Abt 1775 Moved to Turkey Creek in the Camden Crown District of the New
Acquisition in South Carolina Military 8 FEB 1779 South Carolina. Abt
1782 moved to Broadway Creek, Pendleton District, South Carolina WILL:
2 SEP 1819, Pendleton District,South Carolina
State of South Carolina.
Robert DOWDLE, Sr., sold his land on Turkey Creek in the Camden Crown
District of The New Acquisition on 17 July of 1781, prior to moving to
Pendleton County of the Ninety-Six Judicial District of South
Carolina. Robert DOWDLE could have moved into this wild, unsettled
area by late 1781 or early 1782, for he was listed as a "squatter" in
pre-1784 land records of that region.
PENDLETON DISTRICT, S.C. DEEDS 1790-1806 Page 68
19 Jan. 1793. Richard MORROW of N. C. to Lazarus TILLY of Pendleton
Co. for L100 stg. for 300 acres on Generostee Creek, waters of
Savannah River, bd. on E. by Joshua SAXON, on S. by John DALRYMPLE, on
W. by Henry HUSTON, on N. by James MARONEY, granted to MORROW, 3 Nov.
1788, by Thos. PINCKNEY, Recorded Bk. XXXX, p. 521.
Wit: Aaron BOGGS, James MAXWELL, Robt. DOWDLE.
Robert DOWDLE made oath to E. BROWNE J. P., 26 Jun. 1794.
Rec: 10 Jul 1794. Deed Bk B: Pages 300-301
When Col. Andrew Pickens assembled a South Carolina militia force and
won a decisive victory over the British at Kettle Creek in Georgia
during the Revolutionary War, Robert & his brother James entered the
war as a member of the South Carolina Militia. The British seized
Savannah on 29 Dec 1778 and in early January of 1779 they began
advancing up the Savannah River toward Augusta. Robert DOWDLE Sr.,
enlisted on 8 Feb 1779; his brother James DOWDLE enlisted on 15 Feb
1779. Robert DOWDLE, Sr., served at Brier Creek as a Quarter Master's
Sergeant in a "troop of horse" under a Major ROSS. from 8 Feb 1779
until 9 May 1779. James DOWDLE served in the same unit, under a
Captain KIRKPATRICK.
Both Robert DOWDLE, Sr. and James DOWDLE participated in the Battle of
Briar Creek in Georgia, which occurred on or about 3 Mar 1779. The
farmer-soldiers couldn't compete with the highly trained professional
British Army. The battle was a complete rout with Robert and James'
unit suffering very heavy casualties and the loss of many horses and
much equipment. Only 38 of the 200 men in this unit survived!!
Robert later received reimbursement for his equipment; James received
reimbursemnt for his hose, bridle and saddle. James terminated his
period of service on 2 Apr 1779; Robert terminated his on 9 May 1779.
Robert and James again responded to the call for volunteers and served
for 40 days in July and Augsut of 1779. Both Robert and James served
under General SUMTER and were again the victims of a sound defeat, in
August 1780, at the hands of the British at the Battle of Fishing
Creek in South Carolina. Robert and James again lost equipment for
which they were reimbursed at a later date. Robert DOWDLE, Sr. later
served as a Lieutenant for a period of 30 days.
Robert owned 9 slaves: Sally, Maurice, Betty, Nathan, Lucy, Cato, Tom,
Sambo and Susan.
Pendleton District
"In the name of God Amen. I Robert Dowdle Senior being of sound and
disposing mind and memory, do constitute and ordain this my last Will
and Testament Revoking all others.
Im Primiss. I give and bequeath unto my Beloved wife Mary, fifty
Dollars, to answer present Demands, My Negro wench Sally to her, her
heirs and assigns forever. Two horses, four Cows and Calves of her own
choice from my stock, with a third of the Sheep, hogs and Young
Cattle, which may Remain at my Death, together with my Negro fellow
Maurice. Also all my household furniture & the farm wheron I now live,
for her accommodation during her natural Life. My Negro wench Betty to
be under the care of my said wife during her life and at her Death to
be provided for by my Son Samuel and his heirs. Also my farming tools
to be equally divided between my wife and my son Samuel and at her
Death all the tools to go to Samuel.
