Susan Anne (McDowell) Woods (abt. 1847 - 1920)

Born about 22 Feb 1847 in Alabama, USA

Descendants

Died 10 Sep 1920 at about age 73 in Baldwin County, Alabama, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Robert Ramsey [send private message]

Biography

Susan Anne ("Susie") McDowell was born on or around 22 February 1847 in Alabama^[1]. Susie had a twin brother, Alexander, and these two were the oldest children of John D McDowell^[2]. The name of the twins' mother is still unknown. It may have been the woman their father married in 1849, Margaret Smith or Gordon (conflicting records on maiden name).

Also unknown is the full name of Susie's husband. The 1870 United States Federal Census shows Susie still unmarried living in her parents' home, but by the 1880 United States Federal Census, she is shown to be a widow with the surname "Woods."^[3] Her four children were given this surname, but no marriage record for Susie has ever been located. Whoever her husband was, Susie birthed four children: Laura Alice, Virginia Pearl ("Jennie"), Rosa, and Elizabeth ("Lillie") Bell Woods. The Social Security Death Index listing for her daughter Elizabeth "Lillie Bell" does indicate "George Woods" as her father, but this name can't be verified with any other records.

User comments found on Census records at Ancestry.com indicate that Susie was known to farm her children out to her siblings to raise. Indeed, although all were born by 1880, none were living with her at the time of that Census, and the children are seen to be living with various of Susie's siblings in the following years.

Susie died 10 September 1920 in Baldwin County, Alabama. She is buried at Guys Chapel United Church Methodist Cemetery in Rathbun, Alabama.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ 8
2. ↑ 2,3,4
3. ↑ 4,5
4. ↑ 8

1. First-hand information as remembered by Robert Ramsey, Friday, January 16, 2015.

2. “1850 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847; Year: 1850; Census Place: Division 2, Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: M432_1; Page: 90B; Image: 287.

3. “1860 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847; Year: 1860; Census Place: Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: M653_1; Page: 235; Image: 234; Family History Library Film: 803001.

4. “1870 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847; Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2, Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: M593_1; Page: 254A; Image: 19813; Family History Library Film: 545500

5. “1880 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847; Year: 1880; Census Place: Stockton, Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: 1; Family History Film: 1254001; Page: 168B; Enumeration District: 002; Image: 0341.

6. “1900 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847; Year: 1900; Census Place: Perdido, Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: 1; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0002; FHL microfilm: 1240001.

7. “1910 United States Federal Census,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847; Year: 1910; Census Place: Perdido and Lottie, Baldwin, Alabama; Roll: T624_1; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 1374014.

8. “U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 2 Jun 2017), search for Susan Anne McDowell, born 22 Feb 1847.