“McDowell. Dr. McDowell emigrated from Scotland, served seven years as a surgeon in the Rev. and soon after the close m Elizabeth Burgess and settled in Va. then moved to Blue Licks Ky., and afterwards to Indiana. He and his oldest son, James Burgess McDowell entered four quarter sections of land near where Indianapolis now stands and lived there untl the father died in 1835, aged 106 yrs. Was his Christian name John or William? Official proof of service desired.”3101

[The foregoing unsubstantiated genealogical query must be taken with a grain of salt, since it is not likely William McDowell really lived to the age of 106. Based on the 1830 census, he would have been 85-94 in 1835.]

1820 Census of Nicholas Co KY

Name: William Mcdowell
County: Nicholas
State: Kentucky
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Females - 45 and over: 1
Slaves - Males - Under 14: 1
Slaves - Females - Under 14: 1
Slaves - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Free White Persons - Under 16: 1
Free White Persons - Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 3
Total Slaves: 3

Also listed in Nicholas County were sons Horatio, James and John, and son-in-law Julius Blackburn. There is also a family headed by Margaret McDowell, with 6 free white persons, including 2 males 16-25, 3 females 16-25, and one female >45. This would seem to be a widow and her children, possibly widow of William’s brother.

Nicholas County is in the Northeast part of Kentucky, not too far southeast of the border with Indiana. It had a population in 1820 of 7,973.3103

1830 Census of Center, Marion Co IN

Name: William Mcdowell
Home in 1830: Center, Marion, Indiana
Free White Persons - Males - 80 thru 89: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 70 thru 79: 1
Free Colored Persons - Females - 55 thru 99: 1

This record gives a birth year for William of 1741-1750. There are two other listings for William McDowell in the 1830 Indiana census, but neither had a male older than 49. Evidence that this listing is for William McDowell is that other members of his family are also enumerated in the 1830 census as living in Center:

James B. McDowell, 9 whites, including 1 male 40-49 (James Burgess would have been 41)
Horatio McDowell, 9 whites, including 1 male 30-39 (Horatio Burgess would have been 32)
Julius Blackburn, 11 whites, including 1 male 40-49 and 1 femals 40-49) (Mary Burgess and husband Julius Blackburn)
John McDowell, 2 whites, including 1 male 20-29 (not clear who this is, possibly son of James Burgess?)

Marion County Indiana is in the center of Indiana. It was created in 1822 and includes Indianapolis, which became the County Seat in 1824. The population of Marion County in 1830 was 7,192.3104