History of Irvington, (Westchester County) New York United States of America

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Alanson Douglas, lawyer, was born in Stephentown, N.J., Feb. 11, 1779; son of Wheeler and Martha (Ruthbone) Douglas; and a lineal descendant of Deacon William and Ann (Mattie) Douglas, who with two children inmigrated to New England from Ringstead, Northamptonshire, England, and landed on Cape Ann, removing to New London, Conn., in 1640. This William Douglas was born in Scotland. Alanson's mother was the daughter of the Rev. John Rathbone. He was educated as a lawyer and practised his profession at Lansingburgh, N.Y. He was for a time surrogate of Duchess county, N.Y. He was married, June 12, 1808, to Anna, daughter of the Hon. Solomon and Tamma (Thompson) Sutherland of Duchess county, N.Y. Mrs. Douglas died at Irvington, N.Y., Feb. 28, 1869. He was elected cashier of the newly organized Bank of Troy in 1811, and served the bank until 1827, when he went to New York city as cashier of the Chemical bank. In 1829 he returned to Troy and became cashier of the Merchants and Mechanics bank. He resigned in 1886 and was succeeded by his son, Charles Selden Douglas. He thereafter devoted his time to the care of his large private business interests and to the cultivation of his literary tastes. President Van Buren offered him the secretaryship of the treasury in his cabinet, which position Mr. Douglas declined. He assisted in organizing the Mercantile bank, New York city, of which his son, William Bradley Douglas, became first president in 1850. He died at Troy, N.Y., April 9, 1856.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Irvington, (Westchester County) New York

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