no image
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Douglass Syphax (1842 - 1890)

Sgt. Douglass Syphax
Born in Alexandria, Virginia, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
Son of [uncertain] and [uncertain]
Brother of , , , and
Husband of — married 1 Sep 1863 in District of Columbia, United Statesmap
Husband of — married 11 Feb 1867 in District of Columbia, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Father of , , , , , , and
Died at about age 48 in Washington, District of Columbia, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions Profile managers: US Black Heritage Project WikiTree private message [send private message] and K Raymoure private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 6 Mar 2018
This page has been accessed 518 times.
US Black Heritage Project
Douglass Syphax is a part of US Black history.
Join: US Black Heritage Project
Discuss: black_heritage

Contents

Biography

Notables Project
Douglass Syphax is Notable.

Douglas was an African American from Virginia who resettled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after the American Civil War and became a property developer.[1]

Douglass Syphax was born about 1842 in Alexandria, Virginia to Charles Syphax (1791-1869) and Maria (Carter) Syphax (1804-1886).[2]

Disputed Origins

One source in the Research Notes discusses that Douglas Syphax was a first cousin of William, which does not reconcile with the attached parents, without further review and study, which is warranted. Thus, Douglas' parents are now marked uncertain (but they may be proven if the relationship to William is mapped showing that William in Preston's narrative was not a descendant of Charles).

Note also that some report that Douglas' parents were freed from enslavement to George Washington Parke Custis before they wed.[3]

Marriages & Children

In 1863, Douglas first married Malvina Bourbon (circa 1842-1864),[4] by whom they had one child:[2]

  1. Rachel D (Syphax) Wright (circa 1864-1914) who married Major Marcus Dudley Wright 19 Dec 1888[5]

Before 1870, he married Abbie Ann Prosser (McKee) Syphax (1847-1923), of Pennsylvania[6][7] by whom they had several children:[2]

  1. John M Syphax[6][7]
  2. Douglass Prosser Syphax (1871-1928)[6][7]
  3. Robert D Syphax[7]
  4. Marcellus M Syphax[7]
  5. Theophilus John Minton McKee Syphax (1879-1948)[7] who married Anna Lois Dixon 8 Feb 1908 in Otsego, New York[8]
  6. James B Syphax[7]
  7. Ernest F Syphax[9]

Military Service

American Civil War Sergeant in the United States Colored Troops.[2] See also United States Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903.[10]

Death

He died 4 Feb 1890 at 1633 P St NW, Washington, District of Columbia,[11] the very same Italianate home which is now in the Dupont Circle Historic District, Washington, District of Columbia,[12] and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.[2][13]

Projects

Research Notes

UNDER REVIEW for ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATIONS & PROOFS:

  • Woodson, Carter Godwin ed., Preston Jr, E Delorus. "William Syphax, a Pioneer in Negro Education in the District of Columbia." The Journal of Negro history. 1935, p. 448-476. Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. Cited on Wikipedia, but the cited article includes only a few history points that may not reconcile to accepted facts: Douglas Syphax, a first cousin of William Syphax, served in the Civil War, was a member of the O.P. Morton Grand Army Post and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His son, Ernest Syphax (deceased) was a pharmacist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ... (p. 475)
  • The way that the Wikipedia citation is constructed, it is unclear whether another edition of the journal was intended, as no article "Douglas Syphax" seems to exist for the year they cite. Charles Syphax and some of his children are briefly discussed, earlier in Preston's article, so it cannot be ruled out that the origins are mixed without further information: notably, however, only one Douglas Syphax child is mentioned; whereas, clearly, other records document the children of Charles and Maria (Carter) Syphax, and a Douglas is not among them.

