This page is a stub.
You can help improve it.
William Byrd DouglaWilliam Byrd Douglas was a man of wealth and stature, born on December
8, 1815, at "Farmwell" estate in Loudoun County, Virginia. He was the
son of Dr. Patrick Hume Douglas and Mrs. Evelyn Byrd (Beverly) Lee.
After being orphaned at an early age, Byrd and his elder brother, Hugh,
were taken in by their uncle in Greeneville, Tennessee, who educated
them and helped start them in business.
Their business acumen
quickly became evident, leading their uncle to entrust them with a
branch business in Fayetteville, Tennessee. The venture thrived,
allowing Byrd to marry Martha Rebecca Bright. The couple had five
children before moving to Richland Grove in Davidson County, their home
since 1847.
Richland Grove was a grand estate featuring ten rooms
with fifteen-foot ceilings, extensive grounds with barns, tenant houses,
and a carriage house. It epitomized Byrd's status and success.
Unfortunately, Byrd's first wife died in 1848, and he later remarried
twice, to Hannah U. (Lucas) Cook and then to Sarah Cragwell.
By
the onset of the Civil War, Byrd and Hugh had established one of the
South's largest wholesale businesses, earning them the moniker "Cotton
Kings of Nashville." Their wealth was substantial, evidenced by their
$80,000 deposit in the Bank of England and the destruction of over four
million dollars' worth of cotton to prevent its seizure by Federal
forces.
Byrd's staunch Confederate sympathies led him to offer
his sons' services and $5,000 in gold to South Carolina's Governor
Pickens. This act of Southern loyalty resulted in his imprisonment and
property confiscation. However, his long-time friend Andrew Johnson, who
had become military governor of Tennessee, facilitated his release.
Throughout the war, Sarah Douglas and their children endured
hardships at Richland Grove, including the occupation of their property
by Union forces. Despite these challenges, Byrd Douglas remained a man
of prominence and influence, navigating the tumultuous times with
resilience and unwavering loyalty to his cause.
Family
•
Dr. Richard 'Dixie' Douglas
was born in Nashville on December 20, 1860, the son of William Byrd
Douglas and his third wife, Sallie Cragwell.
• His brother, Hugh
moved to Kentucky when Tennessee joined the Confedereracy. He backed the
Union and sided against not only his brother but also his nephews, one
of whom was his namesake.
• Dr Patrick died intestate with many patients owing home money which was never collected. Everything that in his estate including slaves was auctioned off upon his death. The boys' cousin Archie took the penniless boys in, but he came on hard times himself as low country farmers neglected to enrich their souls . The boys were sent to their aunt Elizabeth Douglas Hickson (the Virginia history misspelled this as Hixon) but had to make the trip alone and on foot. They left
IOUs with everyone who took them in; they repaid all but one.
Contributions have an ancestor whose
story should be told here? Please let us have the details.
|
