John Wesley Doane was a merchant and banker in the 18th century. He was born at Thompson, Windham County, Conn., on March 23, 1833. John Wesley Doane was educated in the common schools, and, at 22 years of age, came to Chicago and opened a small grocery store, which, by 1870, had become one of the most extensive concerns of its kind in the Northwest.
It was swept out of existence by the fire of 1871 but was re-established. In 1872, transferred to other parties, although Mr. Doane continued to conduct an importing business in many lines of goods used in the grocery trade. Having become interested in the Merchants’ Loan & Trust Company, he was elected its president and continued to act in that capacity.
