James Hubert Douglass was born September 18, 1850 at the Pillar Point homestead (Town of Brownville, Jefferson County, NY) of his parents, J.Chester Douglass and Lucilda Cady. He was the third of seven children. In his youth his health was not strong and he was encouraged to attend to his education. In 1877 he married Anna Lepper, daughter of Henry M. and Harriet Lepper, and lived on the old Douglass homestead claimed by his grandfather, James Douglass. In 1903, he moved to the Lepper farm near Sackets Harbor and for many years farmed in partnership with his son, Henry Douglass. In 1916 he and his wife moved to the village of Sackets Harbor where they lived until in 1939 failing health caused them to move to the home of their daughter Mrs. Frank Bellinger in Theresa, NY. Hubert was an enthusiastic story teller and enjoyed regaling the younger generations with stories of his childhood. Several interviews recording these stories were published in the Watertown Daily Times. He died April 28, 1943 at age 92 and is buried in the Sackets Harbor cemetery.

Hubert and Anna had four children: Harriet (mar. Edward Stone), Nettie (died age 14 of typhoid) Delia (mar. Frank Bellinger) and Henry.