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William Ellis McDowell

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Birth	:	10 Jun 1876 West Line, Cass County, Missouri, USA
Death	:	6 Dec 1946 Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Burial	:	Immaculate Heart of Mary Columbarium, Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate	:	39.1195000, -108.5600000
Description	:	"Billy" McDowell was a thresher in Iowa. He moved his family to Richmond, California during the Second World War and worked as a night watchman at the docks. Either my mother or grandmother told me that he'd been assaulted one night while on duty. Will's death certificate (Los Angeles county, CA) lists his occupation as "road contractor." The following transcription of his draft record (1917-1918) is found on the Ringgold county pages of iagenweb.org. McDOWELL, William Ellis, Tingley, Iowa born June 10, 1876 farmer & thresher, spouse - Euphemia McDOWELL William and his threshing crew were the subjects... Read More	"Billy" McDowell was a thresher in Iowa. He moved his family to Richmond, California during the Second World War and worked as a night watchman at the docks. Either my mother or grandmother told me that he'd been assaulted one night while on duty. Will's death certificate (Los Angeles county, CA) lists his occupation as "road contractor." The following transcription of his draft record (1917-1918) is found on the Ringgold county pages of iagenweb.org. McDOWELL, William Ellis, Tingley, Iowa born June 10, 1876 farmer & thresher, spouse - Euphemia McDOWELL William and his threshing crew were the subjects of Threshing With Steam As I Remember It. The story describes him as "a slender wiry dark complected man" who "could get mad when things went wrong." The "water monkey" was his son Clyde. The story concludes with the end of the threshing season. William would blast the steam engine's whistle and... ...the men and women of the day who now sleep in our beautiful cemeteries listened and looked at each other and said, "It sounds like Billy McDowell has finished his run!" William died three and half years before I was born. But I remember Clyde very well, probably last seeing him in 1964. He and my grandfather, who were brothers-in-law, were close friends and worked together painting houses. Clyde had a wooden leg, the result, as I recall, of an accident while working with his father. Like his dad, he had huge ears which he would wiggle to entertain the youngsters. Other than the night watchman story and the threshing article, the only story I recall being told about Will is one that my grandmother told me. Apparently while a teenager he had gotten caught walking down a wooded country road at night with no light. Understandably, he was nervous about being out alone in the middle of nowhere. After awhile he saw a man crouched behind a tree. Will called out to him, "Who are you? What do you want?" There was no response so he picked up a branch and swung it around him as he ran home. Telling the family of the incident, several men, along with Will, went out to the spot to confront the man--who turned out to be a dead tree. Apparently, my great-grandfather never heard the last of it. Indeed, the story was still being told more than a hundred years later. I visited Tingley, Iowa, where Will and Eunie raised their family, in 1988 and spent some time talking to the proprietor of the general store. He knew my grandmother well and remarked that he remembered "Old Will McDowell" and that the wagon wheel sitting in front of the store had belonged to him. From http://ancestraldata.com/ahnentafel/14/

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is William Ellis McDowell's memorial?
William Ellis McDowell's memorial is located at: Immaculate Heart of Mary Columbarium, Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA.
When did William Ellis McDowell death?
William Ellis McDowell death on 6 Dec 1946 in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California, USA
Where are the coordinates of the William Ellis McDowell's memorial?
Latitude: 39.1195000
Longitude: -108.5600000

Family Members:

Parent

William Erwin McDowell

(1830 - 1901)

Spouse

Euphemia Ruth Ashenhurst McDowell

(1880 - 1977)

Siblings

Charles Edward McDowell

(1872 - 1922)

Jennie Birdie McDowell Curnutt

(1874 - 1941)

Allen Thompson McDowell

(1853 - 1951)

Children

Cecil Eva McDowell Butterfield

(1900 - 1937)

Clyde Erwin McDowell

(1901 - 1967)

Alma Luella McDowell Harriman

(1903 - 1993)

Wilma Lucille McDowell

(1913 - 1928)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Immaculate Heart of Mary Columbarium
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1195000, -108.5600000

2. Saint Matthews Episcopal Church Memorial Garden
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1021440, -108.5422860

3. Final Paws Pet Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1205000, -108.6240000

4. Ross Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0695660, -108.5637030

5. Crown Point Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1425018, -108.6175003

6. Memorial Gardens
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0790329, -108.5022278

7. Teller Indian School Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0631400, -108.5316130

8. Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0631447, -108.5261002

9. Municipal Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0477028, -108.5673676

10. Fair View Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0465000, -108.5660000

11. Ohr Shalom Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0460000, -108.5665000

12. Calvary Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0456009, -108.5653000

13. Saint Anthony Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0454000, -108.5660000

14. IOOF Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0447500, -108.5679500

15. Veterans Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0444946, -108.5690918

16. Masonic Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0442276, -108.5670471

17. Orchard Mesa Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0426500, -108.5664000

18. Potters Field
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0413284, -108.5700989

19. Palisade Cemetery
Palisade, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0999000, -108.3980000

20. Sacred Heart Cemetery
Fruita, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1721992, -108.7292023

21. Elmwood Cemetery
Fruita, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.1739006, -108.7339020

22. Little Park Cemetery
Grand Junction, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9863500, -108.6604500

23. Whitewater Cemetery
Whitewater, Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 38.9818993, -108.4357986

24. Glade Park Cemetery
Mesa County, USA
Coordinate: 39.0074997, -108.7382965