Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 07.djvu/148

 Mcdowell

Mcdowell

and was brevette<l captain for Buena Vista, Feb. 23, 1847. He was assistant adjutant-general to General Wool's division, " Army of Occupation," 1847-48, and assistant adjutant-general in the war department at New York city, Washington and Texas, 1848-61. He was married in 1849 to Helen Burden, of Troy. N.Y. He was bre vetted major of staff and assistant-adjutant-general, March 31, 1856, and in 1861 he organized and mustered volunteers into service at Washington, D.C., was in command of the military district of Wash- ington, was promoted brigadier-general, U.S.A., May 14, 1861, and commanded the department of N.E. Virginia, and the defences of Washington, south of the Potomac. He commanded the Federal army at the first battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861 ; was in command of the army of the Potomac in the defence of Washington, 1861-62 ; was transferred to the command of the 1st corps, Army of the Potomac in 1862, and was promoted major-general of U.S. volunteers, March 14, 1862. He commanded the army of the Rappahannock, April 4 to Aug. 12, 1862 ; the 3d corps. Pope's Army of Virginia, Aug. 12 to Sept. 6, 1862, taking part in the battles of Cedar Mountain, Aug. 9, Rappahannock Station, Aug. 25, and Manassas, Aug. 29. He was retired from active duty, Sept. 6, 1862. He was president of the court for investi- gating alleged cotton frauds. May to July, 1863, and president of the board for retiring disabled officers at Wilmington, Del., 1863-64. He was in command of the Department of the Pacific, 1864- 65; the Department of California, 1865-68; the Department of the East, 1868-72. and of the Divi- sion of the South in 1872. He was promoted major-general, U.S.A., Nov. 25, 1872. having re- ceived that rank by brevet, March 13, 1865, for Cedar Mountain, Va., Aug. 9, 1862. He was re- tired from active service, Oct. 15, 1882, and resided in Sail Francisco, Cal., where he died. May 5, 1885. McDowell, James, governor of Virginia, x\ as born in Cherry Grove, Rockbridge county, Va., Oct. 11, 1795 ; .son of James and Sarah (Pres- ton) McDowell and grandson of John McDowell, who, with his brother Ephraim, emigrated from Ireland to America about 1730, and settled in Pennsylvania ; removed to Rockbridge county, Va., in 1737, and was killed by the Indians. Dec. 25, 1742. He attended Yale college and was gradu- ated from the College of New^ Jersey, A.B., 1816, A.M., 1819. He studied law under Chapman Johnson, at Staunton, Va. He was elected a representative in the state legislature in 1831, where he advocated state rights, the gradual abolition of slavery and legislative appropriations for internal improvement and for public schools. He was governor of Virginia, 1843-45 ; was a Democratic representative in the 29th, 30th and 81st congresses, 1845-51, and his speech in con-

gress in favor of the admission of California as a free state, Sept. 3, 1850, gained him recognition in the house as an able anti-slavery advocate. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1846. He died on his plantation near Lexington, Va., Aug. 24, 1851. McDowell, John, educator, was born in Monaghan, Pa., in 1751 ; son of William and Mary (Maxwell) McDowell. He was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1771; was a tutor therej 1769-82 ; professor of mathe- matics at St. John's col- lege, Anna- polis, Md., in 1789, and was princi- pal of the college, 1790 -1806. Mc- Dowell Hall, the principal building of St. John's college, was named in his honor. He was profes- sor of nat- ural phil- osophy at the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania. 1806-10, and provost of the university, 1807-10. He resigned both his offices in 1810 on account of ill health. The honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by the University of Pennsylvania in 1807. He was a meml)er of the American Philosophical society. He presented to the University of Pennsylvania his large lib- rary, each volume containing his autograph. He died in Franklin county, Va., Dec. 18, 1820.

McDowell, John, clergyman, was born in Bedminster, N.J., Sept. 10, 1780. He was grad- uated from the College of New Jei-sey, A.B., 1801, A.M., 1804; studied theology under Dr. John Woodhull, at Freehold, N.J.; was installed pastor of the Presbyterian church, at Elizabeth- town, N.J., Dec. 26, 1804, and during his pas- torate the first Sunday school in the town was estal)Iished in 1814, and he prepared for it the first Bible-class question-book used. He remained at Elizabethtown till 1833, when he removed to Philadelphia, Pa., on account of ill health and was in charge of the New Central church, 1833- 45. He established the Spring Garden church, Philadelphia, and was installed its pastor, Feb. 3, 1846. where he remained until his death. During his ministry, 1317 persons joined the churches over which he was pastor on confession of faith,

ST. JOHN'S COU-MK.