Source: History of the Wheel and Alliance and the Impending Revolution
by: W. Scott Morgan
Published by the Author in Hardy, Arkansas
Fort Scott, Kansas: J. H. Rice & Sons, Printers and Publishers. 1889

Pages 268-270

John Hugh McDowell, vice-president of the National Alliance and secretary of the Tennessee State Alliance, was born December 12th, 1845, on a farm near Trenton, Gibson county, Tennessee. His father, John D. McDowell, a prosperous farmer, trained him to till the soil, sending him to school when the crops were laid by in the fall and until time to plant again in the spring. By this means he obtained a good English and partial classical education. At the age of twenty-one years he married Miss Emma Sandford and settled down to farming, renting land for five or six years until he saved up enough to buy a home in Desha county, Arkansas, to where he moved and lived seven years, raising principally cotton, which was then at a good price. He then returned to Tennessee, settling on a farm near Union City, Obion county, where he has since resided. In 1882, he was called from his plow handles against his protest to represent his county in the legislature, and made considerable reputation as a moral reform leader. One of his measures introduced and passed was the famous anti-gambling bill, which made the keeping of halls, houses, or tables for the playing of faro, keno, three-card monte, etc., a felony. Gamblers from various cities, headed by a prominent lawyer employed as a lobbyist, swarmed around the legislature with money and other persuasive means, to prevent its passage; but the energy, watchfulness and perseverance of Mr. McDowell defeated their schemes. In 1884, he was nominated by acclamation to the State senate from the counties of Obion, Dyer and Lake. During this term he succeeded in passing a bill to stop baseball playing on Sunday—which at that time was very corrupting to the youths of the cities of Tennessee. He was also author of the bill, and leader in the movement, to submit to a vote of the people an amendment to the State Constitution prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage—allowing it sold only for medical purposes. In 1886, he was again nominated by acclamation and elected to the State Senate over three or four lawyers from these counties who “stumped” the district against him. In every session of the Legislature he was known as the “farmer’s legislator,” and advocated and defended every measure tending to protect, elevate and advance the interest of agriculture. He joined the Grange in 1871 and was an active member of that Order. He has been, since the birth of the Grange, a strong advocate of the necessity of organization among farmers. In 1886, when the Wheel began to get a start in Tennessee, he joined that institution and commenced publicly on the “stump” to advocate its principles. Since that time he has made hundreds of speeches in Tennessee and other States advocating and urging the organization and united action of farmers’ and laborers’ to resist the encroachment of organized capital, which seeks to enslave a free and independent people. Mr. McDowell urges in his speeches the uniting of every farmer North and South, and from Maine to California into one grand fraternal brotherhood bound together by the ties of common interest, and freed from sectional prejudices and strife. He urges farmers to lay aside their strong political prejudices, which he contends has heretofore blinded them on men and measures essential to the prosperity of the agricultural industry. When the Farmer’s Alliance entered Tennessee he joined that, and has been a strong advocate for the union of the two bodies, and took an active part at the National meeting at Meridian to effect their consolidation. He is now, and has been for two years, editor of “The Toiler,” the official organ of the Wheel and Alliance, published at Nashville, Tennessee. Mr. McDowell is a man of pleasing manners and address. As a speaker he is earnest and eloquent. His ability as a newspaper man is beyond question. As an educator among the ranks of the Orders of which he is a member he has but few equals. Though broad and liberal in his views he defends his position with great earnestness. He was on the committee which drew up and advised the adoption of the National Wheel demands. He has filled many important positions in the Order, always discharging his duty fearlessly and without unnecessary ostentation.

NOTE: his birth-year on his death-certificate is 1843 rather than 1845 as in the biography.

Death-Certificate, Shelby County TN
Registration District No. 28005; File No. 4031; Registered No. 486
Full-Name: John Hugh McDowell
Date-of-Death: Feb 20, 1927
Place-of-Death: 1369 Agnes St., Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Date-of-Birth: December 12, 1843
Birthplace: Tennessee
Father: John D. McDowell (born in NC)
Mother: Nancy Erwin (born in NC)
Cause-of-Death: Arterio Sclerocis
Place-of-Burial: Elmwood Cemetery

1880 Census, Obion County TN
ED:112, Page No. 10; 10th Civil District
Lines 1-7; Enum-Family #77
McDowell, J. W., 36, Farmer, TN-NC-NC
– -, Emma, 34, Keeping House, TN-NC-NC
– -, Wallace, 13, TN-TN-TN
– -, John, 11, TN-TN-TN
– -, Horace, 4, TN-TN-TN
– -, Hugh, 5/12, TN-TN-TN

1900 Census, Obion County TN
ED:105, Sheet 4A, District 10
Lines 31-35, Enum-Dwelling #50, Enum-Family #51
McDowell, John H., (head) born-Dec-1843, TN-NC-NC, Farmer
– -, Mary E. (wife) born-Oct-1845, mar-34-yrs, 7-ch/7-lvg, TN-NC-NC
– -, Hugh (son) born-Jan-1880, TN-TN-TN
– -, Fanny E. (dau) born-Nov-1881, TN-TN-TN
– -, Eloise B. (dau) born-Jul-1884, TN-TN-TN

1910 Census, Obion County TN
ED:124, Sheet 18A, 10th Civil District
Lines 9-12, Enum-Dwelling #268, Enum-Family #270
McDowell, John H. (head) 64, m1-44-yrs, TN-NC-NC, Commissioner, Live Stock
– -, Emma (wife) 64, 7-ch/7-lvg, TN-NC-NC
– -, Eloise (dau) 25, TN-TN-TN
Harrison, Cordelia (sister) 76, widow, TN-NC-NC

1920 Census, Shelby County TN
ED:63, Sheet 4A, 4th Civil District
Lines 20-23, Enum-Dwelling #64, Enum-Family #73
McDowell, John H. (head) 76, TN-NC-NC, Farmer, Genl-Farm
– -, Emma (wife) 74, TN-NC-NC
– -, Frances (dau) 35, TN-TN-TN, Teacher, Dis School
Jordan, Sarah (servant) 32, TN-TN-TN, Cook, Home