John Douglas served in the Connecticut Militia during
the American Revolution. Born in 12 Apr 1734 in Plainfield, Windham
County, Connecticut, the son of Lt. Col. John Douglas and Olive
Spaulding, nothing is known of his early life.
John Douglas was commissioned lieutenant colonel in the 8th Connecticut
Regiment on 6th July 1775, early in the war, rose to the rank of colonel
in 1776 in the Connecticut Militia, and again to Brigadier General the
following year, serving with distinction throughout the war.
He married Susannah Freyers(1) and had ten children.
His brother,
William Douglas (January 27, 1742 –
May 28, 1777) was an American military officer who also led regiments
from Connecticut during the American Revolutionary War.
John died on 22 September 1809, aged 75, in Plainfield, Windham County,
Connecticut, and is buried in the Plainfield Cemetery.
John and Susannah had ten children:
Olive [m. Bradford],
Mary,
Sarah [m. Kinsman],
Rebecca [m. Branch],
Susannah [m. Spalding],
Micah,
John,
Mary,
Abiah [m. Gallup] and
William.
Note:
1. Some sources say his wife was Susannah Smith,
and record just seven children. There appear to be two memorial
stones for Susannah in Plainfield Cemetery
2. William Douglas (Douglass; 1742–1777) of Northford, Conn., colonel of a regiment of Connecticut militia levies previously assigned to Wadsworth’s brigade, wrote his wife on 7 Sept.: “I have three Regt. of Militia in my Brigade, and they give me much Fateague and Trouble on act. of the officers not knowing and Doing their Duty. Cols. Cook, Pettebone & Talcutt are the Comdr. the Sick I Discharge others Desert and the Regt. will Soon be reduc,d to but a Sma[ll] number. there is no Subordination among them, which I fere will Finally ruing the Army. they had much better never come to assist us than Leave us in Such a Scandalous manor. . . . many of them would Sell amarica to git home” (“Douglas Letters”, 13:119–20).
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