Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-03-18

vlded he would settle thereon one hun
drcd families. He offered any one VIII
would conduct him to his grant on
thousand acres Of land, which wa
promptly accepted by John Mcdowell
: The three men conveyed their famiiie
TO John Lewis and then piloted Eor
/ den 20 what has since been known q
"BoFden's Grant" covering much o
Augusta and Rockhridge counties. Il
consideration of q liberal share of tt,
claim, the tive McDoweils and Green
lee then undertook to assist ia carrying
out BOrden's eontract fer him, and be
fore the close Of the year removed thei
own families to the grant, where they
permanently settled, the first three set
tiers in that part Of the valley. They
soon drew around them other Scotch
and Scoioh-Ir:s1 Meetings.
Aicestl.., McC5l ens, NIcI,.oys, nc
Campbells, CampbeIls. hIcKees, Caruth
ers, PaXtons, Lyles. Irvins, Caldwells
Calhouns, Stuarts,-na,nes which have
since illustrated every page OF Southern
and Western history. In the field, in
the pulpit, at the bar, in the Senate, OH
the bench, by their courage, eloquence
learning and patriotism, everywhere
they have been conspicuous, and have
helped to render famous the country
with whose history and growth theiI
illustrlous names are identified.
EphTaim Mcdowell lived in Augusta
county until his death, shortly before
the Revolutionary war, at an age ex-
ceeding one hundred years, having ac-
cumulated an estate regarded as very
. large in those days, esteemed by all fol
his Intelligence, usefulness and prObity,
welding a singular and benofcent in
fiuence among the intrepid and indie
pendent spirits by whom he was sur.
rounded, and retaining the possession
of al his faculties until the last. lie
built the first road across the Blue
Ridge. He had four children. who at
taiEed maturity, two daughters and
two sons. The oldest daughter, Mary
E. Mcdowell, was the wife of James
Greenlee (not his sister, rs Charles
Campbell has it, was in the camp when
Borden came to it IN the evening, and
was the first woman who settled in the
Grant. From her depositiOn* is cleaned
the most of what is known concerning
the early settlement, and from it CAL be
gathered the trials incident to the Jour
ney through the wilderness to the un-
peOn!ed and almost unknown region.-
She lived to the age of 104 years, to the
last giving an active supervision to bu-
8iness, in which she was thrifty and
prosperous. and riding over all the
country side oD horseback. erect. Her
strength of mind rivalied her physical
endurance. When very cid, the super
stitious Scotch-Irish suspected her of
witchcraft; but she emerged trium-
phantly from the ordeal of being
f weighed against the Bible, her more
than two hundred pounds OF solid flesh
working complete vindcatiOn and
covering her accusers with shame. She
had six children by James Greenlee,
and her descendants number hundreds
Margaretta, the second daughter Of
Ephraim Mcdowell, married Mr.
Mitchell and moved to North Carolina,
where the became wealthy and reared
Wings, inheritinG the fighting qualities
Of their rugged old progentor. Four of
her sons were officers Of The line in the
Revolution two laid down their lives
at Camden, and third there received
his death wound Il fourth, Major
Mitchell, was captured at Charleston.
They left many respectable and influen-
iiai descendants in the Cacolinas, but it
is not TINY purpose to follow them. James
| Mcdowell second son of Ephraim,
married neac Williamsburg. and left
tiaug ghters, Of whose descendants know
nothing.
Born in Ireland, married in Pennsyl-
Vauia to NIagdalena Wood Whose moth
er was q Cam pbelt) st Borden's Grant,
John Mcdowell Ephraim's Oldest son,
was in the prime OF vigorous man
hood active in coloniZing the beautiful
valley with his kinsmen and CO. religion
lists of Scotch Irish blood he was man
Of mark among spirits as self-reliant as
the world ever saw. or proved courage,
he soon received Il military commission
from Gov. Gooch. But scarcely had he
commenced to enjoy the fruit of his
labor and daring when he was killed,
with eight of his men, in fight with
the Indians, on Christmas Day, 1742.
! The common grave in which all were
buriedf can still be seen near LeXing-
ton, Virginia. His widow afterwart;
married benjamin Borden, jr., son of
tie grantee, and by him had two daugh-
ters, one died unmarried. and the other,
Martha, married Ben. Hawkins, o. the
same family as that from which the
Buffers, of Carroiiton, are materially
descended. Hawkins died, and Martha
married a 3Er. Harvey. Her daughter,
| Magdalena Hawkins, married brother
OF her second husband, and it is from
this later marriage that Maria Hawkins
! Harvey, who married VIM. A. Mellow
ell. and was the mother OF Mrs. Bland
Ballard, OF louisville, WAS descended.
! Mis-. Borden married a third time
with Colonel Bowycr, twenty years
age OF l0t years.
John Mcdowell and Magdalena Wood
had three children-Samuel, James and
Martha The daughter married Colo
nel Joseph Mcdowell, of North Caro-
lima, a descendant of one of the name
who hai come over with old Ephraim,
and had drifted into the North State.
Here permit s:s to cerrect the histori
an "K eith,' ana give more minute
history Of tnis part Of the family
/ Wheeler's Hist. Sketches of n. Car,
under The head of Burke Co., says
"Cbarles and Joseph Mcdowell, both
distinguished lin The times that tried
mems souls" were residents Of this
county. Important services were rem
dered by them TO their country. Vhey
were brothers. Their father Joseph
Mcdowell, with his wife Margaret
O'Neal, had emigratea from ireland and
settled in Winchester, Va, where
! Charles aud Joseph were born-the first
! in t.-s& His father removed to Burke
I county.
In June, 1880, Col. afterwards Gem
#Taken in s:lt OF Jos Border vs.. Robert and
| Martha Harvey, teVidenca II 2 fol. volumes in
Co. Clerk Office, St24ltOn, Va) In this trial
Mary Greenlee Under Il long and trying cxaml-
nation Was asked. chow old are you:' She
| srartly replied. "ninety-fiye The l7th Of this
! 1uzt. Why do you ask me my age-Go you
( think am in my dotage?'
1Foote says;-The burial place of these men,
! the first perhaps of the Saxon race ever com
nitted to the dust in Rock bridge county, JOu
may tind in Il brick inciusure ON .ne west side
| of the road miles east OF Lexington and near
| Cherry Grove, the residence or Col. Jas Nclt0W-
| ell, father of the late GOV. Jas. Mcdowell. En-
tering the gat3 and incliNng to the left about
fifteen r..oes you will find = low unhegYd lime
| stone about two feet III height, On watch in
! rude letters by an unknown aud unp,acticed
| hand, is the following inscription, next IL age
to the school masters memorial to his WIFE, IN
| the graveyard at Dpequan:-
Eeer LyeS
The Body CT
john Mack
DOweH
Deced Decembe
! 17i3
! samuel was Colonel o. militia in the b2 tt!e
| of Guilford. He married Mary McCluns his
daughter Magdalcne married And Reid, i2tEel
Of samuel nfrD RprJ late -i.5T< of Rock J. luge,