The McDowell Family

NOTE: Scottish records in the British Museum trace the McDowells back to the 12th Century. Originally, the name was MacDougal. The McDowell form was adopted by clansmen who owned land in Galway, Ireland as Black Gaels and founders of the race known as "Scotch-Irish." The descendancy to this line is listed as follows: Somerled, Under-King of Argyll > Ronald > Dugall > Duncan of Argyll > King Ewin of Argyl, Arcadia and Lorn > Alexander de Ergardia/Alexander of Lorn > John of Lorn.

No individual names are mentioned in Ireland until about 1670 when one son of John of Lorn, Ephraim, who was known to be born in Northern Ireland emigrated to America about 1730. "The Journal of Charles Clinton" discusses his voyage from Ulster to America on the ship, "George and Ann" in the company of the ship, "John of Dublin." The "John of Dublin" landed in Philadelphia, while the "George and Ann" got off course and landed later in New York. The journal mentions travel with numerous McDowells on a voyage that lasted 118 days, arriving in September 1729. Neither Ephraim nor William are identified by name as passengers, but unsourced information lists William McDowell as shown in the charts below, therefore it is fair to assume he was part of a McDowell immigration in the 1730s.

Pheripherally, there is lots of discussion regarding the proper identity of Joseph McDowell and the Battle at King's Mountain. My Medlock/Matlock, Weddle and Harman ancestors were all involved in that Battle as well, intermarried and followed the same migration pathes over the years. My Harman's were involved in the rescue of Jenny Draper and my Hannah McDowell married Samuel Jackson, moving on to Bath County, Kentucky. I mention this because it seems to fit the following correction regarding the genealogy of Joseph, including William - unfortunately, the source was not identified:

"Major (later Colonel) Joseph McDowell, of Pleasant Gardens, Burke County, North Carolina was my 4x great-grandfather. Extensive genealogical research on my mother's McDowell lineage has prompted me to offers corrections to Lyman Draper's misstatements regarding the various, related Josephs McDowell. Draper's confusion is understandable in context of the numerous close relatives who shared the same name, and served their country one way or another in the early years of the American republic. A re-write of the Draper excerpt may help to clarify the genealogy:

Joseph McDowell II, of Scotch-Irish descent, was born in Ireland in 1715—reared a weaver, married Margaret O'Neil, and early migrated to Pennsylvania. He soon after settled in Winchester, Virginia, where his sons, Charles and Joseph III, were born—the latter in 1756. "Hunting John" McDowell, son of the elder Joseph's own brother Charles (born c. 1697), early removed to the Catawba Valley, settling that beautiful tract Pleasant Gardens sometime prior to 1758. By 1762, Joseph McDowell II followed to that wild frontier region, locating at the Quaker Meadows, where his family was reared. The following is a descent line from Joseph McDowell I (1668-1738):

Joseph McDOWELL
--------------------------------------------------
Birth: 1668, Ulster, Ireland
Death: 1738, Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Father: Thomas McDOWELL (1631-)
Mother: Anne LOCKE (1640-)
Spouse: Ann CALHOUN
Children:
Charles (~1697-1754)
James (1707-1747)
Robert (1709-1771)
William (1711-)
Capt. Joseph (II) (1715-1771) "

Finally, I find this reference to a William of the right time frame on this McDowell Family website created by Leo B. McDowell::

Family of William McDowell and Mary Irvine

[1] There exists an immigration record for a William McDowell arriving in Augusta, Virginia in 1739 according to legal proceedings before Orange County Court, Virginia, where settlers proved their entitlement to enter public lands - but I have no proof this is the same William yet. Another record exists in the "Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, 1745-1800 stating William McDowell acquired "72 acres on Shanando River above Lord Fairfax's line" in Augusta County. Augusta County is east of the VA - W. VA line and Greenbrier County is on the west side of the line. The proximity is hopeful, but nothing is proved. Mary was also b. in Ireland abt. 1712.

From the ESTATE SETTLEMENT OF WILLIAM McDOWELL, Sr. of Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., Virginia (later W. Virginia). From: Ross B. Johnston, Comp., West Virginia Estate Settlements: An Index to Wills, Inventories, Appraisements, Land Grants, and Surveys to 1850 (Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1957), p. 110:

McDOWELL, Wm., App., 8-16-1796.
McDOWELL, Wm., WILL, 2-1797. Devisees (heirs): Robert, William, Samuel, Daniel, Josiah (Hannah's father), Archibald, sons; Jeaney, Sarah Thompson, Ann Boyd, Hannah Rodgers, daus.

