Individual Details

James H. MCDOWELL

(Abt 1848 - Bef 1900)

1880 census states his parents were born in Ireland

Events

BirthAbt 1848Canada
Occupation1880wool/cotton broker
Residence (family)1 Jun 1880with daughter - Pawling Av., Troy, Rensselaer, New York, United States - Sarah L. RANKEN
DivorceBef 1900Sarah L. RANKEN
DeathBef 1900

Families

SpouseSarah L. RANKEN (1848 - 1914)
ChildLulu RANKEN (1875 - 1916)

Notes

Divorce

I'm reasoning that the census code of D for divorced is correct. The 1900 city directory said that she was widowed, but that was probably simply saving face. Note that neither she nor husband appear in the previous years, so it was safe to lie. Also note, that she resumed her maiden name.

So it's possible that McDowell did not die before 1900.

The 1910 census also shows her as divorced.

Death

But see note on divorce

Endnotes

1. 1905 New York census, Rensselaer County, New York||Rensselaer Co., NY, population schedule, Brunswick, enumeration district (ED) 1 (election district), p. 18 [ordered oddly], lines 21-24, Sarah L. Ranken; database index with page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7364/ : viewed 6 May 2020) Rensselaer>Brunswick>E.D. 01, image 10 of 12.

2. 1905 New York census, Rensselaer County, New York||Rensselaer Co., NY, population schedule, Brunswick, enumeration district (ED) 1 (election district), p. 18 [ordered oddly], lines 21-24, Sarah L. Ranken; database index with page images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7364/ : viewed 6 May 2020) Rensselaer>Brunswick>E.D. 01, image 10 of 12.

3. 1880 U.S. census, Rensselaer County, New York||Rensselaer Co., NY, population schedule, Troy ward 5, enumeration district (ED) 134, p. 16 (written), lines 23-25, dwelling 115, family 173, James H. McDowell; database index with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : viewed 6 May 2020) New York>Rensselaer>Troy>134, image 16 of 42.

4. 1910 U. S. census, Rensselaer County, New York||Rensselaer Co., NY, population schedule, Brunswick, enumeration district (ED) 2, sheet 13B, lines 83-86, dwelling 205, family 220, James F. Vankuren; database index with images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7884/ : viewed 7 May 2020) New York>Rensselaer>Brunswick>District 0002, image 24 of 31.

5. 1910 US Census, Rensselaer County || Rensselaer Co, population schedule, Brunswick township, enumeration district (ED) 2, sheet 13B, lines 83-86, dwelling 205, family 220, James F. Vankuren; index and images, Family Search (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M57X-SP3 : accessed 17 February 2021); citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,375,084.

6. "U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995," database index with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/: viewed 7 May 2020) New York>Syracuse>1900>"Syracuse, New York, City Directory, 1900", image 300 of 632, p. 576, left column, "Ranken Sarah L. wid. James H. h. 321 W. Genesee".