Three Forks of the Kentucky River Historical Association

Biography

Carter L. McDowell

Submitted by John Sandlin and transcribed by Michelle Williams Cole

In the East Bernstadt district of Laurel County coal mining represents an industrial enterprise of marked importance, and as an owner and operator of a mine in this district Mr. McDowell has a secure place as one of the influential business men of this section of the state. He was born in Laurel County on a farm, eight miles east of East Bernstadt, and the date of his nativity was December 2, 1882. His paternal grandfather, Dr. H. F. McDowell, was born in Lee County, Virginia, and became a pioneer farmer and physician in Kentucky. He came to this state when a young man and first settled near Booneville, Owsley County, where his marriage was solemnized and whence he and his wife later removed to Laurel County, where he continued his pioneer activities as a farmer and where he gave many years of earnest and able service as a physician and surgeon, he having been ever ready to respond to calls upon him, no matter how great the distance or how inclement the weather, so that he did a noble work in the alleviation of human suffering in his community and gained the high regard of all who knew him. He passed the closing years of his life on his farm eight miles east of East Bernstadt, and his widow survived him by many years. Her maiden name was Roberts, and she was born in Owsley County in 1823. The closing period of her life was passed in Jackson County, where she died in 1908.

James M. McDowell, father of Carter L. of this review, was born in Owsley County, near Booneville, in the year 1848, and was a boy at the time of the family removal to Laurel County, where he was reared to manhood on the old homestead farm which was the birthplace of his son Carter L., his educational advantages having been those of the common schools of the locality and period. In this county his marriage was solemnized, and here he continued his activities as a farmer until 1886. In that year he removed to the vicinity of Annville, Jackson County, where he continued his farm enterprise until 1891, removing then to a farm near Tyner, that county. There he was engaged in successful farm enterprise until 1904, when he became proprietor of a general store at Livingston, Rockcastle County. A year later he returned to Jackson County, where he has since given his active supervision to his well-improved farm near the Village of Bond. He is a stalwart democrat, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as was also his wife. As a young man James M. McDowell wedded Miss Mary E. Pennington, who was born in Jackson County in 1852, and whose death occurred at the family home near Annville, that county, on the 1st of June 1890. Of the children the eldest is Syrena, the wife of A. J. Simson, a farmer and school teacher in the Moore’s Creek district of Jackson County; Lillie is the wife of T. C. Powell, and they reside at Bond, Jackson County, Mr. Powell being master mechanic for the Rockcastle River Railroad; W. P. is a successful contractor and builder at Overpeck, Ohio; H. F. is rural mail carrier at Nicholasville, Kentucky; Carter L., of this sketch, was the next in order of birth; and James A. is the owner and operator of a moving picture theater at Revenna, Estill County.

The rural schools of Jackson County gave to Carter L. McDowell his early education, which was supplemented by an effective course in the Bowling Green Business University, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1905. For eighteen months thereafter he held the position of assistant station agent for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad at Livingston, Rockcastle County, and for the ensuing six months was station agent at Fariston, Laurel County.

In 1907 he established his residence at East Bernstadt, this county, where in the service of the same railroad company, he was assistant station agent three years, at the expiration of which he was advanced to the office of station agent, of which he there continued to incumbent eight years. In 1918 he engaged independently in coal mining operations in this locality, his coal mine being situated 1½ miles east of East Bernstandt, on the A. & M. division of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Here he has developed a substantial and prosperous mining industry, and the mine produces an excellent grade of bituminous coal, an average force of fifty men being employed and the output capacity being 125 tons a day. Mr. McDowell maintains his office in a building opposite the Louisville & Nashville Railroad station at East Bernstadt. He owns an interest also in the McCarthy Coal Company of East Bernstadt, which operates a mine with an output capacity of fifty tons a day.

Mr. McDowell is aligned in the ranks of the democratic party, he is a steward of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in his home village of East Bernstadt, and his Masonic affiliations are as here noted: John Pitman Lodge No. 690, Free and Accepted Masons; Mount Vernon Chapter No. 140, royal Arch Masons: London Commander No. 20, Knights Templars; and Kosair Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in the City of Louisville. At London he holds membership in Lodge No. 249 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he has served as chancellor of East Bernstandt Lodge No. 163, Knights of Pythias, his service in the capacity having covered four terms. Mr. McDowell is the owner of a well-improved farm of 235½ acres near Paint Lick, Madison County.

The local war activities in Laurel County gained the earnest and loyal co-operation of Mr. McDowell during the nation’s participation in the great World War, and his financial contributions were in consonance with his resources.

At Mount Vernon, Rockcastle County in 1909, Mr. McDowell wedded Miss Martha V. Daily, daughter of S. S. and Belle (Bowman) Daily, who reside on their farm near that place. Mrs. McDowell was summoned to the life eternal on the 25th of February, 1918, a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and she is survived by four children whose names and respective dates of birth are here recorded: Overton, July 26, 1910; Gordon Lay, January 2, 1912; Glenn Daily, August 30, 1916; and Carter Neal, January 2, 1918.

On the 26th day of January 1920, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McDowell to Miss Nannie B. Bowman, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Pennington) Bowman, who reside at Manchester, Clay County, where Mr. Pennington is jailer of the county jail. Of this marriage has been born a fine little son, James Wayne, the date of whose nativity was November 22, 1920.