James Madison Dougan

1841 - 1928  (86 years)

• Name	James Madison Dougan
  Born	18 Nov 1841	Clarion Co. PA
  Gender	Male
  Died	12 Apr 1928	Portland, Multnomah Co. OR
  Buried	Tacoma Cemetery,Tacoma, Pierce Co. OR
  	Grave location, portrait, biography, and tombstone photo: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=86194234
  Notes	CENSUS RECORDS 1900 Census Name: James Boujan [James Dougan] Age: 58 Birth Date: Dec 1841 Birthplace: Pennsylvania Home in 1900: Tacoma Ward 7, Pierce, Washington Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Married Spouse's Name: Mary A Boujan [Dougan] Marriage Year: 1883 Years Married: 17 Father's Birthplace: Pennsylvania Mother's Birthplace: Ireland Household Members: James Dougan 58 Mary A Dougan 46 Herbert C Sears 25 [stepson] Mary M Dougan 17 History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, Pages 440-443 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/multnomah/bios/dougan444gbs.txt James Madison Dougan, whose name was inseparably interwoven with the history of the northwest, was long prominent and active in business circles of Portland as a contractor, his labors being attended with substantial success. From the age of thirteen he was dependent entirely upon his own resources, and though he had little opportunity to attend school and few advantages such as most youths enjoy, he nevertheless worked his way steadily upward until his position was one of prominence. Mr. Dougan was born in Tylersburg, Pennsylvania, November 18, 1843, his parents being Josiah and Mary Ann (Rogers) Dougan. The father, who was a blacksmith by trade, was twice married and became the father of twenty-one children. During the period of his youth, James M. Dougan accompanied his parents on their removal from Tylersburg to Clarion, Pennsylvania. He never attended school except for six months, but throughout his entire life he was continually learning from experience and contact with men, thus gaining broad general information and becoming especially proficient in business methods. At the age of thirteen he began earning his own living and from that time forward he carved out his own way, carrying on to the end, although he was eighty-five years of age at the time of his death, which occurred April 12, 1928. When a young lad he drove cattle and later he became a stage driver, while at one time he was with a circus. In a word, he made a dollar wherever possible, and though hardships and privations were his at times, he never failed to provide for his daily needs. At length, after various vicissitudes, he found himself in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he learned the carpenter's trade. In 1878 he went to Leadville, Colorado, where he followed mining until 1880, when he became a contractor in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The following year he engaged in contracting in Albuquerque and followed the same business in Los Angeles,California, in 1882. The year 1883 witnessed Mr. Dougan's arrival in the northwest and his settlement at Tacoma, which was then a mere village. He continued there until 1918 and no one was more closely associated with the development and improvement of the city, many of its finest buildings still standing as monuments to his capability and handiwork. He was not only the builder but also owned a number of these. In the widespread financial panic in the latter ?80's he lost everything, after which he went to British Columbia, where he filled several government jobs. He was undeterred by difficulties, which he readily overcame through determined and persistent effort, and for years he was recognized as one of the foremost contractors on the coast. In 1910 he completed the big post office in Los Angeles, which was a four-year job, and later he built the government dry dock at the Bremerton navy yard. It was about sixty years prior to his death that he entered the employ of the Sound Construction Company of Seattle and from that time forward his progress was continuous. It was previous to this that he was in partnership with John Hastie and later their business was merged with that of the Sound Construction Company. About 1908 Mr. Dougan formed the firm of Dougan & Chrisman, with offices in Portland and Seattle, Mr. Dougan directing the Portland office, with his partner at the Seattle office. He was the builder in Portland of the Elks temple, the Masonic temple, the County Hospital, the United States National Bank building, the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company building, Benson Hotel, Reed Colleges, Bank of California and other structures. He was also president of the H. S. & D. Investment Company, which a short time prior to his demise began excavating for the ten-story Medical-Dental building at Eleventh and Taylor streets, and his firm also had the contract for the erection of the Hill Military Academy at Rocky Butte. In Seattle the firm of Dougan & Chrisman erected the Virginia Mason Hospital, the Garfield school and several of the state university buildings. They also built branches at Arleta and Irvington for the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company. In January, 1928, Mr. Chrisman sold out and Mr. Dougan admitted to a partnership Herbert Hammond, who had been secretary with him for many years. It was characteristic of him to recognize efficiency and faithfulness on the part of those who had served him and at all times he was just and generous to employes. He was extremely interested in the project of the Medical-Dental building, which he planned should be a monument to his memory. So efficiently was the project being put forward that before the first earth was turned nearly ninety per cent of the space was rented, and Mr. Dougan exercised the utmost care as to the kind of tenants, none but the most reputable professional men being permitted to rent space. Since her husband's death Mrs. Dougan has been carrying on the work of erecting this building. He always consulted her about his business interests and the fact that she comes from a family of contractors further leads to her efficiency, as from her early life she heard construction problems discussed. Mr. Dougan was married twice. He first wedded Mrs. Mary Ann Sears, nee Levens, whose people were Oregon pioneers, settling at Dallas. Mr. and Mrs. Dougan had one daughter, Madeline, now Mrs. M. M. Adams, of Tacoma, Washington, and a foster daughter whom he reared as his own ? Esther, now Mrs. Herbert Miller of Oroville, California. Several years after the death of his first wife Mr. Dougan married Mrs. Nettie Williams, of San Francisco, a daughter of Charles Greene, a building contractor of that city. Mr. Dougan ever concentrated his interest and activities upon business and few men have occupied so high a position in building circles. He was a past president of the Portland chapter and also of the Pacific Northwest branch of the Associated General Contractors of America and he belonged to the Builders' Exchange, whose president at the time of his death said: "The passing this morning of Mr. Dougan, the veteran master builder of the Pacific coast, certainly means a tremendous loss to all of us. He was an old-timer in the Builders' Exchange and one of the active organizers of the Associated General Contractors of America, a man whose personal qualities endeared him to his associates and friends." That he was appreciative of the social amenities of life was indicated by his membership with the Odd Fellows and with the Elks. He had membership in the National Chamber of Commerce, attending its meeting in 1927. One of his marked characteristics was his concentration and when bent upon the accomplishment of one object, be it little or great, he would never stop to engage in other interests until the first was completed. In life he learned many valuable lessons ? lessons that taught him true values and the worth of integrity, steadfastness and honorable manhood. All these he exemplified in his career and no man more fully merited or received the respect and confidence of those with whom he was associated.
  Person ID	I29437	Master File
  Last Modified	14 Apr 2015

  
  

  Family	Mary Anna LEVENS,   b. Jun., 1853, Oregon ,   d. 24 Oct 1907, Tacoma, Pierece Co. WA  (Age ~ 54 years)
  Married	1883
  Children	1. Mary Madeline Dougan,   b. Mar 1883, Washington
  Last Modified	14 Apr 2015
  Family ID	F12510	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart