Person:Robert Dowell (3)

1910 U.S. Census shows Robert A. Dowell living in Kiowa Co. Ks. Household includes wife, Mary E., age 73, son Frank, age 39, and Frank's wife, Eva, age 30. 1900 U.S. Census shows Robert A. Dowell living in Kiowa Co., Ks. Household includes wife, Mary Elizabeth, age 63, son Frank, age 30, daughter Etta, age 24, and her husband, Al Woods, and a hired hand, Luther Burns. 1880 U.S. Census shows Robert A. Dowell, age 43, living in Marion Twp., Crittenden Co., KY. Included in household are wife, Mary E., age 43, son Ed, age 17, Robert, age 15, Lydia, age 13, Francis E., age 11, Jennie E., age 7. Occupation was noted as farmer. 1860 U.S. Census shows Roert A., age 23, living in Marion Twp., Crittenden Co., Ky., with wife, Mary E., age 22, and daughter, Martha E., age 1. Occupation is listed as farmer. Real estate value: $2000. Personal effects value: $1700. (SFT) 1850 U.S. Census shows Robert A., 13, living in Smith Co., TN. with father Willis and mother, Martha, and brothers and sisters Horace,17, Caroline,11, Jonathan, 10, Jane, 8, and Nancy, 5. Also listed are four slaves. Indicated real estate value--$2,500. 1840 U.S. Census shows Robert A. living in Smith Co., TN, with father, Willis and wife and a household including 3 white males under age 5, one age 5-10, one age 10-15, one white female under age 5, one age 10-15, and eleven slaves. Born in Smith Co., TN, moved to Crittenden Co., KY, prior to move to KS in April 8,1884. Crittenden Co., KY, Tax Record Book for 1875, shows Robert A. Dowell as Sherriff and tax collector. (Original in SFT file) R. A. Dowell acquired 200 acres land, survey date 2/16/1877, in Crittenden Co., KY, on Hurricane Creek watercourse. (Deed Book 97, pg. 76.) Married at the Col. Ephriam Hill mansion in Crittenden Co., in presence of G.W. Elder and Rev. H.W. Beacon. On trip to Kansas with wife and children, were able to go as far as Kingman by train, but had to travel the rest of the way by horse drawn vehicles. The settlement was first known as Dowell, KS, but later the name was changed to Wellsford. In June, 1885, R. A. Dowell & Son listed on masthead of Wellsford Register newspaper as Proprietors, W. E. Dowell, as Editor. Edwards Co. Land Records, Pg. 74, No. 1049, Oct. 25, 1887--registered to R. A. Dowell, SE 1/4, Sec. 13 Twp. 28, R. 16-160 Acres. 1895 KS Census shows ownership of 960 A./500 under cultivation/627 A. under fence. Cash value $2,500. 5 horses, 1 milk cow. 120' well (wind powered). "Robt. A. Dowell's ancestors came to America from Scotland and settled in the Carolina's. They later went to Tennessee where Robt. A. was born. His father died when he was very young. He had four brothers: John, Frank, and Horace, and one other who went to the Civil War, but never returned. They never heard of him . . . supposed he had been killed. He had three sisters, but I do not have their names. One married a man by the name of Patterson, from the South. Robt. A. went to Ky. at an early age. He was born in 1837. There, he met Mary Elizabeth Hill. They were married in 1858. To this union seven children were born; Martha, Mary, Edward, Robert, Lida, Frank, and Etta. Mary Elizabeth Hill's mother's name was Rose Porter. She had one brother, Porter Hill, named for his mother's maiden name. Her father was Ephriam Hill. In the year 1884, they left Marion, Ky. where they lived and came to Kansas. To preempt land, they settled in Kiowa County. The first Post Office was named Dowell and they carried the mail from Mt. Nebo in Pratt Co. until the railroad came in 1886. They helped to build the town of Wellsford, built houses and brought families from Ky. to make their home in Kansas. As this is the centennial year, 1961, since the Civil War began in 1861. Grandfather Robt. A. Dowell and family lived in Ky. which did not leave the Union along with other Southern states. So he did not go into the army. He was Sheriff and Probate Judge. Mary E. Hill's father, Ephriam Hill owned slaves. When she was married he gave her two negro women named Mary and Tersie. She owned them while Martha, Mary and Edd were young. Lincoln freed the slaves in 1863. That gave them their liberty. She told them they were free. They stayed on for a while, but at last left with other freed slaves to be on their own" (Notes from Eva Thomas Dowell c. 1961) Obituary from Kiowa Co. Signal, April 19, 1917 "A Pioneer Gone Robert Alexander Dowell was born in Lebanon, Smith Co., Tennessee, October 29, 1837 and died at his home in Wellsford, Kansas, April 11, 1917 being 79 years, 5 months, and 12 days of age. At the age of nineteen years he moved with his parents to Crittenden Co., Kentucky. He was united in marriage to Mary E. Hill, November 11, 1857. To this union were born eight children of whom seven survive him. They are Martha E. Young of Wellsford, Mary E. Elder, Couer d'Alene, Idaho, W. E. Dowell, Tulu, Kentucky, Robert E. Dowell, Hutchinson, Kansas, Lydia E. Hopper, Sylvia, Kansas, Frank Dowell, Wellsford, and Etta Wood, Wichita, Kansas, all of whom were at the funeral. About thirty years ago Mr. Dowell emigrated to Kansas and came directly to Wellsford, where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife died in July, 1907. In November, 1908 he was united in marriage to Mollie Dugan of Haviland, who remains to mourn his death. While living in Kentucky during war times, Mr. Dowell served as deputy sheriff and at the close of the war was elected Sheriff of Crittenden Co., which office he held for six years. In 1880 he was elected Judge and served in that capacity four years. He was best known in this community as Judge Dowell. As a pioneer of Kansas he suffered many hardships and privations, but being of determined and optimistic character he endured the drouth and grasshopper period unflinchingly and as a result became one of the prosperous citizens of this county. When the Wellsford State Bank was established in 1911, Mr. Dowell was made President of that organization and held that office until his death. The deceased had been in poor health for two years and for eight months had been bedfast. Although he suffered much during his sickness his passing away was without pain. Mr. Dowell professed Christ as his Savior in his early manhood and served him to the end. Rev. Poore of Conway Springs who was formerly pastor of Greensburg-Cullison circuit had charge of the funeral services. Six grandsons acted as pallbearers and loving hands did the last service for him who left us. A large company of relatives and friends accompanied the remains to Haviland where they were taken for burial."