The following information found in ledger book dated "circa 1892" of W. C. McDowell of Shelbyville, Shelby Co., MO. This ledger book given to the Shelby Co. Historical Society and loaned (1988) to MO. State Archives for microfilming. page 166 (This is Washington C. McDowell, son of William & Ann Eliza Clingman McDowell) WILLIAM MCDOWELL (the grandfather of Washington C.) was born in the county of Cavan, Ireland on Feb. 4, 1762 and came to Charleston, S. C. in 1782, married to RACHEL MCCLINTICK at Carlisle, Penn. on June 29th 1795. They had 7 children, one named Wm. died Feb. 20th, 1803 at Newtown, Frederic county, VA. and his wife died at Portsmouth, Ohio Aug 13th, 1831, and he died at Chillocothe, Ohio Nov. 11th, 1841. Having no means, a brother assisted him and he soon made considerable money while at Charleston, S. C. mostly in the tobacco trade. I think he was studying medicine and preaching while in Penn. He was successful in business while at Savannah, GA. and bought several slaves in 1795/97 and moved to Newton, VA probably early in 1798 and about 1806 moved to Chillocothe, Ohio for the purpose of freeing 8 slaves that he owned, he being a minister in the M. E. Church. About 1832 he fell from a step-ladder while picking cherries which rendered him a cripple causing him to retire from business, the practice of medicine, and the ministry. Under the firm name of McDowell & Sons, he kept a store in Chillocothe, Ohio from 1816 to 1818 and was in partnership with HINDS in ownership of the land and proprietor of the city of Mt. Carmel, Ills. and other enterprises. William McDowell, Jr., the 2nd son, of the same name and son of the above parties was born at Newtown, Frederic County, VA. March 27th, 1805. Married ANN ELIZA CLINGMAN at Portsmouth, Scioto Co., Ohio on Jan. 5th, 1830. Had 10 children of whom 6 died young (one was stillborn) and his wife died at Rockford, Ills. on Feb. 27th 1892 and he died at his old home in Clarno Twp., Green Co., Wisc. on April 17th 1895. His schooling was as good as the subscription primary & academy afforded at the time at Chillocothe, Ohio, i.e. 1810 to 1830, but he thought it was a mistake in having to study Greek & Latin before he had obtained a better knowledge of the English branch. Being a great reader he was considered by his neighbors as having an education above the average. For sometime previous to and at the time he was married, he clerked in his brother John's store at Portsmouth, Ohio. Moved to a farm on Deer Creek, Ross Co., Ohio but having no knowledge of farming the main results were much unremunerative and hard labor. In 1833 he moved to Chillocothy, Ohio and went into the soap and candle making business, but being dependent on his father for means he was compelled to sell out and move to a house on Water Street. Here he ran a grocery for a short time, but his father so interfered that customers dropped off and the business did not pay. His mother, Rachel died Oct. 9th, 1834 at Chillocothe, Ohio. In 1836 he took a trip to northern Illinois and his father-in-law offered him assistance if he would move there. But his father, who was living with him, being old & a cripple and unwilling to move, he decided to remain and take care of him while he lived. From date of closing out the grocery till he moved west in 1842 he had no steady business and during this interval an old black woman came and claimed support by reason that the laws of Ohio required that any person bringing a slave into the State and freeing them must give bonds obligating such person to provide for the support of such slave if they became unable to support themselves. This woman having been a slave and freed by his father and he being unable to support her, the son was compelled to do it. Luckily she was the only one of the 8 that were freed that called for help. The old woman died in a few months, aged 84 years. His father died in 1841 and in the latter part of april, 1842, he started with his family for Illinois in a two-horse wagon. A balky horse compelled him to stop and trade him off for another the first day. He continued his journey westward until he reached Richmond, Indiana, but the roads being very bad he went to Cincinnati, Ohio and took a steamer down the Ohio River then up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers to Peru, thence by wagon to Cedarville, Stephenson co., IL. While on the way from Richmond, Ind. to Cincinnati, Ohio, several of the children had the measles which caused a delay of several days at Cincinnati. The youngest child, 9 month old William, grew worse on the journey and died at North Grove, Ogle County, Illinois, June 15, 1842 and the corpse was taken to Cedarville and buried. About the last of June, 1842 he moved to a farm in Green Co., Wisc. and having built a frame house, moved into it on the 7th day of Nov. 1842. Taking much interest in education, he was active in securing a good schoolhouse, books & teachers, as the place and time afforded and served many years as an official on the school board. In Aug. 1846 8 year 10 month old John and in Sept. William, 2nd son of the name, died and some months after, his wife showed symptoms of insanity which continued to recur at intervals with increased violence until she was finally placed in the asylum where she remained until about Jan. 1884. May 22nd 1852 Wilhemina died and subsequently a child was stillborn. In 1846 (Oct. to Dec.) a convention having drafter a constitution that was rejected by the people in 1847. He was elected member of the 2nd convention as member from Green County, Wisc. in 1847 which met and dr