Subject: RE: Biographical Info from Ga-Dowdy-POWG From: gslat Date: December 19, 1999 DOWDY, BENJAMIN F. 1816-1881 TATTNALL Benjamin Franklin Dowdy was born on August 12, 1816 in Screven County, Georgia. He was the only child of Benjamin Dowdy and his second wife, Rebecca Smith. The elder Dowdy died during 1819 and his estate was probated in Savannah. The widow, Rebecca Smith Dowdy, drew land in the 1821 Land Lottery as a resident of Screven County. Rebecca Smith Dowdy married second, about 1823, Aaron B. Strickland, probably in Screven County. They had moved to Tattnall County by 1825, taking young Benjamin F. Dowdy with them. Benjamin grew to maturity in Tattnall County, where he lived with his mother and stepfather near Beard's Creek. Benjamin F. Dowdy was married on February 4, 1836 in Tattnall County, Georgia to Emily Mattox. She was born on May 19, 1817, in Tattnall County, and was one of the youngest children of John and Sarah Mattox (Vol.I). The Mattox family were staunch members of the Methodist Church and Benjamin F. Dowdy came to be associated with that denomination through his marriage. Benjamin and Emily Dowdy were the parents of ten children, as follows: 1. Aaron Wiley b. ca. 1838, m. Ann A. Bacon, 11/15/1860. d. 7/1/1863. 2. Sarah Rebecca b. ca. 1840, m. Jacob Easterling, 9/3/1856. d. after 1870. 3. Georgia Ann b. 1/23/1842, m. John Burkhalter, 7/26/1866. d. 3/26/1878. 4. Louisa A. b. ca. 1844, m. Richard A. Waters, d. 1894. 3/13/1864. 5. Mary A. b. 5/21/1848, m. Isham C. DeLoach, d. 10/3/1903. 1/5/1870. 6. John A. b. 8/10/1850, m. never married. d. 2/10/1889. 7. Florida V. b. 3/10/1854, m. Wiley H. Todd, ca. 1874 d. 6/14/1894. 8. Laura E. b. 3/19/1857, m. B. E. Weathers, 3/22/1882. d. 3/29/1891. 9. Benjamin F. b. 4/1/1860, m. Georgia E. Weathers, d. 5/19/1919. 1/8/1880. 10. Emma b. 3/11/1864, m. D. E. Weathers, ca. 1879. d. 2/9/1913. On April 15, 1840, Benjamin F. Dowdy made a deed to Spencer Moore, Alexander Smith and Thomas Southwell as trustees for the Methodist Episcopal Church by the name of "Harmony". In return for $5.00, Benjamin gave the trustees enough land for a meeting house and a cemetery. This same church has now been continuously active on that spot in Tattnall County for 150 years (1990). Two of Benjamin's children are buried there. Mr. Dowdy owned about 590 acres in Tattnall near the headwaters of Beard's Creek and in the center of the county. About 500 acres of this property came to him through his wife and was originally owned by John Mattox. Benjamin was listed as a slave owner on the 1838 State Census of Tattnall County. He served as Tattnall County Tax Collector in 1851 and the Tax Digest for that year is recorded in his own handwriting. Perhaps, Benjamin F. Dowdy is best remembered as the Sheriff of Tattnall County. He served five terms of two years each between 1846 and 1870. Benjamin F. Dowdy died on June 8, 1881 at his home in Tattnall County. He is buried in his family's cemetery about one mile north of Harmony Church on the lands of Remer Dowdy. Emily Mattox Dowdy died on July 13, 1885 and is buried beside her husband. Their son, John A. Dowdy, and two infant grandchildren are also buried in the family cemetery. The Dowdy home stood just to the east of the family cemetery, but no trace of it remains today. It has been handed down as tradition that Benjamin F. Dowdy and several of his children died of Tuberculosis. While this is not provable, many of his children died at an early age. Contributed by: Joseph E. Spann, Jr. of Winter Haven, Florida. SMITH, SIMON. (p.271): The grandson, Benj. F. Dowdy, mentioned in the will of his grandfather, the said Simon Smith, was a son of the latter's daughter, Rebecca, by her first marriage to Benjamin Dowdy who died a year or so after marriage. Said Rebecca later married Aaron B. Strickland. This reduces the number of children of Simon Smith to four. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [SMTP:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, December 19, 1999 11:36 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Biographical Info from Ga hello if any one sees DOWDYS OR MURPHYS when looking threw georgia please send my way merry christmax all lori ann ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |