Family:John Dowd and Ella Rockwood (1)

Per bio of John C and Frank: John Chester was educated first at Panama, NY, later at Mayville, NY, and attended medical school in NY for two years. He lived in Kansas from 1879 to 1886. [See below for text of John Chester's portion of that bio.]

1880 Atchison, Atchison Co KS John C. Dowd Self M Male W 27 NY Clerk in store NY NY Ella Dowd wife M Female W 25 PA Keeping House NY MA Fred Dowd Son S Male W 3 PA at home NY PA Bennie Dowd Son S Male W 1 NY at home NY PA

Bio appearing in Atchison Co history, abt 1882: JNO. C. DOWD, gravel roofer and mover of buildings, residence on T street between Sixth and Seventh, was originally from New York, born December 21, 1852, in Chautauqua County; after obtaining a practical education, he learned the carpenter's trade with his father and pursued that vocation previous to coming to Kansas. Mr. Dowd came to Atchison December 27, 1880, and worked at his trade until the spring of 1882. Then he purchased the gravel roofing business of one Mr. Sanders, which he has since successfully conducted. He employs from four to ten men, as the time of the season demands. A part of his business being the moving of buildings, also general carpenter work. His work extends through Atchison and the surrounding counties. Mr. D and wife are members of the Baptist church, and he belongs to the A. O. U. W. Mrs. D was formerly Ella C. Rockwood of Pennsylvania, whom he married in 1873.

Daughter Mabel was born in 1887, and Waynne Warren has her birthplace as Paulding Co. The Frank and John bio says that John had "practiced for seven years" as a dentist and the publication was dated 1894, putting Chester in Cleveland in roughly 1887.

John Chester's portion of the 1894 Cleveland bio: [quote]

    Dr. J.C. Dowd, dentist, of Cleveland, Ohio (brother of Dr. Frank Dowd), was born in Chautauqua county, New York, December 21, 1852, attended the select school in Panama, that State, completing a course in Mayville, same State.  He attended a medical college two years, and practiced under a license of the State.  In Cleveland he has practiced for seven years with very good success.
    Dr. J.C. Dowd was married in 1873, to Miss Ella Rockwood, daughter of Deacon Rockwood of Union City, Pennsylvania.  Dr. Dowd and his wife have five children, viz.:  Fred E., a student in the city schools, Bennie, Frank C., Roy and Mabel.
    Mrs. Dowd is a member of the Baptist Church, and Doctor of the Disciple.  He is a member of the Knights of Pythias (the main lodge), also of the Maccabees; and he has been a member of several other societies.  In politics he is a thorough Republican.
    Dr. Dowd lived in Kansas from 1879 to 1886.  He was engaged in contracting and building in that State, and while there was burned out, losing all.  His location was Atchison.  He was a member of the Atchison Flambeau Club that took part in the parade at St. Louis at the time of the "Unveiling of the Prophets".  He carries a scar resulting from injuries received at that time, and the report came home that he was killed.  The injury was caused by the accidental explosion of a bomb, by which five others were also injured.  Dr. Dowd was carried to the hospital, as it was thought, in a dying condition.

[end quote]

John C. Dowd appears in the 1930 census as an inmate of the Cleveland State Mental Hospital. His death certificate confirms that he died in that institution of pneumonia, with constributing cause listed as 'arteriosclerosis with psychosis". I do not yet know how long he was a patient there.

1. ↑ various (see below), (i)The Rockwood Family: A bit of Genealogy(/i) ("Probably started by Jerome Edwin Rockwood (1835-1912) and completed (wit.