Administrative/Biographical History
John Francis Douglas was born in Goodwood, Ontario, Canada on October 30, 1874 to James A. Douglas and Annie Scott. After several years in Canada, John and his parents relocated to a section of land in Dundee Township, located northwest of Grafton, Dakota Territory, in 1885. James A. Douglas was elected to the Constitutional Convention for North Dakota in 1889, later serving in the state legislature and then Treasurer of Walsh County, which caused the family to relocate to Grafton. John graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1896, along with his future wife, Neva. After graduation, John studied law at Yale and married Neva on December 28, 1898, at Bathgate, North Dakota. John and his wife relocated to Seattle, Washington, in 1900, where he became a prominent leader in many organizations and projects. He served in the Quartermaster Corps as a Major in the U.S. Army during World War I and in 1927, he became Chairman of Finance for the Carnation Milk Company, a position he held until November 1951. He passed away on November 29, 1952.
