Greenbrier County, West Virginia         Biography of SAMUEL H. McDOWELL.

This biography was submitted by Sandy Spradling,
E-mail address:  <SSpradling@aol.com>

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History of Greenbrier County 
J. R. Cole 
Lewisburg, WV 1917 
p. 173-174

SAMUEL H. McDOWELL.

The old McDowell homestead, two miles southeast of Ronceverte, has been in 
possession of that family for five generations. The first occupant was John 
McDowell, a Protestant. who emigrated from Cork, Ireland, in the latter part 
of the seventeenth century, and reached the land of his choice on the American
coast in 1784. He was born November 15, 1759, and died after a residence in 
Greenbrier county of fifty-seven years. That was December 12, 1841. His wife 
sailed with him from the Isle of the Emerald Green and died here January 13, 
18??. Their son, Samuel, born January 5, 1785, was the oldest of the children. 
Following came John, born November 1, 1787; Robert, March 2, 1789; James, 
April 5, 1791; Polly, January 15, 1796; William, October 21, 1801; Nancy, 
December 4, 1808.

Robert McDowell inherited the homestead.  He married Elizabeth Cornwell and 
they both lived and died on the old farm. He died in 1855 at the age of 
sixty-seven years. She was a native of Monroe county, born on the Lewis farm 
on March 3, 1791, died March 7, 1876, aged eighty-five years, three days. 
Their children were Mary Jane, horn November 29, 1823; Eliza, born April 14, 
1825; Frances A., born November 3, 1828; Susanah, born March 7, 1831; Sarah 
E., born May 8, 1833; Robert D., born March Jo, 1835, died March 10, 1904, 
aged sixty-nine years, married Sally A. Rodgers, daughter of Daniel Rodgers, 
on September 25, 1867, and to them were born Samuel H. McDowell, June 28, 
1867, and William F. McDowell, September 15, 1870. He died November 22, 1908. 
He married Mattie McClung, June 27, 1900. She died October 4, 1908, leaving 
one son, Robert Stuart, born in 1905, fifth in line from John McDowell, and 
last owner of the farm. Robert D. McDowell was a Confederate soldier, serving 
through the war.  He was a member of Bryan's battery.  Samuel H. McDowell, 
following the occupation of his ancestors, is known as a successful farmer, 
stock raiser and shipper.  He lived first near Richland's store, and came to 
the present place on the road from Lewisburg to Asbury in 1904 from the 
David Creigh farm, where he lived until twelve years ago.  He married Bertie 
E. Hume, December 21, 1898, and to this union were born Sallie Gladys, July 
17, 1903; Pauline H., born October 18, 1908; William Gray, born July 15, 
1911, died August 25, 1911.

Samuel H. McDowell is a member of the Shriners in the Masonic Fraternity. The 
family worship with the Presbyterians.