Fonds F1747 - Douglas family fonds

The Rev. George Douglas was born in Scotland in 1825 to John and Mary (Hood) Douglas. He emigrated with his family to Canada seven years later, settling in Montreal. Ordained in 1850, his first post was in the West Indies, however, ill-health forced him to return to Montreal in 1852 where he eventually became the first Principal of the newly established Wesleyan Theological College at McGill University. He remained in this position until his death in 1894. In 1854, George Douglas had married Maria Bolton Pearson, much against her father's wishes. Together they had four daughters. Allie, the youngest daughter of George and Maria Douglas, travelled widely throughout Canada and the United States on an evangelical mission with her husband John Arthur Vibert. Mina, the second daughter of George and Maria, helped establish the Old Brewery Mission in Montreal in 1892.

George Vibert Douglas, son of John and Allie (Douglas) Vibert, was born 2 July 1892. He attended McGill University, receiving a B.Sc. in 1920 and an M.Sc. the following year. Upon leaving University, George Douglas served as geologist on Sir Ernest Shackelton's "Quest" expedition (1921-1922) to Antarctica. He returned to Canada in 1932 as the first incumbent in the newly established Carnegie Chair of Geology at Dalhousie University; a position he held until his retirement in 1957. He died on 8 October 1958.