Bio: Stephen Grant Dowden, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Submitted by: Mike Miller Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 128-129. Edited by Alc e Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** STEPHEN GRANT DOWDEN Stephen Grant Dowden, assessor for the parish of Natchitoches, was born in that parish, Feb. 6, 1846; the son of Hugh Dowden, a native of Mississippi, who came to Louisiana at the age of 9, settled in Natchitoches parish, where he resided many years. He was engaged in stock-raising and farming and less than 6 months before his death removed to Red River county, Texas, where he died. His father, James Dowden, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came from Mississippi to Louisiana in 1818. The family of James Dowden was reared in the parish of Natchitoches; both he and his wife, whose maiden name was Patsey Nash, were buried in the old Natchitoches cemetery, now the site of Mink Postoffice. Sarah Jane (Berges) Dowden, mother of Stephen Grant Dowden, was the daughter of Andrew Berges of Pennsylvania, of English parentage. The subject of this sketch is the seventh child in a family of 10 sons and 2 daughters, all but 3 growing to maturity. Reared and educated in his native parish, he led an uneventful life until his enlistment, during the Civil war, in the 11th Louisiana regiment of infantry, which eventually was consolidated with the Crescent regiment of New Orleans. At the battle of Mansfield he was wounded and sent to a military hospital and then removed to a private residence, where he completed his convalescence, and was able to go back to his regiment. To the last day of the war the gallant soldier was in the field, and when honorably discharged, after the surrender of Gen. Lee at Appomatox, he had been promoted to sergeant. Returning to Natchitoches, Mr. Dowden engaged in farming until 1892, when he removed from the farm to Natchitoches, where he became deputy sheriff. In 1882 he was elected a member of the police jury and served as such from the eighth ward until he became deputy sheriff, serving in the latter office until elected to his present position in 1905. Mr. Dowden is very influential in the politics of the parish and enjoys great popularity. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, council and Royal Arch, and is a Baptist in religion. In August, 1865, occurred the marriage of Mr. Dowden and Miss Rosana L. Adle, who bore him 11 children, 6 of whom are living: Nancy Victoria, wife of B. E. Taylor; Sarah Jane, wife of Rufus Sanders; Melissa, wife of Allen Nash; Willis S., David P. and Julia, wife of Robert Alexander. From a second marriage with Miss Eliza J. Rhodes, there were born 7 children--Edward G. and Edna M. Dowden, twins; James A., Lees M., Bessie V., Maud K. and Hugh H. Dowden.