Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-12-31
The Old Men Of Rockbridge,
COLONEL JAMES M'DowELL.

ucmcROWci Gil ldmlfy WClC ahVhS
the first settlers in Rockbridge, on
Timber Ridge. Tradition says
that the portion of the county
known asTimberRidge was selected
by the first settlers because of the
abundance of the timber there
found-hence the name.
The ancestor of the Mcdowell
family who first came to America
was Ephraim Mcdowell. We are
told that he and his party Of
immigrants came to this county on
pack horses. The reason of this
mode of travel was simply because
there were no roads in those days,
and their baggage could 2nIy be
conveyed on kind of wooden
saddle over which it was strapped,
and the beasts of burden followed
single file along the lonely path
ways.
Their settlement was made on
Tin Der Ridge short distance
west of the town of Fairfielu.
Ephraim Mcdowell died about the
year 1870. John Mcdowell, his
son, was killed in 1742 by party
Of Indians who came in this section
by way of StrickDer's Gap in North
Mountain, and who were attacked
in the Forks neighborhood by a
party of whites, am ong whom was
John Mcdowell. He was brought
home and buried in the burying
ground on the farm now belonging
to Mrs. Alexander near Fairfield,
and it is said the beginningof
this burying ground dates from
about that period. James Nc
Dowell, the son of John Mcdowell,
was born in 1887, di d in l772 and
was buried by the side of his father.
Thus tracing the pedigree we
come to Col. James Mcdowell, the
con Of the former James Mcdowell
and the fourth generation from
his ancestor, Ephraim Mcdowell,
spending his life and being buried
on the same spot. Col. James Nc
Dowell was born August, 1870, and
died September, 1885. | could,
perhaps, give no better condensed
account of him than that inscribed
by his grandchildren on the hand
some and costly monument erected
by them, as follows:
distinguished by native talent
of high order; gallant ard
fearless spirit; a noble sense of
justice; lofty courage and an
invincible power of will discharg
ing with singular ability and
fidelity the trusts, civil and mill
tary, committed to him: and died
universally esteemed and regretted.
His remains repose here with those
of his ancestors for three genera
tions."
In this connection it is appr0-
pirate to speak of the universally
beloved consort of Colonel Nc
Dowell. She was the daughter of
Col. William Preston. She was
born May 20, 1893 and died July
3, 1841, and her remains lie en-
tombed along with those Of her
husband.
Colonel Mcdowell was one of the
men who are born destined to
make their mark upon the age in
which they lived. He acquired
considerable landed property from
his father and to this he added
largely in the neighborhood where
he resided. His farm, known as
Cherry Grove, consisted of some
|, 200 acres. He owned valuable
be dies of land in other sections of
the county besides most excellent
Hands in the. State of Kentucky
and what is now West Virginia.
Colonel Mcdowell was one of
those mea known in his neighbor-
hood as a rich man. He not only
owned large bodies of land, but
what was not common in Rock
bridge in those days, he was large
STAKEHOLDER. Like many of the
wealthy men of Eastern Virginia
he could live to great extent
within himself, having slaves not
only to perform his field labor, but
his mechanical work, such as
carpenter, blacksmith, and even
miller and distiller, if he saw
proper.
Colonel Mcdowell was en-
phatically n military man. He
served as Colonel of regiment
from this quarter in the war of
1912. His appearance on parade
was the very embodiment OF a
soldier-tall, dignifed, and com
handing, when mounted on his
charger his military air could but
impress the beholder with admir-
alton. After the war lie retained
his military command and for
many years he was accustomed to
set his squadrons in the field on
battalion muster occasions, to the
great delight of the little bows,
negroes and spectators generally