Addison C. Douglass

CHRISTY, DOUGLAS, HALLOWAY, PERKINS, PHILLIPS

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 9/2/2004 at 14:18:33

Among the retired farmers and veterans of the Civil war living in Truro is Addison C. Douglass, who was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, on the 8th of September, 1841, a son of John and Nancy (Moody) Douglass. The father, a native of Wales and a carpenter by trade, was married in Ohio, where his wife was born of Yankee descent. They remained in the Buckeye state until our subject was nine years of age and then removed to Lee county, Iowa, where Mr. Douglass bought a farm at a dollar and a quarter per acre. After living there for a year he sold the place and removed with his family to Van Buren county, Iowa, where he purchased a farm and resided several years, after which he again sold and removed to Afton, Iowa, where he spent the remainder of his life retired from active work. Both he and his wife passed away there.

Addison C. Douglass acquired his education in the district schools four miles from his home and remained with his parents until August, 1862, when he joined the Union army at Winchester, Iowa, being enrolled as a member of Company I, Nineteenth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel McFarland, who was killed in the battle of Prairie Grove. The regiment rendezvoused at Keokuk and then went to St. Louis, Missouri, whence they were sent successively to Rolla and Springfield, Missouri, and to Prairie Grove, Arkansas. At the last named place there was a hard battle, in which our subject was shot in the ear and his cousin, John Douglass, was killed at his side. Mr. Douglass of this review was often under fire and participated in much hard fighting at Baltimore, Maryland, and Springfield, Missouri. On the 5th of July, 1865, he was mustered out of the service at Indianapolis, Indiana, and received his honorable discharge. He then returned to Van Buren county, Iowa, and engaged in farming on the home place.

In 1867 Mr. Douglass came to Madison county and bought eighty acres of land on section 12, Ohio township, paying four dollars and fifty-five cents per acre. He located upon the place and devoted his entire time and energy to its cultivation. He planned his work wisely and was prompt in the execution of his plans; his crops were abundant and brought a good price on the market. He also raised stock, the sale of which added materially to his income. He resided upon his farm in Ohio township about four decades and was recognized as a progressive and successful agriculturist. As he prospered he purchased more land and acquired in all two hundred acres. In the spring of 1905 he rented his property to his youngest son and bought town property in Truro, building a comfortable home, and he and his wife are now living retired there.

On the 3d of February, 1867, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Douglass and Miss Mary Jane Christy, a daughter of John and Nancy (Perkins) Christy, both natives of Indiana, the former of Yankee descent. They were married in the Hoosier state and in 1854 removed to Missouri, where John Christy purchased a large tract of land. At the outbreak of the war he was driven out of his community because of his northern sympathies and lost everything that he possessed. He came to Iowa, locating in Van Buren county, where he became a landowner. Subsequently he removed to Kansas and both he and his wife died at Belleville, that state, at the home of their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Douglass have four children. Stephen A. Douglass, who was born on the 17th of December, 1867, is now postmaster at Adel, Iowa. He married Miss Minnie Halloway and they have two children, Carroll Christy and Eleanor Virginia. Ernest Edwin, whose birth occurred on the 27th of August, 1870, is employed in the harness shop of John Catterlin at Winterset in the capacity of manager. Fred Lloyd, who was born on the 8th of May, 1872, and is now farming in Ohio township, married Miss Carrie Phillips and they have three children, Ansel Russell, Velma Ethel and Orville Phillips. Martin Luther, born January 17, 1874, now rents the homestead in Ohio township from his father. He is a leading stockman of his township, feeding and buying stock which he ships to Chicago.

Until late years Mr. Douglass supported the republican party, but he is now independent in politics, considering rather the qualifications of the candidate than his party affiliations. He served for two terms as school director in his district in Ohio township. His wife is a member of the Baptist church and was for some years identified with the Woman's Relief Corps of Truro. While there was a Grand Army post at Truro Mr. Douglass belonged there, but after the post surrendered its charter he became a member of the St. Charles post. He has at all times taken a commendable interest in public affairs and his public spirit has prompted him to place the general welfare above individual gain, and he has thus manifested the same patriotism that led to his enlistment in the army at the time of the Civil war.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”