McDowell, G. W.

The following data is extracted from Reminiscent History Of The Ozark Region, pub. Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, Chicago 1894.

G. W. McDOWELL. This gentleman is one of the oldest and most reliable merchants of Yellville, and is in every way deserving the large patronage which he commands. He has been a resident of the town since 1868, but owes his nativity to the Old Dominion, where he first opened his eyes upon the light April 12, 1832, his parents being Thomas and Rebecca (Lytle) McDowell, the former of whom was born on the Isle of Erin, and came with a brother to the United States about 1800. He-settled in Virginia and his brother in one of the Carolinas, and he became a very wealthy farmer and trader. He was a finely educated gentleman and of unblemished reputation, and left the heritage of an honorable name as well as a goodly property to his descendants. He was born in 1780 and died in 1840. He was married after coming to the United States to a Miss Patton, who bore him five children, two of whom are living: John, of Batesville, Arkansas, and Elizabeth, of Texas. His second mar-riage took place in Virginia, and was to the mother of the subject of this sketch, by whom he became the father of ten children, four now living: Mary, of Summerville, Ore.; G. W.; Cyrus D., who is also in Summerville, Ore.; Virginia, of Howell County, Missouri Four of the others grew up, David, Thomas, Sarah and Missouri, and two died young. None of the sons took part in the Civil War except Cyrus D., who was a soldier in the Union Army. Thomas McDowell emigrated to Missouri in 1835, and after five years' residence in Scotland County, died there in 1840. His widow, while making the journey to Oregon with her daughter, in 1865, died and was buried on the plains. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. G. W. McDowell grew up in Missouri, and was given the advantages of the schools of St. Louis, the Edward Wymans English and Classical High School, and the Jones Com-mercial College, from which he graduated. He first embarked in business in St. Louis in 1850 a wholesale merchant, and after remaining there actively employed for some thirteen years he came to Yellville and remained a short time. He then returned to St. Louis, and in 1864 went to Decatur, Illinois, but at the end of three years returned to St. Louis, from there moved to Covington, Tennessee, and in 1868 once more came to Yellville, and has since been a success-ful merchant of the place, a part of the time being associated in business with others, but the most of the time has been by himself. Although he has at times met with business reverses, he has in the main been successful, and is now considered one of the most successful, pushing and enterprising business men of northern Arkansas. His stock of goods amount to from $3,000 to $5,000, and his average sales amount to from $6,000 to $Io,000 annually. He is one of the oldest merchants of the northern part of the State,and has given forty-four years of his life to the mercantile business, and is now in good financial circumstances. He has always been a prominent Democrat, and is the present treasurer of Marion County, and is a very able and efficient one. He is a member and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and for a number of years has been connected with the honorable order of Masons. He was married in Yellville to Miss Rachel Wilson, a daughter of I. C. Wilson, and a family of four children have been born to them, two of whom are living: Hallie, who is the wife of Neal Dodd, of Yellville; Lillie, who was the wife of De Roos Baily, died in April, 1893; Maud, the youngest, is living in Yellville, and John, who was the eldest of the family, died at the age of eighteen months. The mother of these children died in March, 1866, a worthy and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Source: Reminiscent History Of The Ozark Region, pub. Goodspeed Brothers, Publishers, Chicago 1894

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