 He was also the owner and president of the Deposit Savings and Loan Bank in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina; when the bank merged in 1936 with several other banks and formed the Northwestern Bank, Doughton briefly served as the new bank's director.His interest in farming led to his being named to the North Carolina Board of Agriculture in 1903; this marked the beginning of his career in politics.Before being elected to Congress, Doughton served one term in the North Carolina Senate (1908–09) and was director of the state Prison Board (1909–11).