Gueydan continuously since 1897, longer than any
other merchant in the place, and during this time has given more than
$5,000 to the churches and schools, and spent $7,000 in the education of
his children.  In 1880 William L. Doss was married to Miss Jennie Keller,
of Morehouse parish, a native of East Feliciana, and to their union 6
children have been born, these being at this time as follow:  Rev. William
Doss, a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, now stationed
at New Orleans;  Alexander Keller, deceased, who had completed the A. B.
and B. S. degrees, and at the time of his death was in senior class in the
medical department of Tulane university;   Sallie T., wife of J. J. Martin
of Gueydan;  Thomas Jefferson, associated with his father in business;
Lola Belle, who died in infancy, and  Bessie Robinett, now at the parental
home.  Mr. Doss and members of his family are affiliated with the Methodist
Episcopal church, South, in the organization of which he took a leading
part in Gueydan.  He has been a member of the board of Stewards and board
of trustees since the  organization of the congregation at Gueydan, and
since the year of his location in that vicinity has been superintendent of
the Sunday school.  Mr. Doss has acted with the democratic party since
casting his first ballot, and has acted in various official capacities.  He
served 8 years as a member of the police jury and 3 years as a member of
the school board of Morehouse parish.  From 1888 to 1892 he served as a
member of the Louisiana state legislature, representing Morehouse parish,
and it was during that term of the legislature that the famous lottery
fight occurred, in which he took a leading part and determined stand
against the lottery.  He is an earnest, able, and convincing public
speaker, and previous to this session of the legislature, and its attendant
struggle over the lottery question, he had campaigned throughout Northern
Louisiana in opposition to the lottery influences.  Previous to his removal
from Morehouse parish, he was prominently mentioned for congressional
honors.  In 1876 he took an active part in the movement that resulted in
the removal from office of the carpet-bag politicians and the ending of
their power.  Since locating at Gueydan he has served as a member of the
city council during a number of terms, and also as a member of the school
board.  He organized the first school at Gueydan.  And during a number of
years employed the teachers, the management of the local school having been
turned over to him by the parish board.  Much of his time and means has
been devoted to the cause of education at Gueydan.  Mr. Doss is a
stockholder in the People's State Bank and the Bank of Gueydan, and is a
member of the board of directors of the latter institution.  While at all
times manifesting the keenest and most watchful interest in political and
public affairs, and being deeply appreciative of the high obligations of
American citizenship, he has not taken an active part in politics since
leaving Morehouse parish, finding it necessary to devote his abilities to
the management of private interests, which, with such cooperation in
school, church, and other local affairs as he feels it incumbent upon him
to give, fully occupies his time and energies.  Mr. Doss holds the
unqualified approval and fullest confidence of the people among whom his
activities have been cast, and it is abundantly evident that the efforts of
few men have been so fruitful of the good and substantial rewards of
intelligent, good-intentioned and well-directed endeavor as have his.  He
bears the stamp of a man of the highest sense of integrity and personal honor.