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Joseph McDowell Sr.
Born 1715? Tryone County, North Ireland
Died by 1771 Rowan Co. NC
Emigrated PA by 1743
SPOUSE CHILDREN
?Virginia Margaret O'Neal

m. by 1742
?Ireland
b. 1717
Northern Ireland
d. 1790
?Ireland
?Sarah Nancy

b. May 10, 1739
Armagh Co. Ireland
d. 1800?
Burke Co. NC
Elizabeth

b. 1741
Frederick Co. VA
d. May 15, 1825
Jessamine Co. KY
Hugh

b. 1742
VA
d. Mar 30, 1772
Burke Co. NC
Charles

b. Oct 18, 1743
Winchester, Frederick Co. VA
d. Mar 3, 1815
Burke Co. NC
Hannah

b. 1747
Winchester, Frederick Co. VA
d. Jan 24, 1817
Rockingham Co. VA
Jane

b. 1750

d. Oct 28, 1838
Wilkesboro, Wilkes Co. NC
Maj. John

b. 1751
VA
d. 1822
Burke Co. NC
Col. Joseph (Jr.)

b. Feb 15, 1756
Winchester, Frederick Co. VA
d. Jul 11, 1801
Morganton, Burke Co. NC
Joseph and his family settled first in PA, then in the Shenandoah Valley in Frederick Co. VA by 1743. They briefly moved to Lancaster Co. SC before purchasing the land at Quaker Meadows.
Frederick County Virginia was formed in 1738 from Orange County (see present day map for location), and is the northernmost Virginia county.
Those who served in the Cherokee War under Col. George Gabriel Powell were mainly from Cheraw and Georgetown Districts of old Craven County SC (as opposed to the Camden District and western counties). Listed among those who served under Col. Powell, "John Holoway", John White and a clerk William White [possibly brothers John and William], and several "Duett" or "Dueiett", namely Ens. Charles [possibly a son of Charles Dewitt], Joseph who left or deserted, and Benjamin "Due" who died [Andrea, SC Colonial Soldiers...].
North Carolina Counties at beginning of 1775 and at beginning of 1780 showing the creation of Burke Co. in 1777.
On Feb 6, 1777 at the Rowan Co. NC Court, Erasmus Allen and James Blair are securities for William & Milly White on bond of 1000 pounds when they qualify as administrators of the deceased Reuben White. On May 9, 1777, a bench warrant is issued against William White, administrator of Reuben White, to account with next court. "Ordered that James Chapman be jointed with Miley White and Wm White in Adminr: of the Estate of Reubin White deceased... in sum of 6000 pounds." The court orders Esq. Charles McDowell or Esq. Matthew Sharpe of Burke Co. NC "examine John White, Thomas Whitson, Joseph Dobson, William Faris & James Levenport about the will of deceased Reubin White" [Rowan Co. NC Court Records]
Map of Burke County NC from 1777 to 1799 showing where the McDowell, White and Holloway families settled.
On Aug 20, 1777, at the house of son Col. Charles McDowell at Quaker Meadows, Alexander Cole made oath that he had witnessed along with George Hickman, "Reuben White sign seal and deliver the deed of ten negroes & sundry other items as his own free & voluntary act & deed for the uses & purposes mentioned" from Reuben White to the wife and children of William White. This was done "in the presence of Reuben's widow, her father Erasmus Allen and a great many other persons" [Vineyard, p. 96].
John Holloway and William Miller were chain carriers for a survey of 1,000 acres bordering the Catawba River at Quaker Meadows for son Col. Charles McDowell, dated Aug 29, 1779 (Photocopy of the survey record). Miller owned the neighboring land. Charles was the older brother of Col. Joseph McDowell, Jr. (1756-1801) who led Burke Co. troops at King's Mountain on Oct 7, 1780. The Quaker Meadows estate had been inherited by Charles in 1775 after the death of his father, Joseph Sr.
Quaker Meadows, home of Charles and Joseph McDowell, is a historical site just two miles northwest of Morganton NC. Photo of Historical Marker.
Map of Western Carolinas during the Revolution shows location where Capt. Reuben White died in 1776 at the head of the Catawba River (near Old Fort), home of Col. Charles McDowell (Quaker Meadows), the Burke Co. Courthouse not built until 1785, and the John's Creek (River), all along the Catawba River [Map from Draper, Lyman C., King's Mountain and its Heroes, 1881].
About 1783, son Joseph Jr. married the Margaret Moffett (1763-1815).
In 1782, son Charles married the Grace Greenlee, widow of Capt. John Bowman, who was killed at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill on Jun 20, 1780.
Daughter Hannah married George Chrisman (1745-1816) and is buried in Cook's Creek Church Cemetery in Rockingham Co. VA. Photo of grave marker.
Daughter Jane married Capt. John Brown (1738-1838) and is buried in Brown's Ford Cemetery in Wilkes Co. NC. Photo of grave marker.
On the third page, third column, 7th household (7th Company) of the 1790 Burke Co. NC Census son Charles McDowell was listed as a head of household of 8 family members:
1 male aged 16 and up (Charles),
2 males under age 16 (sons Charles and Athan or stepson John Bowman),
5 females (wife Grace, stepdaughter Mary Bowman, daughters Peggy, Sarah Grace, and Eliza Grace),
and 10 slaves.
Son Joseph (Jr.) was listed as the seventh household in the same company (7th), in the second column of the same page, with 2 males older than 16, no male children, and 5 females (wife Margaret and four daughters), and 10 slaves son John was listed in the 6th company with 2 males older than 16, 2 male children, and 4 females and 5 slaves [genealogy trails website].
Grandson Charles Gordon McDowell married Anna McDowell (1793-1859), a daughter of son Col. Joseph McDowell (1756-1801).
Joseph and other McDowell family members are buried at Quaker Meadows Cemetery on a hill high above the house at Quaker Meadows. Photos of Marker of Joseph Sr., and Marker of son Charles. Son Joseph, who was buried in an "unmarked" grave beside brother Charles at the base of a white oak tree with the letter "J" carved into its trunk. The white oak tree existed in 1890 but has long since been removed" [Find-a-grave website].
Sources:
AmRevNC, Quaker-Meadows, website, 2021-3.
Andrea, Leonardo, South Carolina Colonial Soldiers and Patriots, publ. 1952, transcribed by Sara Augerson in website.
Genealogical Society of Rowan Co. NC, "Erasmus Allen Will, 1787, NC", Journal Of The Genealogical Society Of Rowan County, North Carolina, Salisbury NC, 1999.
Genealogy Trails, 1790 Census, Burke Co. NC, website, transcribed by Linda Natale, 2020.
Huggins, Edith Warren, comp., Burke County, North Carolina Land Records and More Important Miscellaneous Records, vol. II, Southern Historical Press, Easley SC, p. 125.
North Carolina Land Grants, vol. 2, at Morganton NC Library, p. 6, #1476, transcribed by Lisabeth M. Holloway Oct 9, 1987.
Scott, W. W., Annals of Caldwell Co., Lenoir NC, 1930, pp. 64-65, 118.
Vineyard, M.L. & E.M.Wiseman, Wm Wiseman & the Davenports, Pioneers Of Old Burke County, North Carolina, v.2, Franklin NC, 1997, pp. 233-234.
White, Gifford, James Taylor White of Virginia and some of his descendants into Texas, Austin, TX, 1982.