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Chase County Sketches
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John McDOWELL or McDOWALL 1826 - 1901
Chase County Obituaries 1863-2003
JOHN MCDOWELL DEAD
Mr. McDowell died of cancer Friday, Oct.11, after suffering for a long time. The funeral services were held at the residence Sunday Oct 18, at 10 a.m., conducted by the Congregational minister from Strong City. The body was laid to rest beside the grave of his wife in the private grave of his farm.
Mr. McDowell was born May 10, 1828, at Wigton, Scotland. He came to America when twenty years of age and settled in Colorado. He came to Kansas in 1854 and settled in Jefferson County near Valley Falls, where he was engaged in stone work. He came to Chase county in 1870 where he has since resided. He joined the Presbyterian church when 7 years of age and attended church regular. He married Miss Sarah Winchell in 1869 and to them were born four children--two boys and two girls, two of whom still survive, Hiram and Mary.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Oct 11, 1901
Chase County Death Notices and Obituaries,
compiled and abstracted from the Chase County Courant and Chase County Leader Newspapers
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
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McDowell, Sabra
Died, after a long and painful illness, at her residence, in the township, February 16th 1880, Sabra, wife of John McDowell, in the 38th year of her age. She was buried on Tuesday, the 17th. Elder Brown, of Emporia, preached the funeral sermon. The deceased was taken sick on the 19th of December since which time her suffering has been intense. She leaves a husband and three young children who have the sympathy of a large circle of friends.
Chase County Leader News, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, Feb 19, 1880
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It is proposed that the above John McDOWELL was actually born at the Ravenstone Mill, parish of Sorbie, county of Wigtownshire, Scotland on 5th May 1826, and baptised there on 22nd May 1826. This is not exactly the same as the detail in the obituary, but neither is the marriage date. His marriage registration shows that he married Sabra WINCHELL on 29 Feb 1872 at the house of her father in Jefferson Co., Kansas. (This was a double wedding, Sabra’s sister Marietta marrying Theodore ICKES.)
Although he is mostly recorded as John McDOWELL in Kansas, he signed his own name as John McDOWALL, that being the spelling used by his family, and by the vast majority of people of that name in Wigtownshire. That county was the ‘stronghold’ of the McDOWALLs in Scotland, such that it was the 3rd most common name there in 1901.
His family were traditional millers and farmers. His father died in 1841, and their milling business was continued by his mother, with the help John and his two surviving brothers. By the time John left for Scotland for the USA, about 1848, he would have been a journeyman miller.
It is not known what he did whilst in Colorado, but circumstances suggest that the initial reason for his move to Valley Falls was to operate and perhaps manage the new mill built there about the same time. The town there was in its infancy and was known as Grasshopper Falls until the name change in1875. (One of the four owners of the mill was Isaac CODY, father of Buffalo Bill.) John McDOWELL’s experience would have been valuable to the owners in establishing operation of the mill. There is no known evidence he was the first manager, but it seems likely.
Most country mills of that era were powered by water wheels. The stone wheels that ground the grains had to be specially shaped and grooved. This was a specialist trade, but many millers in rural Scotland learned how to carry this out. Although this is only speculation, it is possible that John McDOWELL was one such miller, and perhaps this had a part in him getting involved in conventional masonry work. Milling was somewhat seasonal, so it was common for millers to do other work, although most often, this was farming.
John McDowell purchased 160 acres in the NE 1/4 of Section 22, township 8, range 18 for $1.50 per acre on 8 Aug. 1857. That property is 2 miles directly west of Valley Falls. That land was no longer in the name of McDowell when a map of owners was produced in 1876. Also on that original land owners list is Alexander Hughan, who purchased the SW 1/4 of section 15, township 8, range 18, for $1.50 per acre.
Alexander HUGHAN was a fellow Scot, and it seems he and John McDOWELL were more than just neighbours on their farms.
LDS film no 2194055, Chase County Kansas, Deed Records.
Frame 737, Item 3, Deed Records F, page 136.
Warranty Deed.
C. A. Britton To Alexander Hughan & John McDowall
This Indenture Made this 25th day of July 1874 between C. A. Britton being a unmarried person of Cottonwood Falls in the County of Chase and State of Kansas of the first part, and Alexander Hughan & John McDowall of the second part.
Witnesseth that the said party of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Fifteen Thousand Dollars to him duly paid, has sold, and by these presents dues grant and convey to the said party of the second part, their heirs and assignees all that tract or parcel of land situated in the County of Chase, and State of Kansas, and described as follows, to wit:
The Mill and Mill Yard as designated on the town plat of North Cottonwood Falls Chase County Kansas Containing three (3) Acres & three (3) roods according to the plat aforesaid except so much of said three acres & three roods as lies West of a Certain board fence running North from Mill Street in North Cottonwood Falls through said three acres & three roods to the Cottonwood River & all the mill privliges water Power & dam thereto belonging or in any case appertaining.
Filed for record on the 23rd day of November 1874.
Alexander HUGHAN remained in Jefferson Co., but John McDOWELL moved to Chase Co., presumably to manage the mill. Although no record could be found of HUGHAN & McDOWELL selling the mill, it was under other ownership by 1877.
From the 1880 census, it seems that John McDOWELL’s principal occupation was ‘stonecutter’, but he was residing at or close to the SHIPMAN mill near Elmdale. It seems logical that he also had some role in the operation of that mill.