Sources

  1. ↑ Wikipedia entry: Douglas Syphax
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Find a Grave, database and images www.findagrave.com/memorial/37469607/douglass-syphax accessed 9 Nov 2021, memorial page for Sgt Douglass Syphax (1842–4 Feb 1890), Find A Grave: Memorial #37469607, citing Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA; Maintained by Hope (contributor 46790939).
  3. ↑ Wikipedia: Douglas Syphax, citing: Graham, Lawrence Otis. Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class. 1999, p. 8; 222. HarperCollins.
  4. ↑ "District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950," database with images, FamilySearch: 9 Mar 2021, Douglas Syphax and Malvina Bourbon, 01 Sep 1863; citing p. 88, Records Office, Washington DC; FHL microfilm 2,079,252.
  5. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940", database, FamilySearch: 29 Jan 2020, Douglas and Malvinia Syphax in entry for Rachel D Syphax and M.D. Wright, 19 Dec 1888, Newport News, Virginia.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch: 29 May 2021, D Syphax, 1870, Ward 3, Alexandria, Virginia, p. 90 of 120; citing NARA microfilm Roll 1632 publication M593 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration).
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch: 19 Feb 2021, Douglas Syphax, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district 5, sheet 109C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration), FHL microfilm 1,254,121.
  8. ↑ "New York, County Marriages, 1847-1848; 1908-1936," database with images, FamilySearch: 9 Mar 2021, Douglass McKee in entry for Theo John McKee, 8 Feb 1908, Otsego, New York, United States; citing Gilbertsville, county clerk offices from various counties, New York; FHL microfilm 1,021,790.
  9. ↑ WWI draft card shows sister Rachel Syphax: Ernest Frances Syphax United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.
  10. ↑ "United States Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903", database with images, FamilySearch: 3 Mar 2021, Douglass Syphax.
  11. ↑ "District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961," database with images, FamilySearch: accessed 10 Nov 2021, Douglas Syphax, 04 Feb 1890, District of Columbia, United States; citing reference ID cn 70495, District Records Center, Washington DC; FHL microfilm 2,135,907.
  12. ↑ Though not specified as the Douglas Syphax home, the address is included in the list of properties in the Dupont Circle Historic District Nomination (Boundary Increase and Amendment - 2005 Amendment), found at: Office of Planning. District of Columbia DC.gov: Dupont Circle Historic District. Accessed 10 Nov 2021.
  13. ↑ "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch: 31 May 2018, Douglass Syphax, died 4 Feb 1890; citing BillionGraves www.billiongraves.com: 2012, Burial at Arlington National Cemetery (Master), Fort Myer Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, United States.




Is Douglass your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message private message a profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Douglass's DNA have taken a DNA test. Have you taken a test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.
Images: 2


The Evening Post (Washington, D.C.) 21 December 1888
The Evening Post (Washington, D.C.) 21 December 1888


Comments: 2

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.
Fann-206 Porter Fann
Syphax-4 and Syphax-12 appear to represent the same person because: Syphax-12 essentially relied upon a pedigree resource file from FamilySearch and includes no actual sources. The sparse history in Syphax-12 and precision death date matches to Syphax-4 which has well developed sources: these are the same person.
posted on Syphax-12 (merged) by Porter Fann
Fann-206 Porter Fann
The home in which he died, per the death certificate,[1] is now in the Dupont Circle Historic District, Washington, District of Columbia. His 4 Feb 1890 death occurred at 1633 P St, NW, [Washington], District of Columbia (a 2-story Italianate building described as the oldest documented building in the Dupont Circle [DC] Historic District Amendment of 2005).

The curious thing about his death certificate is that it describes burial at Graceland, District of Columbia, but a record of internment at Arlington National Cemetery does also exist.

[1] "District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961," database with images, FamilySearch: accessed 9 Nov 2021, Douglas Syphax, 04 Feb 1890, District of Columbia, United States; citing reference ID cn 70495, District Records Center, Washington DC; FHL microfilm 2,135,907.

posted by Porter Fann

Featured Auto Racers: Douglass is 22 degrees from Jack Brabham, 23 degrees from Rudolf Caracciola, 16 degrees from Louis Chevrolet, 18 degrees from Dale Earnhardt, 33 degrees from Juan Manuel Fangio, 17 degrees from Betty Haig, 26 degrees from Arie Luyendyk, 19 degrees from Bruce McLaren, 16 degrees from Wendell Scott, 20 degrees from Kat Teasdale, 17 degrees from Dick Trickle and 22 degrees from Maurice Trintignant on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.

S  >  Syphax  >  Douglass Syphax

Categories: US Black Heritage Project, Needs Formatting | USBH Notables, Needs Genealogically Defined | USBH Notables, Needs More Sources | Alexandria, Virginia | Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia | Grand Army of the Republic Post 4, Washington, District of Columbia | Washington, District of Columbia | US Black Heritage Project Managed Profiles | African-American Notables | Notables