A Guide to the Douglass Family Papers, 1916-1989

Biographical Note

The Douglass family of San Antonio, Texas, included Ray Keller Douglass, active member of the Scientific Society, the Open Forum, and the Shakespeare Club; her daughter, Vaughan Douglass, schoolteacher, active member of the San Antonio Historical Association, and San Antonio branch president of the American Association of University Women from 1947-1949; her son, Jack Douglass III, church volunteer; and his wife, Leota Scott Douglass, exhibiting artist.

Ray Keller (Mrs. J.T.) Douglass (1877-1958) was born in Pennsylvania. She relocated to San Antonio from Florida with her husband John Thomson (J.T.) Douglass II in 1920. They lived at 808 West Mulberry Street. They had two children: John (Jack) Douglass III and Mary Vaughan (Vaughan) Douglass. J.T. Douglass died in 1933. Ray was an active church member, an amateur artist and supporter of the arts, and an avid classical music and theater fan. She was also a member of the Shakespeare Club, the Scientific Society, the Open Forum, and the San Antonio Historical Association.

John (Jack) Douglass III (1904-1995) was born in Florida and died in San Antonio in 1995. He was predeceased by his wife Leota Scott Douglass (1901-1981). Jack Douglass was an active church member and on the Board of Directors of the San Antonio Historical Association. He also acted and sang in many theater productions including the 1930 Civic Opera performance of The Pirates of Penzance. His wife Leota was an artist who exhibited in San Antonio, throughout her life. They had five children, including John (Jack) Thomson Douglass IV (b.1943), Ellen Maureen Douglass (b.1945), and Douglass III (Rowena) Douglass (b. 1950).

Mary Vaughan (Vaughan) Douglass (1906-1970) was born in Florida and died in San Antonio in 1970. Vaughan was never married. She lived with her mother at 808 West Mulberry Street until her death. She was an elementary school teacher at Milam Elementary in San Antonio. She completed her associate’s degree in 1927 from Westmoorland College in San Antonio, which was later incorporated by Trinity University. She graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1929. She completed her teaching certification requirements at Sul Ross University in Alpine, Texas, in the summer of 1931. Additionally, she earned her Master’s degree from Columbia University in New York. Vaughan was involved in numerous professional and civic organizations including Texas State Teachers Association, San Antonio Teachers Council, Delta Kappa Gamma Society, San Antonio Historical Association, and the Shakespeare Club. She was a longstanding member of the American Association of University Women, serving as its San Antonio branch president from 1947-1949. She was a writer and freelance copy editor for numerous groups and was also a political reporter for the KENS- CBS television station during the 1965 city and county elections.

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Scope and Content Note

The Douglass Family Papers consists include printed materials, programs, scrapbooks, clippings, correspondence, yearbooks, art periodicals, postcards, maps, photographs, place cards, color lithographs and assorted ephemera. There are also some financial papers in the collection, including a number of bills and receipts concerning family property at 808 West Mulberry Street in San Antonio. The collection is arranged into four series: Vaughan Douglass, 1925-1969, Jack Douglass, 1925-1989, Ray Douglass 1906-1958, and Assorted Family Papers, 1900-1900.

The Vaughan Douglass series contains yearbooks, graduation memorabilia, and correspondence and clippings related to her involvement with the American Association of University Women, the San Antonio Historical Association, the League of Women Voters, and assorted materials related to her profession as a school teacher.

The Jack Douglass series contains correspondence, clippings, a scrapbook and programs from plays that he performed in or attended.

The Ray Douglass series contains a scrapbook of materials related to art exhibitions and musical performances that she attended between 1922-1956 in San Antonio and other locations in Texas and several locations in Florida.

The Assorted Family Papers series contains printed and visual materials including travel brochures, postcards, photographs, lithographs of San Antonio, and architectural drawings of Liendo, a former plantation in Hempstead, Texas.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

This collection is housed at UTSA's Main Campus and must be accessed via the John Peace Library Special Collections reading room. To request access, please use the Collections Request Form.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

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Related Materials

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item],Douglass Family Papers, MS 251, University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Information

Received from the Institute of Texan Cultures Library in July 2007 (Acc. 2007-089).

Processing Information

Processed by Amy Estes, Archives Intern, August 2009.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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