| From United States Biographical Dictionary, 1877 REUBEN DOUD The subject of this sketch, a native of McGrawville, Cortland county, New York, was born on the twentieth of January, 1830, and is the son of Reuben G. DOUD and Betsey nee McGRAW. He passed his boyhood in his native place, attending the common school; in 1849, being then nineteen years of age, removed to Racine, Wisconsin. Remaining there but a short time he went to Delavan, and thence to Green Bay. Later he engaged in the transportation business at Kankanna, in connection with the boats on the Fox River, and continued thus employed during a period of five years. At the expiration of this time he went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, purchased a steamer and went thence down the Ohio river, up the Missississippi to the Wisconsin, and was the first to pass with a steam-boat through the locks on the Fox river, after improvements on the Wisconsin in 1856. Returning to Pittsburgh in 1857, he built the steamer Appleton Belle and taking her by the same route to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, there sold her. In the winter of this same year he built a steamer at Berlin, Wisconsin, which plied between that place, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Green Bay, until 1860. During this year he built the steamers same route. In 1861 he closed out his steamboat interest on this route, and engaged in the warehouse business at Gill''s landing; and during the same season ran the steamer Berlin City from the Wolf river boats. In 1863 and 1864 he built the steamers Northwestern and Tigress, and several others; and continued thus employed doing a prosperous business and 1866 when he closed his affairs at Gills' Landing and removed to Racine. Associating himself with Mr. Martin E. TREMBLE, under the firm name of TREMBLE and DOUD, he engaged in the lumber business, which proved eminently successful. The business of the firm is very extensive, their annual sales amounting go twelve million feet of lumber and twelve million shingles, besides a large amount of lath, pickets, posts, etc., most of which is cut from their own lands, which are located with their mills on the Big Suamico river near Green Bay. Mr. DOUD is also largely interested in vessel property, having schooner M. E. Tremble at a cost of $65,000, and also acquired by purchase the schooner Rainbow. His career from the beginning has been one of constant energy, activity, and of entire success in all his undertakings; consequently he has amassed an ample fortune. He has also been honored with positions of public responsibility and trust, all of which he has filled with great credit to himself. In 1864 he was elected to the State Legislature on the republican ticket; in 1872 became mayor of Racine, was re-elected in 1873, and again elected to the same position in 1875. He married on September 15, 1864, to Miss Katharine REYNOLDS, of Cortland, New York, by whom he has one daughter. Submitted by Carol Holmbeck |