Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. (1894-1981) was the mayor of Charlotte, NC from 1935 to 1941.Douglas was a prime mover in persuading the War Department to establish an air station at Charlotte shortly before the entry of the United States into World War Two. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport was named after him in 1941. A Democrat he was also the first mayor of Charlotte that was directly elected by voters, because of a change in the city charter.
Douglas was born in Iredell County, NC September 3, 1894. He served in the United States Army during World War One with the rank of first lieutenant in a machine gun battalion (1917-19). Douglas was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina in 1940.
In 1946 Ben Douglas founded Douglas Furs, after FDR asked a personal favor of his father Ben Douglas - to find a way to clean the fleece lined fur trimmed flight jackets of the soldiers flying in the then current war in Europe. He used his knowledge gained in the dry cleaning business (he owned one in Charlotte prior) and his ingenuity gained him a government contract and later a thriving business in the fur trade. Mary Louise Douglas (his widow) continued to work at Douglas Furs 3 days a week until her death on December 29, 2007. Interred at Elmwood Cemetery Charlotte, NC
Douglas was born in Iredell County, NC September 3, 1894. He served in the United States Army during World War One with the rank of first lieutenant in a machine gun battalion (1917-19). Douglas was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina in 1940.
In 1946 Ben Douglas founded Douglas Furs, after FDR asked a personal favor of his father Ben Douglas - to find a way to clean the fleece lined fur trimmed flight jackets of the soldiers flying in the then current war in Europe. He used his knowledge gained in the dry cleaning business (he owned one in Charlotte prior) and his ingenuity gained him a government contract and later a thriving business in the fur trade. Mary Louise Douglas (his widow) continued to work at Douglas Furs 3 days a week until her death on December 29, 2007. Interred at Elmwood Cemetery Charlotte, NC
Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. (1894-1981) was the mayor of Charlotte, NC from 1935 to 1941.Douglas was a prime mover in persuading the War Department to establish an air station at Charlotte shortly before the entry of the United States into World War Two. Charlotte-Douglas International Airport was named after him in 1941. A Democrat he was also the first mayor of Charlotte that was directly elected by voters, because of a change in the city charter.
Douglas was born in Iredell County, NC September 3, 1894. He served in the United States Army during World War One with the rank of first lieutenant in a machine gun battalion (1917-19). Douglas was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina in 1940.
In 1946 Ben Douglas founded Douglas Furs, after FDR asked a personal favor of his father Ben Douglas - to find a way to clean the fleece lined fur trimmed flight jackets of the soldiers flying in the then current war in Europe. He used his knowledge gained in the dry cleaning business (he owned one in Charlotte prior) and his ingenuity gained him a government contract and later a thriving business in the fur trade. Mary Louise Douglas (his widow) continued to work at Douglas Furs 3 days a week until her death on December 29, 2007. Interred at Elmwood Cemetery Charlotte, NC
Douglas was born in Iredell County, NC September 3, 1894. He served in the United States Army during World War One with the rank of first lieutenant in a machine gun battalion (1917-19). Douglas was a delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina in 1940.
In 1946 Ben Douglas founded Douglas Furs, after FDR asked a personal favor of his father Ben Douglas - to find a way to clean the fleece lined fur trimmed flight jackets of the soldiers flying in the then current war in Europe. He used his knowledge gained in the dry cleaning business (he owned one in Charlotte prior) and his ingenuity gained him a government contract and later a thriving business in the fur trade. Mary Louise Douglas (his widow) continued to work at Douglas Furs 3 days a week until her death on December 29, 2007. Interred at Elmwood Cemetery Charlotte, NC
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Ben E Douglas (1894-1981) Mayor and aviation advocate for whom the airport is named after.
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