Dale County AlArchives Biographies.....Dowling, Gabriel P. August 6 1848 - living in 1893 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 18, 2004, 5:47 pm Author: Brant & Fuller (1893) GABRIEL P. DOWLING, merchant at Ozark, was born in Dale county, August 6, 1848. He was one of nine children born to Noel and Mrs_ Dowling, whose lives have been presented in the memoir of John W. Dowling. Gabriel P. Dowling grew to manhood on his father's farm, receiving but a meager education. When eighteen years of age he attended. school one year, at the end of which time he entered the store of W. D. Barrow, as clerk, remaining one year, and in 1870 he entered the store of Dowling & Garner, remaining with them until January, 1890, when he established himself in the hardware business in partnership with his brother, John W., under the firm name of G. P. Dowling & Co. On January 13, 1880, he was married to Miss Elfie A. Smith, daughter of Rev. Caswell and Sarah (Hooks) Smith. Rev. Mr. Smith was a native of Georgia, and came to Alabama in 1855. He was instrumental in founding many Methodist Episcopal churches and Sunday schools throughout the country. He settled in Skipperville, Dale county, and engaged in farming in connection with his ministerial duties. Later he removed to Haw Ridge, where he lived ten years, when he removed to Ozark, where he lived until his death, which occurred January, 1892. He was a man of broad views and preached the gospel for many years. The wife of G. P. Dowling was born in Georgia and came to Alabama with her parents, grew to womanhood, and was educated in the Ozark schools. She married at the age of twenty, and is the mother of seven children. The eldest is the wife of H. M. Sessions, clerk of the Ozark bank; Horace is a clerk in his father's store; Harry C.; Susan 0.; Sallie, and Roscoe; the last four are all students in the Ozark high school; the youngest is Albert T. Mrs. Dowling early united in life with the Methodist church, of which she has ever since been a faithful and consistent member. Mr. Dowling now occupies a handsome brick store and carries a stock of from $8,000 to $12,000. Politically, Mr. Dowling is a democrat, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. He has never been an aspirant for office, but has consented to hold several minor offices from time to time. He has been instrumental in securing the Alabama Midland railroad, a system of water works enjoyed by the citizens of Ozark, and has always been active in building up the schools, the churches and all social institutions that tend to improve mankind. Mr. Dowling is conceded by all to be second to none both as a citizen and as a business man. Additional Comments: from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 817-818 Published by Brant & Fuller (1893) Madison, WI This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 3.1 Kb