374 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



Mrs. Flack; Catherine, the wife of J. N. 

 Doan; Augustus, a machinist; and Alice, 

 at home. The parents hold membership in 

 the Presibytcrian church, to which Mrs. 

 Flack also belongs. Mr. Flack is a mem- 

 ber of the Masonic fraternity. Unto him 

 and his wife have been born two sons, 

 Howard W., born in 1888; and Joseph, born 

 in 1894. 



ROBERT McDowell is of Irish line- 

 age, being a representative of the third gen- 

 eration of the family in America. His 

 grandfather, William McDow^ell, was a na- 

 tive of the north of Ireland, and when a 

 young man came to the United States where 

 he secured employment as a farm hand. 

 He remained a resident of Montgomery 

 county throughout his remaining days, his 

 death occurring near Abingdon. In his 

 religious faith he was a consistent Presby- 

 terian. His children were: Major, William, 

 a stone mason ; Robert, a farmer of Kan- 

 sas; EUic, who died unmarried; Margaret, 

 the wife of J. Rapp ; Caroline, the wife of 

 Samual Swartz; and Mrs. Ann Fisher. 



Major JNlcDowell, eldest son of William 

 McDowell, was born in Montgomery coun- 

 ty, Pennsylvania, and in early life learned 

 the shoemaker's trade, which he followed 

 for many years. He also farmed a small 

 . tract of land, which he was enabled to pur- 

 chase as the result of his economy and in- 

 dustry. He was an excellent workman at 

 the shoe bench and because of his skill 111 

 that line secured a good patronage. In 

 politics he was a stanch Democrat, giving 

 his effort for the benefit of the party, yet 

 never seeking or desiring office as a re- 

 ward for party fealty. He, too, belonged 

 to the Presbyterian ctiurch and was a man 

 of unqualified integrity and honor, enjoying 

 the high regard of all with whom he was 

 » brought in contact. A broad-minded, in- 

 telligent business man, in social life he had 

 the friendship and esteem of many who 

 • knew him. He possessed a charitable, 

 kindly spirit that prompted generous aid to 

 the needy and caused him to give ready 

 and heartfelt sympathy to those in distress. 

 He was a worthy member of the Independ- 

 ent Order of Odd Fellows at Jenkinstown, 

 filling all of the chairs there. He wedded 

 Mary Henry, also a native of Montgomery 

 county, and his death occurred in 1891, 

 when he was seventy-five years of age. His 

 w^idow still survives him and has reached 

 the advanced age of ninety years. Her fa- 

 ther was a farmer and her mother, Mrs. 

 Elizabeth Henry, was a representative of 

 an honored early family of Frankfort, 

 Pennsylvania. In their family were the 

 following named children : Samuel Henry, 

 who followed farming ; George Henry, who 

 was a farmer and auctioneer ; Ann, who 

 died at about twenty-five years of age, un- 

 married ; Mrs. Margaret Van Hart, Mrs. 

 Emeline Feaster, Mrs. Mary McDowell, 

 and Mrs. Sarah Evans. Unto IMajor and 



Mary (Henry) jNIcDowell were born eight 

 children: Robert, Harry, who resides on 

 the homestead farm and cares for his. 

 mother, and who is a leading speaker ia 

 the Odd Fellows Society; Samuel, who for 

 over thirty years was superintendent of the 

 street car system of Philadelphia, and died 

 about 1897; Lewis, a wholesale and retail 

 dealer in milk in Frankfort ; Edward, a 

 night watchman of Philadelphia; George,, 

 an early settler and cattle rancher of Kan- 

 sas, who, because of failing healthy started 

 to his old home in Pennsylvania and died 

 en route; Clara, the wife of L. Bennor; 

 and Mrs. Margaret Coar. 



Robert McDowell, son of Major and 

 Mary (Henry) McDowell, was born in 

 Abington township, Montgomery county,, 

 Pennsylvania, March 17, 1843, and the com- 

 mon schools afforded him his educational 

 privileges, while upon the old homestead 

 he was reared to farm pursuits. He re- 

 mained under the parental roof until thir- 

 teen years of age, when he began earning 

 his own livelihood by working as a farm, 

 hand, continuing with one employer until 

 sixteen years of age. He was afterward 

 employed on other farms in the locality 

 until he entered the service as a defender 

 of the Union army in the Civil war. It 

 was in February, 1864, when he was twenty 

 years of age, that he enlisted in the Third 

 Ir'ennsylvama Regiment of Artillery, also- 

 known as the One Hundred and Fifty-sec- 

 ond Pennsylvania Volunteers, under com- , 

 mand of Captain Fred Kortie. He served 

 until November, 1865, when he received 

 an honorable discharge. He enlisted iir 

 Doylestown township, Bucks county, was 

 mustered in at Philadelphia and was sent 

 to Fortress Monroe to do garrison duty. 

 Later the regiment was attached to the: 

 command of General Butler, who was plan- 

 ning a campaign for the capture of Rich- 

 mond. Mr. ]\icDowell had charge of an 

 artillery team to haul the big guns. The 

 command proceeded to Bermuda Hundred^ 

 landed there and threw up breastvvorks^ 

 remaining there for some time at Point ot 

 Rocks. iVir. McDowell was taken ill and 

 sent to Camp Hamilton, where he remained 

 in the hospital for three weeks, after which 

 he was detailed to go as nurse and contin- 

 ued to serve in that capacity for some time. 

 Later Air. McDowell joined his company 

 near Petersburg where he acted as guard 

 after the evacuation. Subsequently he re- 

 turned to Fortress Monroe and was there 

 promoted to orderly paymaster. He con- 

 tinued there during the remainder of his- 

 service and for a time acted as guard for 

 Jefferson Davis, remaining with him in the 

 cell, which was closely guarded both inside 

 and outside and on the ramparts. Mr. Mc- 

 Dowell with his regiment remained at 

 Fortress Monroe until relieved by regulars. 

 He saw much of the hard side of the sol- 

 dier's life, experiencing the difficulties and 

 rigors of war, but he was always found at 

 his post of duty and proved a brave and 

 loyal soldier. 



