Richard (Douglas) Douglass (1778 - 1845)

Born 1 Nov 1778 in Richmond, Chittenden, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Rhoda Louisa (Clawson) Douglass — married 17 Sep 1801 in Richmond, Chittenden, Vermont, United States

Descendants

Died 15 Sep 1845 at age 66 in Texas Township, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States

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Biography

Life (1778-1800)

Richard Douglas (Douglass) was born on 1 Nov 1778 to William Douglas (1753-1822) and Lucretia (Caulkins) Douglas (1757-1837) in Richmond, Chittenden, Vermont. ^[1]

Another source states that Richard was born in New London, CT and when he was fifteen, his father moved his family to Richmond. "...Here he married, in 1800, Rhoda, daughter of Jonathan Clawson, of Richmond. He reared a large family, consisting of two daughters and seven sons. He removed with several of his children to Michigan and settled in the town of Texas. Mrs. Douglas died in November, 1840. He died Sept 15, 1845. He was, by occupation, a tanner and currier..." (Page 367) This source goes one to list his children. Information includes their marriages and their resulting children. ^[2]

He would have been 15 in late 1793.

There is a Richard Douglas in the 1800 census (he would have been 22 years old) for New London, CT. It is unlikely that this is the same person (with two adults and 3 sons under 25 yrs old and 3 females under 25 years old), but research is still being done on this. ^[3]

Marriage

Richard married Rhoda Louisa Clawson on 17 Sep 1801 in Richmond, Vermont.

Note: In some locations, the marriage date is 1800 and in others it is 1801. The picture available of the official record indicates that the information was taken "from records of family records". Newspaper.com has the Burlington Sentinel and Democrat newspaper, but the available issues start in 1801 and do not include marriage or birth notices.

Minerva's birthdate is given as April 1801 on her tombstone, in the 1850 census her birth year is calculated to be 1802, and in the 1860 census her birth year is calculated to be 1804. The New London, Ct series lists her birthdate as Feb 1801. ^[2] A birth certificate/listing document has not been located.

Note

Rhoda's surname was also spelled: Clason, Classon, Clauson. They all have been seen in records.

Life After Marriage (1800 -1830s)

As mentioned above, Minerva was the first child in 1801. Then, Sylvanus was born in 1803, Jonathan 1805, Lucinda 1806, Dr. Horace 1808, Eli 1810, Silvia 1811, Louisa 1811, Infant 1813, David 1816, Hosea 1818, and Richard Jr in 1820. ^[2]

The 1810 census has a Richard Douglas in Richmond, Chittenden, VT with 10 members in the household. (5 males under 25 and 3 females under 25 plus 2 adults) ^[4] Adults: Richard (32), Rhoda (30) Males under 25: Sylvanus (7), Jonathan (5), Horace (2) -- Eli probably hadn't been born before the census Females under 25: Minverva (9), Lucinda (4) -- unsure who the 3rd female was

The 1820 census has a Richard Douglas in Richmond, Chittenden, VT with 9 people living in the house. (6 males under age 18 and 2 females under age 25 plus two adults). ^[5] Adults: Richard (42), Rhoda (40) Males under 18: Sylvanus (17), Jonathan (15), Horace (12), Eli (10), David (4), Hosea (2) -- Richard probably hadn't been born before the census

Richard's daughter, Minerva, marries Nathaniel Reed in 1824.

Richard's daughter, Lucinda, marries Albert G. Towers in 1825.

Richard's son, Sylvanus, marries Abiah Sheldon in 1826.

Richard's son, Jonathan, marries Sarah Cole in 1828.

The 1830 census has a Richard Douglas in Richmond, Chittenden, VT with 6 people in the household. (4 males under age 29 and 2 adults) ^[6] Adults: Richard (52), Rhoda (50) Males under 29: David (14), Hosea (12), Richard (10) uncertain who the 4th male is in the house as Horace and Eli don't marry until later in the decade, but it is probably one of them.

Son Eli marries Eliza Walker in 1836 in Kalamazoo, MI.

Son David marries Mary Cook in 1837 in Morristown, VT.

Son Horace marries Fanny Cooke in 1837 in Morristown, VT.

Son Hosea marries Julia Lull in 1842 in Texas Corners, MI.

Son Richard marries Rhoda Malvina Burdick in 1842 in Charleston, Kalamazoo, MI.

Life in Texas Corners, MI (1830s-1845)

His son, Eli, and his son-in-law, Albert G. Towers (married to Lucinda) were original patent purchasers of land in Texas Corners, MI. The land was available in the mid 1830s and it is likely around 1836 that the Douglas and Reed (Richard's daughter Minerva) families moved out to Michigan. Part of Sec 23 on land purchased by Albert and Eli is where Hope Cemetery is placed and this is where many of the family who moved out to Michigan rest today.

The 1840 census has a Richard Douglas in Texas Corners, Kalamazoo, Michigan. There are 4 people in the house - one male age 15-19, one male age 20-29, one male age 60-69, and one female age 60-69. The assumption is that this was Richard and Rhoda (age 60-69) and Hosea (age 22) and Richard Jr (age 19 depending on when the census was taken). ^[7]

Death

Richard passed away on 15 Sep 1845 in Texas Twp, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan and was buried at Hope Cemetery in Texas Corners Kalamazoo Co., Michigan. The location of his grave is Original Section, Lot 16, Space 14. He is buried next to his wife, Rhoda. ^{[8] [9]}

Sources

1. ↑ Vital Records, 1720-1908:Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908:
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Collection of Family RecordsDouglas, Charles Henry James,. A collection of family records : with biographical sketches, and other memoranda of various families and individuals bearing the name Douglas, or allied to families of that name. Providence: E.L. Freeman & Co., 1879. Specifically, Richard is entry number 474 on page 366 of this resource. One location of this resource on the web is: https://archive.org/details/collectionoffami00doug/page/366/mode/2up
3. ↑ Census 1800:Year: 1800; Census Place: New London, New London, Connecticut; Series: M32; Roll: 3; Page: 629; Image: 177; Family History Library Film: 205620
4. ↑ Census 1810:Year: 1810; Census Place: Richmond, Chittenden, Vermont; Roll: 64; Page: 223A; Image: 00417; Family History Library Film: 0218668
5. ↑ Census 1820: 1820 U S Census; Census Place: Richmond, Chittenden, Vermont; Page: 582; NARA Roll: M33_127; Image: 159
6. ↑ Census 1830:Year: 1830; Census Place: Richmond, Chittenden, Vermont; Series: M19; Roll: 186; Page: 291; Family History Library Film: 0027452
7. ↑ Census 1840:Year: 1840; Census Place: Texas, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Roll: 206; Page: 231; Family History Library Film: 0014795
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/77455918/richard-douglass : accessed 21 October 2021), memorial page for Richard Douglass Sr. (1 Nov 1778–15 Sep 1845), Find A Grave: Memorial #77455918, citing Hope Cemetery, Texas Corners, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, USA ; Maintained by Dorothy (contributor 47601262) .
9. ↑ * Burial cards, 1840-1983: "Burial cards, 1840-1983"
   Catalog: Burial cards, 1840-1983 Burial cards, 1840-1983
   Film number: 008649901 > image 292 of 1046
   FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C3H1-6S6J-K (accessed 19 December 2022)

• Family information

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to Dorothy Phelps for starting this profile.