Background
Douglas, William Lewis was born on August 22, 1845 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. Son of William and Mary C. (Vaughan) Douglas.
Douglas, William Lewis was born on August 22, 1845 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. Son of William and Mary C. (Vaughan) Douglas.
Educated at brief irregular periods in public schools of Massachusetts. (Doctor of Laws, Tufts College, 1905). When 5 years old lost father by death.
At age of 7 went to work for an uncle, who set him to pegging shoes, and except for a brief return to his mother when 11 years old, worked for his uncle 8 years. Worked in cotton mill at Plymouth at 15, and later in factory at Chiltonville, Massachusetts. Afterward went to Hopkinton and South. Braintree, Massachusetts, where learned bootmaking.
Worked as journeyman and foreman at Brockton, 1876, when began with small shop, from which has built up business with capacity of 17,600 pairs of shoes daily, and owns 117 retail shoe stores in large cities.
Member Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1884-1885, Senate, 1887.
Married North. Augusta Terry, September 6, 1868.