Thomas David Smith McDowell
Born: January 4, 1823
Birthplace: Bladen County, North Carolina
Father: Dr. Alexander McDowell 1775 – 1846
Mother: Mary Jane Smith 1780 – 1849
Wife: Mary Eliza Davis 1826 – 1881
(Buried: McDowell Cemetery, McDowell, North Carolina)
Children:
Alexander McDowell 1846 – 1922
John Alexander McDowell 1851 – 1925
Political Party: Democratic PartyEducation:
1843: Graduated from University of North Carolina
Occupation before War:
Plantation Manager of Purdie Plantation
1846 – 1850: Member of North Carolina State House of Commons
1852 – 1855: North Carolina State Senator
1858 – 1860: Member of North Carolina State Senator
1858 – 1860: Member of Senate Committee on Education
1858 – 1860: Member of Senate Committee on Literary Fund
1858 – 1860: Trustee of University of North Carolina
Supporter of Emancipating Slaves at owner’s time of death
1860: His Estimate of his Plantation was valued at $65,000.00
Civil War Career:
1861: Opposed Secession until Lincoln called for troops after Fort Sumter
1861: Delegate to North Carolina State Secession Convention
1861–1862: N.C. Delegate to Confederate Provisional Congress
Supporter of selling African Americans and distributing the Profits When Captured by Soldiers
1861: Supported giving the Davis Administration basic War Powers
1862 – 1864: Confederate States Congressman from North Carolina
1862 – 1864: Opposed Suspending the writ of habeas Corpus
1862 – 1864: Opposed repudiating inflated currency
1862 – 1864: Member Confederate House Committee on Commerce
1862 – 1864: Member Joint Committee on the Inauguration
1862 – 1864: Always alert at best Coastal Defenses for North Carolina
1863: Choose not to be a candidate for reelection as Congressman
Occupation after War:
1863 – 1885: Manager of 320 Acre plantation
1863 – 1885: Employer of Fifty–seven Former Slaves
1874 – 1881: Trustee of University of North Carolina
1885: Turned over his plantation to his sons to Manage
Died: May 1, 1898
Place of Death: Bladen County, North Carolina
Age at time of Death: 75 years old
Burial Place: McDowell Cemetery, Bladen County, North Carolina
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