Item. It is further my will that at the Death of my said wife, the
aforementioned Negro Fellow Maurice be manumitted from Servitude for
Life; at that time the household furniture to be equally divided by
lot between my Said wifes two Daughters Margaret Dowdle and Ester
Liddle, except my Clock and Loom and tacklings, which I bequeath to my
Daughter in law Martha Dowdle, and that plantation or farm above
mentioned, Revert to my Son Samuel, his heirs and assigns forever,
with my old waggon, which I leave my said wife during her Life. I also
give and bequeath to my Son Samuel, at the death of my wife Mary, the
Negro boy, by name Nathan and at the Death of my Son, this Boy to be
left to my Son Samuells Son James, I also give and bequeath to my Son
Samuel the Expansion of the cows and horses, Cattle and the Remaining
two thirds of the Sheep and hogs to him and his heirs. Also I give and
bequeath to my Son Samuel the Negro Girl Lucy and her Increase to him,
his heirs and assigns forever.
Item. I also will and bequeath to my Son Robert Dowdle and my daughter
Elinor Warnock fifty Dollars each, to them and to their heirs.
Item. I give and bequeath to my Grand Son Robert Barr, son of my Son
Samuel, a Negro Boy by name Cato, and to his heirs also to said Robert
Barr, Peggy and James Sons and Daughter of my Son Samuel, I give
Fiffty Dollars each, also to my Grand son William, Son of my Son
Samuel, I give Twenty Five Dollars to assist in their Education and to
be appropriated exclusively to the payment of Tuition, their Parents
to provide boarding and other necessities.
Item. I will and bequeath to my Son James, his heirs and assigns, the
Negro Fellow by name Tom. To my Daughter Margaret Pickens a Negro Boy
by name Sambo. Also to my Son John Dowdle a Negro girl by name Susan
with her Increase. These Negroes I will and bequeath to the above
mentioned heirs, their heirs and assigns forever.
Item. It is my will that such Books as I have when I die, be divided
as near as can be into Four Equal Shares. My Wife Mary to choose the
first share and the remaining three shares to be divided between my
Sons John, Robert and Samuel by lot.
Item. It is also my will that the Crop, which may be on hand when I
die be attended and when gathered to be divided between my Wife Mary
and my Son Samuel, viz My Son Samuel to have a third of the Crop and
the Rest to go to my Wife Mary.
Item. My funeral Expenses being justly paid and my lawful debts paid,
It is my will that the Residue of my Estate not already disposed of be
sold at public Sale and the proceeds divided Equally among my nine
Children, or the heirs of Such as may be deceased, viz their heirs to
have such share as their Father would have had were he living.
Postumus. I hereby authorize and appoint My Wife Mary, My Son-in-law,
John Warnock and William Acker, Esquire joint Executors of this my
last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I here unto set my hand
and Seal, This the Second Day of September, Anno Domini One Thousand,
Eight hundred and Nineteen.
Attest
Joseph Whitmer
Major Lewis Robert Dowdle Seal
Adam Todd"
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ANNOTATIONS:
Margaret DOWDLE and Ester LIDDLE are the daughters of Robert DOWDLE,
Sr.'s wife Mary GIVENS by her first husband, who remains unknown. Some
think that Mary GIVENS' first husband was a John PICKENS. Margaret
__________ married her stepbrother John DOWDLE. Esther __________
married John LIDDLE.
The daughter-in-law, Martha DOWDLE, was Martha WOOD, who had married
Samuel Givens DOWDLE.
