Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/634

 570 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI university and graduated from the law de- partment in 1879, immediately commencing the practice of law. He located at Jackson. Mis.souri, and became the first president of the Cape Girardeau County Savings Bank at Jackson, Missouri. For fourteen years he was attorney for the Cotton Belt Railroad and was also attorney for the Southern Illi- nois and Missouri Bridge Company at the time of its organization. He still holds this office. He served four years as member of the state board of law examiners of ilissouii He is a director of the street railway com- pany. October 5, 1881, was a notable one with him, as on that day was solemnized his mar- riage with Elizabeth Bollinger Welling a na- tive of Jackson, Missouri. One son was born to this union, Julien Gale, who followed law as his profession and is now practicing in Cape Girardeau. William Henry ililler is a member of the Masonic order, is a Knight Templar and also a Shriner. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in which or- ganization he is past excellent ruler. Mr. Miller is still president of the bank in Jack- son, having held that office since 1893. There is now a capital of fifty thousand dollars in the bank with sixty-five thousand dollars sur- plus. He is also president of the Southeast Missouri Trust Company, which has a paid up -capital of five hundred thousand dollars, and one of the directors of the Sturdivant Bank, being chairman of the discount com- mittee. He is a loyal member of the Demo- cratic party, but has never desired public office. As a life long resident of .southeast- ern Missouri it is natural that he should be intensely interested in any enterpri.se that affects the welfare of his native state. He has made a decided success of his life, both finan- cially and from a higher standpoint, for he has been of use to his fellow men. He is a citizen of whom the eountj'' is proud and one whom it delights to honor. Alexander Thomas Douglass, who was at the head of the family in Dunklin county, was a native of Virginia. He was born in Bedford county in that state April 5. 1811. being the son of Robert Henry and Permelia (Noel) Douglass. The family was originally from Scotland and it seems that the second "s" in the name was added in this country to distinguish different branches of the family. The children of Robert Henrv' and Permelia Douglass besides Alexander Thomas, were Louvina, who became the wife of a man named Penny in Callaway county, Kentucky; Cath- erine, who married Matthew Seuter of Ten- nessee and removed to Southeast JMissouri; and Alfred Hill Douglass, who afterward lived in Cheatham county, Tennessee. Alexander T. Douglass was married at Mos- cow, Kentucky, to Elizabeth Mott in 1838. The entire family moved from Virginia to Montgomery county, Tennessee, in 1830. At various times they lived near Fulton, near Union City, Tennessee and in Callaway count.y, Kentuckj'. The family was related to the Callaways in whose honor Callaway county was named. While living in Kentucky they were associated with the family of Daniel Boone and at one time Sue Callaway, a cousin of Alexander T. Douglass, and Daniel Boone's daughter ilay, were captured by the Indians and after a thrilling pursuit were rescued. In 1850 the family consisting of father, mother and children moved to Dunklin county where they engaged in farming, the land which was settled by them was near the site of the present town of Caruth. Mr. Douglass made his home at this place until the time of his death in 1876. Dunklin county was at this time a frontier county. The first settlers were still living and the population was exceedingly small ; conditions of life were hard in many respects; but ilr. Douglass was a bold, vigorous, hardy, and enterprising man and soon accumulated a competence. He was held in the highest respect and confidence by his neighbors, and, while never a politician or candidate for office, was appointed to positions of trust, at one time being made a s|)eeial commissioner for the sale of county lands and at another time being vested with authority to adjust certain difficult matters in the early history of the county. In person he was a tall well pro- portioned man of commanding presence and bearing and possessed a wonderful strength and power of endurance ; he died in 1876, as previously stated, from an attack of erysip- elas. His wife, Elizabeth Mott, was born in Ken- tucky, June 12, 1821. Her family was one of the pioneer families of that state and many of its members are still living there. One of her sisters, Mrs. W. H. Helm, lives at Ken- nett. Mrs. Douglass died at Senath, Febru- ary 1, 1899. To Mr. and Mrs. Douglass there were born the following children: Rev.