JOHN MCDOWELL FAMILY

The farm was purchased in 1967. Of Scottish-Irish descent this branch of the family came to Illinoisfrom Pennsylvania.

Jim McDowell’s farm was on what is now North AuroraRoad, east of Rt. 59. The buildings sat approximately where 84 Lumber now stands. He didn’t stay in Illinois long, but moved on to Nebraska.

Alexander E. McDowell bought 240 acres along the west branch of the DuPage River, northeast of Naperville. It is on River Road north of Rt. 34.

In 1873 William S. McDowell bought the farm from Alexander E. He kept it and added to it. The last farmland was sold in 1969. Two of his descendants still live in the old home. Forest Preserve and subdivision now cover all but 6.19 acres of it all but 6.19 acres of it.

Wm. S. was married to Marie Elizabeth (Lizzie) Darrah. They had 3 children: Margaret Elizabeth (Bessie) (married Irving Goodrich), William Ervin (Jack) (married Grace M. Jaeger), and Alexander (Colonel) (never married).

The present residents are William Thomas (Tom) and Grace W.,the son and daughter of William Ervin (Jack) and Grace M.

There is something that might be of special interest because of the Sesquicentennial and the Riverwalk. East of the river, near where the Chicago Radar School stood, there were some big rocks. 4 horses abreast could stand on one of them. When Naperville celebrated its Centennial they wanted to move that rock to Centennial Beach. The equipment at their at their disposal at that time wasn’t up to the job, so they settled for the smallest of the big rocks. I can remember Mayor Herb Thompson, George Keller, my father, and several other men laboring over that moving job. They used the Naperville Nursery’s team and low wagon. That is THE rock in Centennial Park.