Three of the married daughters of Robert DOWDLE, Sr. and his first
wife, who is thought to have been Jane CLEMENS, were not mentioned in
the Will of Robert DOWDLE, Sr. However, these three daughters were
mentioned in the Estate Papers. These three daughters were: Rebecca
LOVE (Rebecca DOWDLE married Thomas LOVE and was childless and a widow
at the time of Robert DOWDLE, Sr.'s death); Jane DOWDLE (Jane DOWDLE
married James MIDDLETON and had migrated to Grainger County, Tennessee
shortly after 1801); and Ann DOWDLE (Ann DOWDLE married Robert LOVE
and had migrated to Alabama and was living in either Tuscaloosa,
Greene, or Dallas County at the time of Robert DOWDLE, Sr.'s death).
The Will of Robert DOWDLE, Sr. specifically mentions "my nine
children". Mary GIVENS' two daughters were mentioned in the Will;
however, they should not be included in "my nine children". The Will
mentions Elinor WARNOCK (Eleanor DOWDLE married John WARNOCK); John
DOWDLE (John DOWDLE married Margaret __________, his step-sister);
Margaret PICKENS (Margaret DOWDLE married Andrew PICKENS); James
DOWDLE (James DOWDLE married Ann PICKENS) - See following note; Robert
DOWDLE, Jr. (Robert DOWDLE, Jr. married Eleanor Jane PICKENS and then
Jane BENNETT); and Samuel DOWDLE (Samuel Givens DOWDLE married Martha
WOOD). This is a total of six children that were mentioned in the
Will; coupled with the three children above that were not mentioned in
the Will but were mentioned in the Estate Papers totals "my nine
children".
Although James DOWDLE was mentioned in the Will of Robert DOWDLE, Sr.;
James DOWDLE had died at least ten years before his father, Robert
DOWDLE, Sr. The following may be the logical explanation for the
inclusion of his name in the Will of his father.
The Will above reads "Item. I will and bequeath to my son James, his
heirs and assigns, the Negro fellow by name Tom." The fact that the
word "forever" is missing may be significant. It is thought that
whoever wrote the Will for Robert DOWDLE (Robert's signature indicates
feebleness and doesn't match the other writing in the document.) got
ahead of himself and started the bequest to James, and then attempted
to cover this mistake by leaving out the word "forever" in order that
the bequest only cover James DOWDLE's heirs.
The Will also reads "Item. It is my will that such books as I have
when I die, be divided as near as can be into four equal shares. My
wife Mary to choose the first share and the three remaining shares to
be divided between my sons, John, Robert and Samuel, by lot."
If James hadn't died before the Will was written, it seems logical
that he would have gotten a share of his father's books.
According to Harold L. DOWDLE, PhD, "James' land appeared on the tax
records of Livingston County (Kentucky) from 1805 to 1809." "James'
tax for 1805 was on 200 acres of land on Claylick Creek ... was also
taxed for one white person over the age of 21, himself, one black
person, and three horses. The next year his tax base remained the
same, except that he was listed with one additional horse. On 29
August 1807 his acreage was not listed, but he was still listed with
one white poll, one black poll, and his horses had again increased by
one."
"James must have died between 29 August 1807 and 17 June 1808, for Ann
was listed as the tax payer on the latter date; and John Dickey, whose
name appeared on the 1807 list near that of the Dowdles, 'entered' her
taxes."
"In 1808, in Ann's list of taxable items there was no "white over 21."
Ann still had one "black", but her horses had diminished by three. Ann
again appeared on the tax list in 1809, but no person was listed as
entering her taxes. She was shown as still owning her slave ..."
In 1820, Israel PICKENS was administering the estate of James and Ann,
acting as guardian for their children. Several of the children of
James DOWDLE and Ann PICKENS were minors at the time of the settlement
of Robert DOWDLE, Sr.'s estate. If James had been alive at that time,
Israel PICKENS (brother of James DOWDLE's wife, Ann PICKENS) would not
have been acting as the guardian for these children.
NOTE: All of the documents pertaining to Robert DOWDLE, Sr.'s death
and estate settlement are on file in the South Carolina Department of
Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina. #302, Anderson County
Estate Papers, Roll 142, C119--Robert Dowdle.
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