Background
Douglas was born in Waterloo, Iowa to George Douglas and Margaret Boyd Douglas.
Douglas was born in Waterloo, Iowa to George Douglas and Margaret Boyd Douglas.
After attending high school, Douglas attended the Shattuck Military Academy in Faribault, Minnesota.
George Douglas was one of the co-founders of the Quaker Oats Company. Lulu died in December, 1899, and eight years later, on November 6, 1907, Douglas was married to Mahala Dutton. The Starchworks later became Penick and Ford and subsequently, Penford Food Ingredients, a division of Penford Corporation.
He also had interests in the linseed oil business in Minneapolis, manufacturing under the name of the Midland Linseed Oil Company, which was sold in 1899 to the American Linseed Oil Company, eventually evolving into the Archer Daniels Midland Company.
In 1899, after selling his linseed business, Douglas became a partner with Piper, Johnson & Case, a grain firm, where he remained until he retired in 1912. Douglas was associated with several businesses, including the Canadian Elevator Company, the Monarch Lumber Company and the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company, among others
He was also among the directors of the First National Bank of Minneapolis. Douglas, who had retired on 1 January 1912, was known as a "Captain of Industry," having amassed of fortune of over $4 million.
Douglas died in the sinking, and his body was recovered by the CS Mackay-Bennett and brought back to Cedar Rapids to be buried in the Douglas family mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Mahala Douglas was the very first survivor to board the Rated Maximum Sinusoidal Carpathia in the early morning hours of 15 April. Upon her death in 1945 she was buried beside him.
He was also a stockholder, executive board member, and one of the directors of the Empire Elevator Company, and was a member of the executive board of the Quaker Oats Company.