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- Submitted via GEDCOM by Daniel Frederick Montgomery, CMS 2419, on 14 Jul 2004.
Bio: Stephen Grant Dowden, Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Source: Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Submitted by: Mike Miller
Stephen Grant Dowden, assessor for the parish of Natchitoches, was bornin that parish, Feb. 6, 1846; the son of Hugh Dowden, a native ofMississippi, who came to Louisiana at the age of 9, settled inNatchitoches parish, where he resided many years. He was engaged instock-raising and farming
and less than 6 months before his death removed to Red River county,Texas, where he died. His father, James Dowden, was a native ofPennsylvania, and came from Mississippi to Louisiana in 1818. The familyof James Dowden was reared in the parish of Natchitoches; both he and hiswife, whose maiden name was Patsey Nash, were buried in the oldNatchitoches cemetery, now the site of Mink Postoffice. Sarah Jane(Berges) Dowden, mother of Stephen Grant Dowden, was the daughter ofAndrew Berges of Pennsylvania, of English parentage.
The subject of this sketch is the seventh child in a family of 10 sonsand 2 daughters, all but 3 growing to maturity. Reared and educated inhis native parish, he led an uneventful life until his enlistment, duringthe Civil war, in the 11th Louisiana regiment of infantry, whicheventually was consolidated
with the Crescent regiment of New Orleans. At the battle of Mansfield hewas wounded and sent to a military hospital and then removed to a privateresidence, where he completed his convalescence, and was able to go backto his regiment. To the last day of the war the gallant soldier was inthe field, and when honorably discharged, after the surrender of Gen. Leeat Appomatox, he had been promoted to sergeant.
Returning to Natchitoches, Mr. Dowden engaged in farming until 1892, whenhe removed from the farm to Natchitoches, where he became deputysheriff. In 1882 he was elected a member of the police jury and servedas such from the eighth ward until he became deputy sheriff, serving inthe latter office until
elected to his present position in 1905. Mr. Dowden is very influentialin the politics of the parish and enjoys great popularity. He is amember of the Masonic fraternity, council and Royal Arch, and is aBaptist in religion.
In August, 1865, occurred the marriage of Mr. Dowden and Miss Rosana L.Adle, who bore him 11 children, 6 of whom are living: Nancy Victoria,wife of B. E. Taylor; Sarah Jane, wife of Rufus Sanders; Melissa, wife ofAllen Nash; Willis S., David P. and Julia, wife of Robert Alexander.From a second marriage with Miss Eliza J. Rhodes, there were born 7children--Edward G. and Edna M. Dowden, twins; James A., Lees M., BessieV., Maud K. and Hugh H. Dowden.
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1846 - 1929 (83 years)