William arrived near Second Creek, Greenbriar County, Virginia (now W VA)  abt. 1750. From Elizabeth Morrow Cooley, Comp., Day Book from Trading Post near Lewisburg, West Virginia 1771-1772 (Fort Thomas, Ky.: Typescript, 1948), 5, 6, 7. Greenbrier was at one time part of Augusta Co., Va.:

p. 5 (April 1772) Archibald McDowell and Josiah McDowell
p. 6 (May 1772) Archibald McDowell and Josiah McDowell
p. 7 (August 1772) Archibald McDowell, Josiah McDowell, William McDowell and wife

[2] children of Robert McDowell and Elizabeth Cornwell are Eliza, Sarah E., Mary Jane, Frances A, and possibly an Esther - They had only one son, Robert D McDowell, who married Sally A Rodgers.

[3] Military Service: Rev. War veteran; $40 annual pension 4 Residence: Came to Bourbon County, KY, at an early date

[4] Archibald came to Second Creek before 1780 and operated a saw and grist mill on the site of the present Beamer Mill. He died in 1813, leaving his personalty appraised at 1192.75. Page 408 of "McDowells in America" lists Archibald McDowell, Pvt. Capt. John Stewart's Co. of Greenbrier Valley, Botetourt Co., VA d. Second Creek (W) Va., will probated Monroe Co., VA (now W. Va.) 8/1813; m. Catherine Davis in 1780 & had John; William; James, b. 1781 who m. Margaret Dickson; Walter who m. Patsy Pritt; Ann who m. Patrick Boyd; Jane who m. James Crawford; Margaret who m. George Gullett; Frances who m. Thomas Stuart; Hannah who m. Mason Matthews; Rachel; Malvina; and Catherine McDowell.

[5] Patrick Boyd (1759-1835) received a pension for service as private in the Virginia Line under Colonels Grayson, Moffett and Bowyer. He was born in Augusta County; died in Monroe County, Va.

Tax Records for 1782 in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now W Virginia) include the following McDowell's:

Name                    Poles Negroes      Horses  Cattle    Amt. of Tax 
McDowell, Hanson        1                  2       6  
McDowell, Dan.          1                  4       3  
McDowell, Archbd.       1                  5       8  
McDowell, Wm.                              5       7  
McDowell, Josiah        1                  6       10  


In 1796, the Tax Records included these men:

McDowell, John         1  
McDowell, Ninriin                          2  
McDowel, Archibald     1         1              9  
McDowel, John          1                        2  

Family of Josiah McDowell and ?

[1] There is a Revolutionary War record for "Jos. McDowell, Private, 107 VA," but it is not known if this is the same man. In the Preston and Virginia papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts, Vol. 1, page 164m, item 3ZZ2,3 - 10 August 1776; "Stuart, Capt. John, Greenbrier, [Va.] Letter to Col. William Fleming, Botetourt," includes Josiah McDowell as part of a group of scouts sent out in conjunction with plans to build a fort at Camp Union, thus establishing Josiah as a Revolutionary War Veteran.

The Will of Josiah McDowell of Bourbon County, Kentucky, dated 4 Sep 1832 and proved 4 Jun 1838 says he is to be buried "in the Place I have marked out beside my beloved wife." and names the following: daughter Hannah Jackson, wife of Samuel Jackson, received one dollar "having heretofore given her a full portion of my Estate both Real and personal." Bourbon County marriage records list their marriage: "Hannah McDowell and Samuel Jackson married at Bourbon County, Ky., 5 Feb 1795." From: Jordan R. Dodd, Comp., Kentucky Marriages Early to 1800 (Bountiful, Utah: Precision Indexing, 1990) unpaged.

[2] Probable wife of William Piper--see "Kentucky Marriages Early to 1800: " 'Agness' McDowell married William Piper in Bourbon Co., KY., on 28 May 1799."

[3] Children of Samuel McDowell listed at the time of his father's will: Nelay Ailcey McDowell, Harvey McDowell, Josiah McDowell.

[4] Executor of his father's Will

[5] received "one half of the farm on which the testator now lives" in her father's Will