Reproduced from: Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas, By Andrew Jackson Sowell [google books]

FOUR OF THE DOWDY FAMILY KILLED

In 1878 a man named James Dowdy moved to Kerr County and settled on the Johnston fork of the Guadalupe River, two miles from the home of Mr. Fessenden, who lived on Stockman's Creek, near the Johnston fork.

Mr. Dowdy had a large flock of sheep, and had only been in his new home a short time when the fearful tragedy occurred which we now relate. On that day four of his children, three girls and one boy, went out with the sheep to keep them together while they grazed about a half a mile from home on a hillside. The oldest girl, named Fanny, was 20 years of age. The next was Alice, aged 18, Killa 15, and the boy James 12. There was a grown son named Richard at the house.

Before noon a band of Indians came upon the unfortunate children and killed every one of them. At the house that day it was the intention to eat an early dinner, and Richard and another young man present, who was engaged to Fanny, were to go and relieve the girls and the boy while they came to the house for their dinner. The meal was partaken of at 11 o'clock by the young men, and then they set out to hunt the flock of sheep. They soon returned, however, somewhat alarmed, and said they could not find the children, and that the sheep were badly scattered. The mother then hurried to the hills, and soon found her murdered children. Two of the girls, Alice and Killa, were lying together, Fanny 200 yards from them, and James some distance from her. All were in a horrible condition from bullet, lance, and arrow wounds, but none were scalped.

A runner was sent for Mr. Fessenden, and he and Louis Nelson came with a wagon and team and hauled the bodies home. Mrs. Fessenden also went up there and helped to wash and dress the girls and comb out their hair, and then sat up all night with them. All were buried the next day. Many arrows were lying around on the hillside where the victims ran and were pursued and shot at. The Indians had a drove of horses, and came from towards the Pedernales and went towards the head of the Guadalupe. Mr. Fessenden and others followed the Indians, but so much time had been consumed in getting in and burying the bodies that they were not overtaken. Some are of the opinion that it was not Indians who did the murder, but Mr. Fessenden was an old Indian trailer, and pronounced them such from the sign they left. The Dowdy family were from Goliad County.

1870 Goliad Co Texas Census = Goliad PO

James Dowdy 52 farmer b GA
Susan 38 keeping house b Miss
Thomas 15 works on farm b TX
Richard 13 b TX
Mary 11 b TX
Alice 10 b TX
Martha 8 b TX
Susan 5 b TX
James 2 b TX

Pedigree on Worldconnect submitted by Stacey Rutledge

1. Balaam Dowdy b: 31 MAR 1777 in Chatham County,North Carolina

Marriage: Kissiah H. Riddle b: Abt 1792 in Chatham County,North Carolina

2. James Elias Dowdy - Birth: 8 JUN 1818 in Cherokee County,Georgia; Death: 23 NOV 1900 in Kerr County,Texas; Burial: Sunset Cemetery,Mountain Home,Texas

Note: On October 5, 1878 four of James Children, Alice C., Martha F., Susan V., and James C. were murdered. An article in the Kerrville Times February, 1969 attributes the deaths to the last Indian raid in the Kerr County area. An article in the San Antonio Express/News, March 19, 1972, suggests that the murders may have been done by "... ugly [White] men around in those days who did things to make it look like Indians."

Marriage 1 Susan G. Castle b: 12 MAY 1830 in Marion County,Mississippi

Children:

3.i Thomas Anderson Dowdy b: 21 AUG 1854
3.ii Richard Balam Dowdy b: 3 MAY 1856
3.iii Mary K. Dowdy b: 15 MAY 1857
3.iv Alice C. Dowdy b: 1 JAN 1860, killed 1878
3.v Martha F. Dowdy b: 31 MAR 1862, killed 1878
3.vi Susan V. Dowdy b: 17 SEP 1864, killed 1878
3.vii James G. Dowdy b: 15 DEC 1867, killed 1878
3.viii George Elias Dowdy b: 9 AUG 1871 in Texas

James E. Dowdy  Sunset Cemetery	Susan C. Dowdy Sunset Cemetery	Thomas Anderson Dowdy Sunset Cemetery
Susan Dowdy Sunset Cemetery	Mary K. Dowdy Sunset Cemetery

Sunset Cemetery photos sourced from this excellent website