Dowland, Thomas
HISTORY OF MACOUPIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS
DESCRIPTIVE OF ITS SCENERY,
AND
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia
1879
Page 183
THOMAS DOWLAND, - (Deceased) who died in 1874, was born at Shaftesbury in Dorsetshire, England, October 3d, 1819. His father was a saddler. He learned the trade of a butcher. July 26th, 1843, he married Mary Edwards, born at Fontmellmana, Dorsetshire, November 12th, 1824, daughter of James Edwards. In 1848 he came with his family to New York in a sailing vessel, intending to settle at Dixon, Illinois, but meeting some people coming to Macoupin county, they came to Chesterfield township. He rented land two years and then bought forty acres in section twenty-two. He had barely enough money to get to Illinois, but was industrious and energetic, and became the owner of 260 acres of land. His constitution had never been very strong, and finally after an illness of nearly a year he died of consumption, March 4th, 1874. He had nine children: Jane, who married Robert Richardson; Martha, wife of Thomas B. Richardson; Mary, twin-sister to Martha, who died at the age of seventeen; James E., Sarah, wife of William Robinson; Albert, Clara A., John R. and Mary Annie. Mr. Dowland was a republican in politics, a useful man, and a good citizen.
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