Charles McDowell (1743–1815) was a Brigadier General of the

Morgan District Brigade The Morgan District Brigade was an administrative division of the North Carolina militia during the American Revolutionary War. This unit was established by the North Carolina Provincial Congress on May 17, 1782, and disbanded at the end of the wa ...

of the North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution, state senator, and County Justice of Peace in Burke County, North Carolina., See als
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Early life

Charles McDowell was born on October 18, 1743, in

Winchester Winchester is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs Nation ...

, Frederick County, Virginia. He was the son of Joseph McDowell an ulster-scot and Margaret

O'Neil The O'Neill dynasty ( Irish: ''Ó Néill'') are a lineage of Irish Gaelic origin, that held prominent positions and titles in Ireland and elsewhere. As kings of Cenél nEógain, they were historically the most prominent family of the Nort ...

McDowell an Irish women. He and his brother

Joseph McDowell Jr. Joseph "Quaker Meadows" McDowell Jr. (February 15, 1756July 11, 1801) was an American planter, soldier, and statesman from North Carolina. He was known as "Quaker Meadows Joe" to distinguish him from his cousin Joseph "Pleasant Gardens" McDowe ...

(1756-1801) moved with his parent to the area called

Quaker Meadows Quaker Meadows, also known as the McDowell House at Quaker Meadows, is a historic plantation house located near Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina. It was built about 1812, and is a two-story, four bay by two bay, Quaker plan brick structu ...

in Rowan County, North Carolina (became Burke County in 1777).

Military service

He served as an officer in the North Carolina militia during the American Revolution. He was involved in many skirmishes with the Cherokee during the war. *Captain in the

2nd Rowan County Regiment The 2nd Rowan County Regiment was first established in October 22, 1775 as a local militia in Rowan County in the Province of North-Carolina. This regiment was created from the existing Rowan County Regiment of militia. Its original officers we ...

of militia (1775-1776) *Lt. Colonel in the 2nd Rowan County Regiment of Militia (1776-1777) *Colonel over the Burke County Regiment of militia (1777-1782), first and only commander *Brigadier General of the

of militia (1782-1783), first and only commandant

Post war

Before the war, he served in the state senate of the North Carolina House of Commons in 1777 and 1778. As the war ended, he took up service again and served as a state senator from 1782 to 1789. He was one of three commissioners chosen to lay off the county seat, Morganton, in Burke County in 1784. He was in favor of the federal constitution and participated in the North Carolina

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...

conventions in

1788 Events January–March * January 1 – The first edition of ''The Times'', previously ''The Daily Universal Register'', is published in London. * January 2 – Georgia ratifies the United States Constitution, and becomes the fourth U.S ...

and

1789 Events January–March * January – Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès publishes the pamphlet ''What Is the Third Estate?'' ('), influential on the French Revolution. * January 7 – The 1788-89 United States presidential election a ...

. He died on March 31, 1815, and was buried at the Quaker Meadows Cemetery in Morganton.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McDowell, Charles 1743 births 1815 deaths North Carolina militiamen in the American Revolution North Carolina state senators Politicians from Winchester, Virginia People from Burke County, North Carolina Militia generals in the American Revolution