Howard Dowdell
Howard Dowdell’s legacy lives on in Auburn through Dowdell Avenue. The road was cut through his and his wife Addie’s land in 1959. He given the land through his dad’s will, which was unusual for African Americans during this time. Howard Dowdell was born on November 9th, 1907, to Joe and Lela Dowdell. He had three siblings, older sister Enda Dowdell, younger brother Rokus Dowdell, and younger sister Ella M Dowdell. The six-member family all lived together on Ridge Grove Road, near Farmville Road today. On June 9th, of 1928, Howard married his fiancé Addie, being wed by O.D. Slaughter, from Waverley, Alabama. Howard acquired some property on the corner of Ridge Grove Road and Auburn Public Road from his father in March 1928. Both Howard and Addie gained property from their parents’ will and being talented at managing property, sold most of their properties for a large profit. Howard worked as a plaster for the J. R. Green plastering company and worked on many projects with the company. One project was the Riverside Heights Housing on Bell Street in Montgomery. Howard was a building contractor, and because of that he had autonomy and more financial roles than just a laborer. This work helped his support his family and allowed Howard to send all of their kids to school. Howard and Addie Dowdell had four children: Howard Jr., born 1929, Mary George, born 1932, Isaac, born 1933, and Lela, born 1937. Dowdell registered for the draft on October 16th, 1940, in Montgomery, but never went to war, possibly because of his age. All of his kids, with the exception of Lela, moved north. Howard Jr. moved to New York, Mary George moved to Denver, and Isaac moved to New Jersey. This followed the trend of the 2nd Great Migration, which was when many African Americans in the south moved up north to escape Jim Crow Laws and find well paying factory jobs. Howard Dowdell died in 1982 at the age of 74 at East Alabama Medical Center. At the time of his death, Howard had 14 grandchildren and four great-grand children.
Contributed by Rhett and Harrison from Auburn High School
Sources:
1910 Federal Census
1920 Federal Census
1928 Marriage Record
1928 Deed Record A
1928 Deed Record B
1928 Deed Record C
1930 Federal Census
1940 Federal Census
1945 Draft Card
1940 Deed Record
1950 Federal Census
1952 Deed Record A
1952 Deed Record B
1952 Will Record
1956 Marriage Record
1959 Deed Record A
1959 Deed Record B
1959 Deed Record C
1959 Deed Record D
1962 Will Record A
1962 Will Record B
1962 Will Record C
1962 Will Record D
1973 Deed Record A
1973 Deed Record B
1982 Newspaper Clipping
1910 Federal Census
1920 Federal Census
1928 Marriage Record
1928 Deed Record A
1928 Deed Record B
1928 Deed Record C
1930 Federal Census
1940 Federal Census
1945 Draft Card
1940 Deed Record
1950 Federal Census
1952 Deed Record A
1952 Deed Record B
1952 Will Record
1956 Marriage Record
1959 Deed Record A
1959 Deed Record B
1959 Deed Record C
1959 Deed Record D
1962 Will Record A
1962 Will Record B
1962 Will Record C
1962 Will Record D
1973 Deed Record A
1973 Deed Record B
1982 Newspaper Clipping