He was from a distinguished Pennsylvania family, descended from Paul Lily White, who had helped explore the state with William Penn and Col. John Douglass who fought with George Washington in the American Revolution.

[4] He led the reorganization, streamlining and standardization of the Revenue Service, allowing them to cut the number of employees by more than 60%.

He became friends with President Grant, who had wanted to place him on the Court of Claims, but no vacancy occurred.

He died August 21, 1909, in Kent, Connecticut, where he was visiting his daughters, and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington.

[6][citation needed] His son, George Lyon Douglass, was Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives in 1893.