Stephen A. Douglas

Stephen Arnold Douglas (April 23, 1813 – June 3, 1861) was an American politician from Illinois. He was a U.S. Representative, a U.S. Senator, and the Northern Democratic Party nominee for President in the 1860 election, losing to Republican Abraham Lincoln.

Douglas had previously defeated Lincoln in a Senate contest, noted for the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. He was nicknamed the "Little Giant" because though short in physical stature, he was a forceful and even dominant figure in politics.

Douglas was born on April 23, 1813 in Brandon, Vermont. He was raised in Jacksonville, Illinois. He was married to Martha Martin from 1847 until her death in 1853. They had three children. Then he was married to Adele Cutts from 1856 until his death in 1861. They had one child. Douglas died from pneumonia caused by Typhoid fever in Chicago, Illinois on June 3, 1861, aged 48.

References

Other websites

Project Gutenberg text of Life of Stephen A. Douglas by William Gardner
Page images of two Speeches made by Douglas, one on the Compromise of 1850

Category:1813 births
Category:1861 deaths
Category:Deaths from pneumonia
Category:Deaths from typhoid fever
Category:United States senators from Illinois
Category:Lawyers from Vermont
Category:United States representatives from Illinois
Category:Politicians from Vermont
Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Category:Lawyers from Chicago
Category:Politicians from Chicago