MELFORD EUGENE DOUGLASS, M. D.
Dr. Douglass, as the name sufficiently indicates, is by the paternal
line of Scotch descent. His mother's ancestors came to America from
Ireland. He was born at Liberty, Maine, on August 15, 1847, a son
of Samuel A. and Mary A. (Hamilton) Douglass, now living in Hudson,
Massachusetts. His father was born in Belfast, Maine, May 21, 1824,
and his mother was born at Albion, Maine, May 21, 1823. His paternal
grandfather and great grandfather, both born in Maine, were killed
at the same time by a fall from the roof of a barn, the one at the age of
seventy-six years, the other fifty-one years of age. This great grandfather
was the son of Robert Douglass, of Scotland, who, for taking up
the cause of King Charles, had his property confiscated and was banished
from the country. The mother of Dr. Douglass was the daughter
of Cyrus Hamilton, who was born in New Hampshire, and who, with two
sons, was drowned. Her father's father was Patrick Hamilton, who
came to New England from Ireland.
Dr. Douglass attended the common schools of Liberty, Maine, and
later taught school and pursued other avocations until September,
1878, when he entered the Medical School at Cleveland, Ohio. After a
year's course there, he went to the Homeopathic Medical College, at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whence he was graduated second in his
class, on March 10, 1880. The day following his graduation he arrived
in Danville, where he has ever since been in practice with good success.
Since October, 1886, he has been State Medical Examiner; he is vice-president
of the Hahnemann Medical Society of Virginia, is a Mason,
Odd Fellow, and Chief Templar of the Lodge of Good Templars. Dr.
Douglass married Ora Harriman, of Montville, Maine, daughter of
Riley and Nancy (French) Harriman. Her father died in 1869, aged
fifty-seven; her mother died in 1872, aged forty-six years. This marriage
was solemnized at Liberty, Maine, by Rev. Ebenezer Knowlton,
on September 30, 1871. Dr. and Mrs. Douglass have one son, Frank
E. A daughter, born May 22, 1884, named Ethel May, died March
20, 1886.
