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Arthur Sylvester Douglass Jr. was born
in 1916 in New York, United States, to Arthur Sylvester Douglass Sr.
(33) and Clara Armistead (37). He had two siblings, William, born 1919
and Andrew, born 1924. By 1920, he lived in Brookline, Norfolk,
Massachusetts, and by 1930, his family had moved to Detroit, Wayne,
Michigan.
In 1937, Arthur attended the junior promenade at MIT
with Constance Virginia Carter, marking the early stages of their
relationship. She is said to come from 'a very wealthy family'. On 4 February 1939, they married in Vermont under unusual
circumstances—Constance misrepresented details about her identity on the
certificate. Later that year, they held a formal wedding in December
with public announcements.
Their marriage was
unconventional—first conducted in secrecy in Vermont on 4 February 1939,
where Constance altered personal details on the certificate. She
registered her name as C. Virginia Carter lied about who her parents
were, her occupation, and her residence. She claimed her residence was
at the Tourraine Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. She lied about her
parent's names, putting them down as "Peter Carter and Catherine James."
She also put down on the certificate that she was an actress – which
makes it very ironic. However, they later publicly celebrated in
December 1939
Arthur built a life with Constance in New York,
settling on East 73rd Street, where census records describe him as
self-employed.
By 1940, Arthur and Constance were living in New
York, renting on East 73rd Street. He was listed as a designer and
self-employed. That same year, Arthur was drafted for World War II.
Census records from 1950 show the couple still residing in New York,
with their household including a maid.
In 1964, records indicate that
Arthur and Constance lived in Michigan, attending high-society events
like the Doric Debutante Cotillion. They remained together for decades
but had no children.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sylvester Douglass Jr
were listed as sponsors for the gala opening of "Young Collectors," an
exhibition of paintings lent by members of the Junior Council of the
Museum of Modern Art to be shown in the Guest House of Mrs. John D.
Rockefeller in November 1954.
Arthur passed away on 10 April
1995, at 80 years old, followed by Constance a month later. Their legacy
is scattered across census records and newspaper clippings, offering
glimpses into a life marked by privilege and quiet mystery.
Notes:
• Constance Virginia Carter was born on 3 April 1916 in Detroit, Michigan, to Anne May McNutlty (1892-1974) and George William Carter (1887-1953). She was their only child and grew up in a wealthy household. Her father, originally from North Dakota, served as Vice President of an insurance company, while her mother, born in Illinois, managed their home.
• In December 1939, Constance got "officially" married. Her parents sent out tons of invitations and notices in the newspapers. She wore pink to her wedding,
presumably because she was already been married.
•
Arthur Sylvester Douglass Sr. was Major in the Ordnance Department
during the 1st World War. Based in Washington and then Boston, he did
not leave the United States. He was promoted Lt. Col. in March 1919. When Arthur Sylvester Douglass was born on 16 January 1883, in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States, his father, Roswell Sargeant Douglass, was 41 and his mother, Frances Josephine Clark, was 32. He married Clara Armistead on 11 June 1912, in Richmond, North Carolina, United States. They were the parents of at least 3 sons. He lived in Brookline, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States in 1920 and Detroit Ward 4, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States in 1940. He registered for military service in 1920. He died on 6 March 1942, in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States, at the age of 59.
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Source
Sources for this article include:
University of Prince Edward Island |
