Allan Wilkins Douglass was born September 25, 1895, in
Plainfield, N. J., the son of Edwin Thomas and Ednah (Wilkins) Douglass.
His father has for many years been associated in an executive capacity
with important shipping interests of the Great Lakes, and is now a
member of the Eastern Grain, Mill & Elevator Corporation in Buffalo, N.
Y., and in charge of the marine operations of that company. He is the
son of Gibson Lemuel and Anna Maria (Ojers) Douglass, and a descendant
of Thomas Douglass, who was born in New Fairfield, Conn., about 1750 and
who fought in the Revolutionary War, The maternal grandparents of Allan
Wilkins Douglass were Herve Dwight and Julia Emily (Smith) Wilkins, and
his first American ancestor on his mother's side was Bray Wilkins, who
came to America from England before 1639 and settled at Dorchester,
Mass. Capt. Stephen Wilkins, the great-great-grandson of Bray Wilkins,
fought as a Private in the French and Indian War (1758) and as
Lieutenant and Captain in the Revolution.
Allan Wilkins Douglass was prepared for college at the Nichols School,
Buffalo, and at the Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Conn At Yale he was
manager of the Freshman Glee Club, rowed on the Sophomore Crew,, winning
the Regatta Cup in 1916, and received a second colloquy Junior
appointment.
He left college in April, 1917, but was given the degree of B.A., post
obitum^ honoris causa> in June, 1919.
He attended the first Officers' Training Camp at Madison Barracks, New
York, and after three months' training there was recommended for the
second Officers' Training Camp at Fort Niagara, New York, where, on
November 8, 1917, he was commissioned as a First Lieutenant of Field
Artillery.
He was then ordered to Camp Devens, Massachusetts, where he remained
until April, 1918, when he was transferred to Camp Jackson, South
Carolina Three weeks later he was assigned to Camp Sevier, South
Carolina, where he took command of Battery A, 113th Field Artillery,
whose captain was then in France. He sailed from New York with his
battery on May 25,1918. The regiment was at Camp Coetquidan, near Guer,
France, until the last of August, and then moved to the St. Mihiel front
and was assigned to operate with the 89th Division After arriving at the
front, Lieutenant Douglass was appointed Aide-de-Camp to General Winn,
in which capacity he served for about ten days. At his own request he
was then assigned to Battery E of the 113th Field Artillery as
Orientation Officer. He was killed in battle near Limey, September
12,1918, and was buried in the St. Mihiel Military Cemetery at
Thiaucourt, France, Grave No. 176 In the General Orders of the 30th
Division (of which the 113 th Field Artillery was a part), issued
February 8, 1919, he was cited for meritorious conduct as follows:
"After being struck by a shell splinter, he continued the work of
removing the dead and wounded horses and moving the carriages to a place
of safety. Later he was again struck by a shell and killed while in the
performance of his duty. His courage and utter disregard for personal
safety inspired the men of his section to continue their work
successfully." Lieutenant Douglass was posthumously awarded by General
Pershing the following citation: "For distinguished and exceptional
gallantry at Limey, France, on September 12, 1918, in the operations of
the American Expeditionary Forces "
He was married March 2, 1918, in Canton, Mass., to Rachel Priest,
daughter of George Hosea and Bertha (Priest) Capen, who survives him His
parents and two sisters are also living. He was a member of the
Westminster Presbyterian Church of Buffalo. |
