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James Douglas (businessman)

James Douglas
James Douglas, mining magnate.png
Born (1837-11-04)November 4, 1837
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Died June 30, 1918(1918-06-30) (aged 80)
Manhattan, New York, U.S.A.
Nationality Canadian
Education University of Halle-Wittenberg
University of Edinburgh
Queen's University
Université Laval
Net worth $18 million (at death)
Spouse(s) Naomi Douglas
Children Douglas, Jr.
Walter Douglas
Parent(s) Walter Douglas (father) (1800-1886)
Elizabeth Ferguson (mother)
Relatives Lewis Douglas (grandson)

James Douglas (4 November 1837 – 30 June 1918) was a Canadian born mining engineer and businessman who introduced a number of metallurgical innovations in copper mining and amassed a fortune through the copper mining industry of Arizona and Sonora.

James Douglas, Jr. was born in Quebec, Canada on 4 November 1837. His father Walter Douglas, Sr., a native of Scotland, was an eminent surgeon and manager of the Beauport Lunatic Asylum. His mother, Elizabeth Ferguson, was also a native of Scotland. James Douglas graduated from Queen’s College, Kingston, Canada in 1858 and continued his studies at the University of Edinburgh. He studied both medicine and theology with the intent of becoming a minister but was never ordained. For several years he served as professor of chemistry at Morrin College, Quebec, and in 1864 became managing director of the Harvey Hill Copper Company in Quebec. In 1875 he moved to the United States to take charge of the copper works at Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.

James Douglas married Naomi Douglas (no relationship) from Scotland in 1860. Naomi Douglas’ father (Walter Douglas) was a captain of the Cunard Steamship Line. Dr. Douglas and Naomi had 6 children, four of which survived. The four children include Elizabeth Douglas, Walter Douglas, James S. Douglas and Edith Douglas. James Douglas died on 30 June 1918.

Douglas's Scottish-born father, Dr. James Douglas, was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. He had earned the reputation of being the fastest surgeon in town, capable of performing an amputation in less than one minute. Dr. Douglas transmitted his thirst for adventure to his son, taking him on numerous expeditions to Egypt and the Middle East in the mid-19th century. He brought back several mummies from these journeys, selling them to museums in North America. One of these, sold in Niagara Falls, was recently discovered to be the corpse of Ramses I.


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