Addie Dowdell
Addie Dowdell is listed on numerous deed records showing that, along with her husband, she owned lots of land. This is a major deal because women did not have to be listed on deeds as a part owner. This is also big because Addie didn’t go past 6th grade because schooling was not offered any further for African Americans. However, she still became the glue of a prominent family in her neighborhood. Addie was born December 3rd, 1901. In 1928, Addie Drake married Howard Dowdell. They lived together all their lives and raised 4 children. Addie was a stay-at-home mom who took care of the house and raised the 4 children while her husband was at work as a plasterer. Later, she even took care of her mother-in-law too. In 1952 her brother died and she, and her siblings, received some inheritance. Just 7 years later in 1959, the city of Auburn payed Addie and her husband just 1 dollar to pave a 40 ft by 20 ft road through their property. While this is undervaluing the land, this was the standard rate at the time and the road is now named after them. The road is by Whit’s Auto Tire Service down the road from Byron’s. The Dowdells owned property, their house, on intergenerational land that had been passed down from Addie’s father-in-law to Addie and her husband. In 1973, they decided to become joint tenants with their son to ensure the property would remain in the family. The Dowdells received 1,000 dollars for their property that is right across from the modern-day Auburn Fisheries. After a long life, Addie Dowdell died on December 5th, 1997, at age 96. She died 2 days after her 96th birthday.
Contributed by JD from Auburn High School
Sources:
1910 Federal Census
1928 Marriage
1928 Deed Record A
1928 Deed Record B
1928 Deed Record C
1930 Census
1940 Deed Record
1950 Federal Census
1952 Deed Record A
1952 Deed Record B
1952 Will Record
1959 Deed Record A
1959 Deed Record B
1959 Deed Record C
1959 Deed Record D
1973 Deed Record A
1973 Deed Record B
1997 SSI
Headstone
1910 Federal Census
1928 Marriage
1928 Deed Record A
1928 Deed Record B
1928 Deed Record C
1930 Census
1940 Deed Record
1950 Federal Census
1952 Deed Record A
1952 Deed Record B
1952 Will Record
1959 Deed Record A
1959 Deed Record B
1959 Deed Record C
1959 Deed Record D
1973 Deed Record A
1973 Deed Record B
1997 SSI
Headstone