William Lewis Douglas
Encyclopedia
William Lewis Douglas was a U.S.
political figure. He served as the 42nd Governor
of Massachusetts
from 1905 until 1906.
There was little in the first thirty years of William L. Douglas' life to suggest he was destined to be an industrialist and Governor of Massachusetts. He was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts the son of a sailor, who died when Douglas was five. Mr. Douglas attended school intermittently and from the age of seven worked for his uncle, a shoemaker. Douglas learned this trade, working as a journeyman shoemaker until the Civil War. He enlisted in the Massachusetts 58th regiment and was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor. He was discharged in 1865.
Douglas pursued his fortune making and selling shoes in Colorado
, but he returned to Massachusetts in 1868. In 1876, he began the W.L. Douglas Shoe Company, which boomed becoming a major employer in Brockton, Massachusetts
. The factory was able to manufacture 20,000 pairs of shoes per day, which supplied W.L. Douglas Shoe Stores in seventy-eight cities.
Douglas entered politics serving as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1884-5 and in the Massachusetts Senate in 1887. He was elected Mayor of Brockton in 1890. Running as a Democrat in 1904, Douglas defeated incumbent Governor John Lewis Bates.
In his first week as Governor, Douglas faced a firestorm of protest from residents of Cape Cod enraged by the Commonwealth's intention to establish a leper colony in the small town of Brewster, Massachusetts
. So many protesters traveled from Cape Cod that the railroads had to add an extra train. Douglas ended the plan, sold the Brewster property, and found a new location on the Cape, at Penikese Island
, which was the former site of The Anderson School of Natural History, which Louis Agassiz
directed in the 1870s. Though protest was voiced, Douglas refused to schedule public meetings on the topic, and the Commonwealth staffed its first treatment program for leprosy under Douglas' administration.
Governor Douglas also created the Douglas Commission to determine how education could be reformed to better prepare Massachusetts' work force. The commission recommended increased industrial education opportunities, which paved the way for industrial education programs in Massachusetts' public schools. Douglas was stymied by a Republican majority in the legislature, and returned to his business and private philanthropy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political figure. He served as the 42nd Governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
from 1905 until 1906.
There was little in the first thirty years of William L. Douglas' life to suggest he was destined to be an industrialist and Governor of Massachusetts. He was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts the son of a sailor, who died when Douglas was five. Mr. Douglas attended school intermittently and from the age of seven worked for his uncle, a shoemaker. Douglas learned this trade, working as a journeyman shoemaker until the Civil War. He enlisted in the Massachusetts 58th regiment and was wounded at the battle of Cold Harbor. He was discharged in 1865.
Douglas pursued his fortune making and selling shoes in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, but he returned to Massachusetts in 1868. In 1876, he began the W.L. Douglas Shoe Company, which boomed becoming a major employer in Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
. The factory was able to manufacture 20,000 pairs of shoes per day, which supplied W.L. Douglas Shoe Stores in seventy-eight cities.
Douglas entered politics serving as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1884-5 and in the Massachusetts Senate in 1887. He was elected Mayor of Brockton in 1890. Running as a Democrat in 1904, Douglas defeated incumbent Governor John Lewis Bates.
In his first week as Governor, Douglas faced a firestorm of protest from residents of Cape Cod enraged by the Commonwealth's intention to establish a leper colony in the small town of Brewster, Massachusetts
Brewster, Massachusetts
Brewster is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population of Brewster was 9,820 at the 2010 census.Brewster is twinned with the town of Budleigh Salterton in the United Kingdom....
. So many protesters traveled from Cape Cod that the railroads had to add an extra train. Douglas ended the plan, sold the Brewster property, and found a new location on the Cape, at Penikese Island
Penikese Island
Penikese Island is a island off the coast of Massachusetts, United States, in Buzzards Bay. It is one of the Elizabeth Islands, which make up the town of Gosnold, Massachusetts...
, which was the former site of The Anderson School of Natural History, which Louis Agassiz
Louis Agassiz
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was a Swiss paleontologist, glaciologist, geologist and a prominent innovator in the study of the Earth's natural history. He grew up in Switzerland and became a professor of natural history at University of Neuchâtel...
directed in the 1870s. Though protest was voiced, Douglas refused to schedule public meetings on the topic, and the Commonwealth staffed its first treatment program for leprosy under Douglas' administration.
Governor Douglas also created the Douglas Commission to determine how education could be reformed to better prepare Massachusetts' work force. The commission recommended increased industrial education opportunities, which paved the way for industrial education programs in Massachusetts' public schools. Douglas was stymied by a Republican majority in the legislature, and returned to his business and private philanthropy.