Re: James Dowdle b. 1778 VA
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In reply to:
Re: James Dowdle b. 1778 VA
3/15/01
Hi, Christy.In answer to your note to me (sorry for the delay), I am the same Del DowDell that lived in Rowland Heights CA in the 1960s.I have been an intermittent genealogist, coming and going among 7 children, career that has taken me back and forth across the US several times, and now retired in Cedar City Utah where I built a nice home for my wife and I and a downstairs for our 7 children, spouses and 14 grandchildren to come and visit, which they do often.
As for James Dowdle (by the way, the name DowDell is correct, it means Dove Dale or valley of the doves, a place in central England granted to the first DowDell (le Duvdal) by William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings and the conquest of England.The valley was known for its numerous doves and the applation, Robert le Duvdal (in Norman French) became his name i.e., Robert of Dove Dale...or anglicized by the Angles (English) Robert of DowDell.When the DowDells went to Ireland, they became known as Dowdalls, and when in America as Dowdells, all because registrars in the colonies did not know how to spell the name and the immigrants often did not care.In the South, the name was shortened (lazy speech) to Dowdle.But the correct spelling, from the original Norman name anglicized is DowDell. By the way, all DowDells, Dowdells, Dowdalls, Duvdells, etc., are commonly related back in antiquity.The White Dowdells remained in England, the Red Dowdells wento to conqueror Ireland in the 13th Century and became wealthy landowners and there are several Dowdall castles there.When the branch of DowDells (Red Dowdells with the original Norman name) came to America, the name took on several spellings, depending on location of entry, the education of the registrars, and the attitude of the immigrant.
As for the James you speak of, the brother to Robert Dowdle, sr., one of three brothers and sons of John Dowdell (sometimes spelled Dowdall), settled in South Caroline first and fought in the Revolutionary War...there are many mentionings of these two during the war.(If you saw the movie Patriot with Mel Gibson recently, it was about the Dowdells and others who fought in that general area of South Carolina along the Santee River)
But the James I was inquiring about was the son of Robert Sr. and the nephew of the James you mention.From John Dowdell (Dowdall) three lines emerged:Robert Sr. -- my ancestor --, Jems (the one you mentioned), and Allen.More is known of Robert Sr and James than Allen.James left the Carolinas before Robert, and some say he settled in Georgia, though that does not make a lot of sense given the method of travel in those days.The movement of people from South Carolina southward went through Tennesse, Kentucky, down the river to Alabama, where my James (Robert Sr's son) shows up, buys a plantation, and starts his family.His son, Robert was known as "Colonel" with his pantation and slaves, and his son was Absolom Porter.At some point after Porter left home, Robert turned his slaves free, and eventually traveled to Utah, as did a very large number of people from Alabama.
If you would like to discuss this further, please let me know.
Del DowDell