CHARLES REMOND DOUGLASS

Charles Remond Douglass, shown above, served in the 54th Massa-
chusetts Infantry and 5th Massachusetts Cavalry, during the war of
the rebellion, and is the youngest and only surviving son of the late
Frederick Douglass. He was born in Lynn, Mass., October 21, 1844,
and at the age of 16 years was apprenticed in his father's office to the
art of printer. At the age of 22 he married, and was appointed to
a first-class clerkship in the War Department, being the second ap-
pointment of a colored man to a clerkship in any Department of the
Government in its history. His appointment dates from April 9, 1867,
and he is still on the job. In 1871 he accompanied the Santo Domingo
Commissioners on its mission of annexation of that Island, being de-
tailed from the Treasury Department where he was employed as
clerk to the Paymaster of the Commission.

In 1872 he was appointed a Trustee of the Seventh School District,
County of Washington, D. C., and was elected by the Board as its
Secretary and Treasurer. The Board was composed of seven mem-
bers, five white and two colored. In 1875 he was appointed United
States Consul to Santo Domingo by President Grant, and upon the
serious illness of his wife and her death, he resigned that position
in November 1878, returning to Washington, and to the Pension Bureau
where he is now employed. December 7, 1880, he with Major Fleet-
wood and Captain Thomas S. Kelly, organized the famous Capital
City Guards Batallion, becoming its first Captain, and subsequently
Major, until it became part of the First Separate Batallion National
Guard, District of Columbia. December 30, 1880, he again married,
and has two sons, Joseph H. (violinist of note), by his first wife, and
Haley G., a teacher in Dunbar High School, and a graduate of Har-
vard University, of the Class of 1905. In 1892, he established the sum-
mer rsort on Chesapeake Bay known as Highland Beach, Maryland.
A. number of prominent Washingtonians have purchased lots from
him and have erected handsome cottages there to the number of
eleven. There is also a summer Post Office located there. The tract
contains 26 2/3 acres of land with a beach frontage of over 1,400 feet.

Mr. Douglass, now in his 75th year, is quite active and very much
interested in all efforts in behalf of the advancement of his race. He
is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, being Commander
of Post No. 21, Department of the Potomac, and assistant Patriotic
Instructor of the Department, having charge of Flag Day Exercises
in all of the Colored Schools of the District of Columbia. He is also
a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People, District of Columbia Branch.

In the spring of 1S59, Douglass then but 15 years old, served old
John Brown of Harpers Ferry fame, as his mail messenger. At that
time Brown was living at the home of Douglass' father, in Rochester,
New York. On the 2nd of December of that year, he was executed
at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

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