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 1 84 DOUGLAS. DOWSE. DOUGLAS, NORMAN B., son of Edwin B. and Naomi (Tupper) Douglas, was born at Middlebury, Addison county, Vt., August i, 1844. He received his early education in the common schools of Middlebury until the age of eleven, when he removed to Shore- ham, Vt. He there attended the common school during the winter sessions until fif- teen years of age. He subsequently at- tended Newton Academy, Shoreham, six terms, and Brandon Seminary two terms. Upon leaving school he assisted his father on his farm until 1S78, when he pur- chased the farm he now occupies at Sher- born. Besides being much interested in stock raising and butter making on his farm, Mr. Douglas is president of the Patrons' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a position he has held since its organiza- tion, April, 1S87. In August, 1862, he enlisted as private in company D, 1 4th Vermont infantry volunteers ; served in the army of the Potomac; took part in the Gettysburg campaign in 1863 ; and was mustered out of service in August, 1863. He is a member of Post 65, G. A. R., South Framingham, also of Union Lodge, F. & A. M., Middlebury, Vt. ; Pottei Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Middlebury, and of Natick Commandery, K. T., Natick. He has been master of Sherborn Grange, P. of H., three years ; master of Middlesex and Norfolk Union Grange three years ; member of the executive committee of Massachusetts State Grange five years. He is now president of Middlesex South Agri- cultural Society ; overseer of Massachu- setts State Grange ; member of the board of selectmen and board of assessors of the town of Sherborn. Mr. Douglas has been twice married — first at Brandon, Vt., November 4, 1867, to Annah D., daughter of Dr. Charles and Mary (Mansfield) Backus, who died in 1869. His second marriage was April 26, 1876, with Mrs. Laura Cook Barnes, daughter of Capron C. and Elizabeth (Houghton) Cook, of West Newton. He has no children. DOWSE, EDMUND, son of Benjamin and Thankful (Chamberlain) Dowse, was born in Sherborn, Middlesex county, Sep- tember 17, 1813. He attended the schools of his native town, and fitted for college at the old Wrentham Academy. In 1S36 he was graduated from Amherst College. His alma mater has since conferred upon him the deerree of D. D. Dr. Dowse studied theology with the late Dr. Jacob Ide, of Medway, and was ordained and settled as pastor of the Pilgrim Society, the evangelical Congre- gational church of his native town, Octo- ber 10, 1838, where, for fifty years, he has continued his ministry. The Dowse family settled in Sherborn in 1775, anc l at tlle date of Mr. Dowse's ordination his father ancl grandfather were members of his congregation. The family originally came from Broughton, England, and " Edmund " has long been a family name. Sir Edmund Dowse, living in 1625, left in the latter town a memorial in the EDMUND DOWSE form of a charity-school called "Dowse's Charity." Dr. Dowse has always taken an active interest in educational matters, hav- ing served fifty years as a member of the school committee of Sherborn. Soon after his settlement, Dr. Dowse was married to Elizabeth R. Leland, who died in 1842. His second wife, Elizabeth Bowditch, was a lady of rare ability, who died January 12, 1864, and was the mother of four children : Sarah, Priscilla, Deb- orah P. (Mrs. Lowell Coolidge), and Wil- liam Bradford Homer Dowse. The last two only are living. Elizabeth R. L., by his first wife, died in 1876, after a life full of good works. In the latter part