His parents had both immigrated to the United States; George Douglas was Scottish and Margaret Boyd was Irish.

In 1899, after selling his linseed business, Douglas became a partner with Piper, Johnson & Case, a grain firm, where he remained until he retired in 1912.

He and his wife spent three months in Europe looking for furnishings for their new home near Lake Minnetonka before booking return passage to the United States aboard the RMS Titanic.

[5] As he was easily identifiable as a first-class passenger, Douglas' body was not buried at sea, instead being embalmed and brought to Canada aboard the Mackey-Bennett.

It was subsequently taken to Cedar Rapids to be buried in the Douglas family mausoleum at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Mahala Douglas was the very first survivor to board the RMS Carpathia in the early morning hours of 15 April.

[4] A provision in Douglas' will required that George C. Douglas,[6] his younger son from his first marriage, earn $2,500 in two consecutive years, in order to receive his share of the estate, but this provision was waived by the trustees of the will because the son had served in the British Army for five years during World War I, being wounded twice and being cited for bravery by Field Marshal Lord French.