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J. N. Douglas, a merchant and farmer of Big River Township, was born in
Shannon County, Mo., in 1847, and is the second of five children born to 

Samuel and Letitia (Davis) Douglas.  The former was a native of Randolph

County, Tenn., and when but a boy came with his father, Thomas Douglas, 

to Shannon County, Mo., where the father passed the remainder of his life.  

He was a farmer and stock raiser, was a soldier in the Black Hawk War, and 

was one of the first to settle in Shannon County. Among the wilds of Shannon 

County was Samuel reared, with no educational advantages, and in a community 

where Indians and wild animals reveled. He was married about 1843 in Reynolds 

County, but located in the county in which he was reared, and twenty miles 

from where Mrs. Douglas' people lived, there being but one house between the 

places.  Mr. Douglas served in the Mormon War, at Nauvoo, and was a successful 

farmer and stock raiser.  In about 1854 he sold his property and intended going 

to California, but was taken sick and died just before the company was ready to 

embark.  He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.  The mother was born in 

Kentucky, but came with her parents to Missouri, where they settled in Reynolds 

County, and where they were among the first settlers.  The subject of this sketch 

was reared by his mother, and received but meager educational advantages. At the 

age of sixteen he enlisted in Company D, Twenty-first Missouri Cavalry, was in the 
Army of the Cumberland under Gen. Thomas, was in the battle of Murfreesboro, also 

the last Nashville fight, and in a great many minor engagements. He was discharged 

at Nashville, Tenn., September 19, 1865. Just prior to the war his mother removed to 

Jefferson County, to which place our subject returned from the war.  After about one 

year at school he spent two and a half years in the lead mines of Washington County, 

and during the night time attended school.  He then came to Jefferson County and 

took charge of the "Old Ditch Coal Mines" for about six years. While there, and in 

1871, he married Miss Susan Isabella, daughter of James and Susan Cook, and a native 

of St. Louis, Mo.  The fruits of this union were eight children, six now living: 

Anna, Walter, William, Malcom, Bertie and Cora.  May and Mabel (twins) are deceased.  

Soon after marriage Mr. Douglas resumed agricultural pursuits and also engaged in 

merchandising in Big River Township, where he remained until 1882, when he was 

elected collector of Jefferson County, and re-elected in 1884.  In March, 1885, he 

resigned and soon after removed to Big River Township, and purchased a farm of 295 

acres, all well improved and in a fine state of cultivation.  He is also running a 

general store in connection with this.  Politically a Democrat, he cast his first
presidential vote for Lincoln, while in the service.  Mrs. Douglas is a member of 

the Catholic Church.