Dr. Ephriam McDowell

Notes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephraim_McDowell

Ephraim McDowell received his early education at the classical seminary of Worley and James, then spent three years as a medical student under Dr. Alexander Humphreys in Staunton, Virginia. He attended lectures in medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1793 to 1794 and studied privately with John Bell. He never received a diploma, but in 1825, the University of Maryland conferred on him an honorary M.D. degree.

In 1795, he returned from Scotland, settled in Danville, Kentucky and began his practice as a surgeon. Dr. McDowell played a prominent role in his community. He was a founder of Trinity Episcopal Church in Danville, donating the land for its first building. He was also a founder and original corporator of Centre College in Danville. Dr. McDowell became a member of the Philadelphia Medical Society in 1817.

One of his most famous patients was James K. Polk, for whom he removed a urinary stone and repaired a hernia. In 1809 he removed a 22.5 pound ovarian tumor from Jane Todd Crawford. This was the first successful removal of an ovarian tumor in the world. It was done before anesthesia and antiseptics. The operation took 25 minutes to perform. Mrs. Crawford returned to her home in Green County 25 days after the operation and lived another 32 years.

All attempts at abdominal exploration before 1809 had resulted in peritonitis and death. So, understanding the procedures taken by Dr. McDowell is important. Descriptions of McDowell include phrases like "neat and clean" or "scrupulously clean." He was not only neat, but meticulous.

In 1879, a monument in his honor was erected by the Medical Society of Kentucky in Danville. In 1929, Isaac Wolfe Bernheim donated a bronze statue of McDowell by Charles Henry Niehaus to the state of Kentucky for placement in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. In 1959, a United States stamp was issued in his honor. Dr. McDowell's house, office, and apothecary in Danville are preserved as a museum and are designated a National Historic Landmark. Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville is named in his honor.

Buried:
Grave location, tombstone and portrait photos:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7238795

Ephriam married Sarah Shelby 1802. Sarah was born 08 Oct 1785, Stanford, Lincoln Co. KY; died 17 Oct 1846, Danville, Boyle Co. KY; was buried , McDowell Park, Danville, Boyle Co. KY. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Samuel McDowell was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta Co. Va.

BIOGRAPHY

From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_McDowell

He was a soldier and early political leader in Kentucky. He was the son of Captain John McDowell and grandson of Ephraim McDowell, a Scots-Irish patriot in the English Revolution of 1688. Captain McDowell relocated his family to Virginia in 1737.

He was the father of Dr. Ephraim McDowell, the first physician in the world to successfully remove an ovarian tumor.

Samuel McDowell participated in three major wars. He served under George Washington in the French and Indian War, served as an aide-de-camp to Isaac Shelby in Lord Dunmore's War, and was part of Nathanael Greene's campaign in the Revolutionary War. Following the Revolutionary War, he relocated to Kentucky and became a surveyor. Later, he was appointed one of the first district court judges in what would become the state of Kentucky. He became a leader of the movement to separate Kentucky from Virginia, presiding over nine of the state's ten constitutional conventions.

Samuel McDowell was well-educated in his youth, at one time studying under Archibald Alexander. In 1743, his father died and he inherited the entire estate, according to the tradition of primogeniture, but chose to divide the estate with his brother and sister.

At age twenty, McDowell participated in the French and Indian War. He was captain of a company, serving under George Washington at Braddock's Defeat at the Battle of the Monongahela. Later, he served in Lord Dunmore's War, participating in the Battle of Point Pleasant with future Kentucky governor Isaac Shelby. Shelby later appointed McDowell as his aide-de-camp. For his service in the war, he was awarded a large tract of land in Fayette County, Kentucky in 1775.

At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, McDowell was commissioned a colonel over a regiment from Augusta County. He participated in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse while serving under General Nathanael Greene. His son John also participated in this battle. The elder McDowell was present at Charles Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown.

Following the war, McDowell presided over a 1782 convention that framed a constitution for the independent territory of Kentucky. He presided over nine of the ten conventions that drafted the first Kentucky Constitution.

OBITURARY

Washington Review and Examiner (Pa.) Nov. 5, 1817

Another Revolutionary Patriot gone.

Died near Danville (Ken.) on the 25th Sept. last, Col. Samuel McDowell, in the 85th year of his age. He was distinguished as a most active Whig during the Revolutionary War--was one of the first settlers of Kentucky--a member of the convention which adopted our constitution--was a judge under the district court system, and afterwards a circuit judge. He has left more than one hundred descendants; and was distinguished for his piety, unsullied integrity, practical patriotism and industrious habits. He lived long and usefully, died serene and happy.--Argus

from Find A Grave
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=mcdowell&GSfn=samuel&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=19&GScnty=999&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=36872445&df=all&

Buried:
Grave location and portrait photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=mcdowell&GSfn=samuel&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=19&GScnty=999&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=36872445&df=all&

Samuel married Mary MCCLUNG 17 Jan 1754, Augusta Co. VA. Mary (daughter of William MCCLUNG and Jean Dun) was born 28 Oct 1735, Coleraine, Londonderry, Ireland; died Oct 1827, Mercer Co. KY; was buried , Bellevue Cemetery Danville Boyle Co. KY. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• _UID: 8D6DF1295A034679A044A871D8A2BC42A5CD

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=59568317

Other Events:

• _UID: E866136BED1A4BCDBA08F0DCF4243CFCC9F4

Notes:

All of his children were born in Ireland.

R.D. Campbell "History of the Campbell Family"

"William McClung and his children arrived in Lancaster County, PA around 1745-46. The family seemed to immediately scatter to Delaware and Virginia. At least one son stayed in Upper Leacock Township, in Lancaster County (PA). William's oldest daughter was Elizabeth McClung."

Buried:
Grave location and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5016427

William married Jean Dun. Jean died , Timber Ridge, Rockbridge Co. VA; was buried , Timber Ridge Presbyterian Churchyard, Timber Ridge, Rockbridge Co. VA. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=59570427

Other Events:

• _UID: 22DA0954F5E049EFAA616C0184FFF9E94371

Notes:

All of his children were born in Ireland.