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
John MCDOWELL1 Self W Male W 50 SCOT Stonecutter SCOT SCOT
Hiram MCDOWELL Son S Male W 5 KS School SCOT NY
Mary MCDOWELL Dau S Female W 3 KS SCOT NY
Jessie MCDOWELL Dau S Female W 6M KS SCOT NY
Note 1NO #
Source Information:
Census Place Diamond Creek, Chase, Kansas
Family History Library Film 1254375
NA Film Number T9-0375
Page Number 279A
In the meantime, land deed records show that he both bought and sold farm land to the north of Cottonwood Falls. In 1885, he purchased land in that area in the names of then surviving children, Hiram & Mary.
Other than being mentioned in John’s obituary, nothing is known about his first son. It seems reasonable to assume that this child was born in Jefferson Co. about 1773. He may have died in Jefferson Co., or perhaps Chase Co., but it was prior to the 1880 census.
If John & Sabra followed the traditional Scottish naming pattern, this first child would have been named James, after John’s Father. They named his first daughter Mary, which was John’s mother’s name. Strict adherence to the naming tradition would have given this name to their second daughter, but sometimes the order was altered. Their second daughter, Jessie, was not named after Sabra’s mother, Elizabeth. (Elizabeth was Marietta’s mother, but not necessarily Sabra’s mother, as it is possible that Sabra and Marietta were half-sisters.) Attempts to determine the given name of Sabra’s father have so far been fruitless. He had died by the 1880 census.
Jessie died 27th June 1880, aged 6 months. This is consistent with the proposition that Sabra died of complications resulting from childbirth.
This must have been traumatic for John, but he would have had the support
of in-laws. Although Theodore ICKES and his family were still in Jefferson
Co., another of Sabra's sisters, Emeline, had married Hiram SIMMONS, and
they had also moved from Jefferson Co. to Chase Co. about the same year as
Joh & Sabra. They were neighbours in both counties, and had adjacent farms
in Chase Co. This SIMMONS family lived with the WINCHELL family in both
counties. Hiram WINCHELL died September 1876, and Elizabeth on 19 September
1885. In the 1880 census, Elizabeth shows up as living with both the
SIMMONS family in Chase Co. and the ICKES family in Jefferson Co. It seems
reasonable to assume that once widowed, she moved between daughter's
households.
Hiram McDOWELL was born 31 Aug 1875, and married Anna I CUNNINGHAM in July 1900. He moved from Chase Co. sometime prior to the 1910 census, died in Wilson Co., Kansas, May 1966.
Hiram and Mary were still with John in the 1900 census. It is not yet known if Mary married, but as she was not with Hiram & Anna in the 1910 census, it seems likely that she did.
1900 Census, Ks, Chase, Diamond Creek, Sup. Dist. 4, En. Dist. 7, Sheet 7, Page 287.
130 / 132 / McDowell John / Head / W / M / May / 1829 / 71 / W / Scotland / Scotland / Scotland / 1850 / 50 / No / Farmer / 0 / - / Yes / Yes / Yes / O / M / F / 120
Hiram / Son / W / M / Aug / 1875 / 24 / S / Kansas / Scotland / New York / - / - / - / Farmer / - / - / Yes / Yes / Yes / - / - / - / 120
Mary / W / F / Sept / 1877 / 22 / S / Kansas / Scotland / New York / - / - / - / - / - / - / Yes / Yes / Yes / - / - / - / -
[can’t read] James W / Boarder / W / M / May / 1874 / 24 / S / West Virginia / West Virginia / West Virginia / - / - / - / Farm laborer / - / - / Yes / Yes / Yes / - / - / - / -
1910 Kansas Allen 4-WD Gas Series: T624 Roll: 431 Page: 77
West Elm Township - 25 Apr 1910 - Enumertor: Wm. G. Wright SD: 2 ED: 6 Sheet No.: 10B
326 H. Stanley Dr.
211 211 McDowell, Hiram Head M W 34 M1 10 KS SCT SCT
, Anna I Wife F W 32 M1 10 3 3 OH OH OH
, Leone H. Daug. F W 8 S KS KS OH
, Catherine M. Daug. F W 6 S KS KS OH
, Geneviene G. Daug. F W 2 S KS KS OH
1930 Census, Cedar Township, Wilson Co.
Hiram, Head, 54, Ks, Scot, NY, Flour Miller.
Anne, Wife, 52, Oh, Oh, Oh.
Catherine, Daughter, 26, Ks, Ks, Oh, Telephone Officer.
Marion, Daughter, 12, Ks, Ks, Oh.
It is interesting that Hiram gave his occupation as a miller. Perhaps he had learned the trade from his father, and like him, had been a part time miller for some years.
It is not yet known if any of the daughters of Hiram & Anna married or had children.
On 28 August 1881, John's nephew, William McDOWALL, departed Scotland for
Kansas. Just what William did in Kansas is not known, but he was also a
miller and farmer like his uncle. He was not a stone mason. On 4 October
1884, he departed the USA, returning to Scotland. On 23 June 1887, he again
departed Scotland, but this time he settled permenantly in Australia. The
author is one of his grandchildren.
Ackowledgements:
Jim Laird, Jefferson Co. researcher.
Richard Wellman, Jefferson Co. researcher.
Mary Richardson, fellow Wigtownshire researcher, but helped here with US
pointers and census data.
Ellen Hockanson of Wichita, fellow Wigtownshire researcher, but helped here
with some 'on the ground' library lookups.
Lastly, but the opposite of least, Lorna Marvin. Anyone researching Chase
Co. will understand.
Bruce McDowall
July 21, 2005
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
Please submit your historical sketches.
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Last updated 11/10/2003
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