Biographical Sketch of J. N. Douglas, Jefferson County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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J. N. Douglas, a merchant and farmer of Big River Township, was born in
Shannon County, Mo., in 1847, and is the second of five children born
to Samuel and Letitia (Davis) Douglas.  The former was a native of Ran-
dolph County, Tenn., and when but a boy came with his father, Thomas
Douglas, to Shannon County, Mo., where the father passed the remainder
of his life.  He was a farmer and stock raiser, was a soldier in the
Black Hawk War, and was one of the first to settle in Shannon County.
Among the wilds of Shannon County was Samuel reared, with no education-
al advantages, and in a community where Indians and wild animals revel-
ed.  He was married about 1843 in Reynolds County, but located in the 
county in which he was reared, and twenty miles from where Mrs. Douglas'
people lived, there being but one house between the places.  Mr. Doug-
las served in the Mormon War, at Nauvoo, and was a successful farmer 
and stock raiser.  In about 1854 he sold his property and intended go-
ing to California, but was taken sick and died just before the company
was ready to embark.  He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.  The
mother was born in Kentucky, but came with her parents to Missouri,
where they settled in Reynolds County, and where they were among the
first settlers.  The subject of this sketch was reared by his mother,
and received but meager educational advantages.  At the age of sixteen
he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-first Missouri Cavalry, was in the 
Army of the Cumberland under Gen. Thomas, was in the battle of Murfree-
sboro, also the last Nashville fight, and in a great many minor engage-
ments.  He was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., September 19, 1865. Just
prior to the war his mother removed to Jefferson County, to which place
our subject returned from the war.  After about one year at school he
spent two and a half years in the lead mines of Washington County, and
during the night time attended school.  He then came to Jefferson Coun-
ty and took charge of the "Old Ditch Coal Mines" for about six years.
While there, and in 1871, he married Miss Susan Isabella, daughter of
James and Susan Cook, and a native of St. Louis, Mo.  The fruits of 
this union were eight children, six now living: Anna, Walter, William,
Malcom, Bertie and Cora.  May and Mabel (twins) are deceased.  Soon
after marriage Mr. Douglas resumed agricultural pursuits and also en-
gaged in merchandising in Big River Township, where he remained until
1882, when he was elected collector of Jefferson County, and re-elected
in 1884.  In March, 1885, he resigned and soon after removed to Big
River Township, and purchased a farm of 295 acres, all well improved
and in a fine state of cultivation.  He is also running a general store
in connection with this.  Politically a Democrat, he cast his first
presidential vote for Lincoln, while in the service.  Mrs. Douglas is a
member of the Catholic Church.

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