Douglas Watson Onley (1857 - 1928)

Born 14 Aug 1857 in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA

Husband of Ella Louise (Drayton) Onley — married 12 Mar 1880 in Manhattan, New York, USA

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 1928 at age 71 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

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Biography

Douglas Onley is a part of US Black heritage.

Douglas was born in 1857. He passed away in 1928.

‘Dr. D. Watson Onley, the eldest child of John E. and Mary J. R. Onley (nee Wheele), was born in Newark, N. J. When but two years old his parents moved to Brooklyn, N. Y. He was early taught to read and write by his mother, afterward he was sent to the Raymond Street public school, Prof. Chas. A. Dorsey, principal. Here he showed a capable mind, by his easy mastery of all the subjects assigned him, and by his standing among his fellows. At the age of thirteen, by force of circumstances, his progress in school was checked, his parents having changed residence, going to Florida, transferred him to entirely new scenes, environments and conditions. After attending school in Jacksonville, Fla., for three years, he entered the college preparatory course of Atlanta University. In 1876, returning North, he entered and took a collegiate course in Lincoln University, after which he took two years technical course in Boston, Mass. In 1880 he married an accomplished young lady of one of the first families of Charleston, S. C., Miss Ella L. Drayton. Two charming and accomplished daughters of this happy union are Charlotte E. and Mary M., the elder one a graduate of the Normal school at Washington, D. C., and a teacher In its public school. The younger daughter is at present a pupil in Normal School. In 1885 he returned to Jacksonville, Fla., began business as architect and builder. After three years of prosperous business, he launched upon the world the first steam saw and planing mill, owned and operated entirely by colored men to manufacture lumber In all its forms for house building. The plant grew rapidly, increasing in facilities and continued prosperous until by the hand of an incendiary it was swept by fire. The State Normal and Industrial College of the State needing a practical and efficient man to take charge of their technical department, solicited his services, where he taught all branches of architectural and mechanical drawing, manual training, uses and care of wood-working machinery and steam engine. Not being thoroughly satisfied with his surrounding conditions, he struck out for a new line of work, that of dentistry, which, after three years of hard study, struggle and sacrifice, with the cares and responsibilities of a family upon him all the while, he finished at Howard University, dental department, and Immediately opened an office in Washington, D. C.’^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ https://artisans-lane.com/shop/menandwomenimages/photograph/dr-d-watson-onleyafrican-americanblack-history/ - the bio was taken from here https://archive.org/details/twentiethcentury00culp/page/n511/mode/2up

• Year: 1860; Census Place: Brooklyn Ward 4 District 2, Kings, New York; Roll: M653_764; Page: 929; Family History Library Film: 803764, Name Dglas W Onley, Gender Male, Race Mulatto, Birth Place New Jersey

• Year: 1870; Census Place: Jacksonville, Duval, Florida; Roll: M593_129; Page: 502B; Family History Library Film: 545628

• Year: 1900; Census Place: Washington, Washington, District of Columbia; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 0052; FHL microfilm: 1240160

• Year: 1910; Census Place: Manhattan Ward 12, New York, New York; Roll: T624_1021; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 0504; FHL microfilm: 1375034

• 1920 • Manhattan Assembly District 13, New York, New York, USA

• "Twentieth Century Negro Literature" by One Hundred of America's Greatest Negroes Edited and Arranged by D. W. Culp, AM, MD, page 347 and bio on page 350

• portrait https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47da-761a-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/9ZMP-8YC

See also:

• History Onley Redfearn Families: Onlry Sons