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- Death of Daniel W. Douglass ? In this number of the Censor we record the death Daniel W. Douglass, Esq., which occurred on the 31st of May, at Houghton, Michigan. He was born in New London, CT: April 14th, 1794, and was above 74 years of age at the time of his death. He was one of the pioneer business men in this county, having settled in this village when only a boy, in the year 1811, being a member of the family of his brother-in-law, the late Jacob Houghton. Mr. Douglass continued in active and extensive business in this village for quite half a century, and few men in western New York were more widely and favorably know. To the early settlers he extended many favors, and encouraged them in the long, laborious task of clearing these heavy timber lands by giving them credits on his books and securing a market for the first and cheap products of a new country, then beyond canals and railroads. But few men, who truly knew him and were in trade during those trying and early days in the history of the county, survive him. We call to mind only Gen. Elijah Ripley, Hon., Alvah H. Walker, Maj. Samuel Barrett, Walter Smith, and Joseph Plumb, who live as he died, ripe in years and highly honored.
Mr Douglass was one of the founders of the Fredonia Academy, always contributing to its support, and was for many years its President. He was an intelligent and zealous politician influential with his party, being a Whig and Republican. In 1851, he and Austin Smith represented the County in the Legislature. That year there was an extra session and much important legislation had it will be recollected that they were both highly esteemed and influential members. Mr. Douglass declined a re-election
He had genial and social habits, gentle manly instincts, probity of character, and was justly popular with his associates. He was buried at Houghton, Mich., the home of his son Edward; if his sepulcher had been here, many an old friend would have laid a [letters blurred together ? maybe: token on his __ and shed a tear at his tomb.]
The Fredonia Censor, Chautauqua Co, NY
10 June 1868 issue
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