Page 3 of Traer Weekly, published in Traer, Iowa on Wednesday, June 27th, 1883

"Obituary~ Gilbert McDowall was born April 2nd, 1802, in Ayrshire, Scotland, and died June 21st, 1883, in Lynn County, Iowa, it is of general interest to inquire into the life of one who come down to us from the early dawn if the century, who has lived through nearly three generations of men, a sample of the rugged natures mentally and physically who have passed on before is to the promised rest. Two thirds of his life was passed in his native land on a farm that yielded to the management of the McDowall for many generations previous, and but for the spirit of adventure and desire for more room and broader fields of enterprise among the young people he would probably have continues to tread the old paths and coax a sustenance from the "land of brown heath and shaggy wood." The fame of the wealth and beauty of the virgin prairies of Iowa were then worldwide. In 1856 with his wife, six sons and four daughters he sought the Great Republic that offered homes and citizenship to all who desire them, the oldest son being established in business never joined the family in the United States. The American people are migratory and think little of selling the home and moving to any part of the National domain and to this national trait is due the cosmopolitan character of the people. But go to what state or territory they may the common flag shelters them. It is still the land of Washington. With the immigrant it is far different. When the native shore recedes, the native hillside is left, the church and churchyard are left, and the associates of a lifetime are left, the school and school fellows are left, the nation's history, its good men, its victories, its excellences and all left over the stern of the emigrant ship, and when the waste of waters shuts out from misty eyes the last outline of the native shore death seems to have come with all its bitterness and while the voyage last it seems in the valley of the shadow of death. Happy for the exile resurrection come at the Sandy Hook, and the glories of a new home fairer than the old, new homes milder than the old, new neighbors kinder than ever strangers were before churches ___, free school houses with doors wide open, citizenship offered and a land teeming with plenty; as much a paradise to the expatriated ad he will make a paradise of, Gilbert McDowall, in 1856, passed on through the settlements of the older states to the new lands lying untouched by the hand of man in Tama county. Settlers were coming fast from the middle states and from northern Europe. Society had to be organized into the forces that develop material wealth, cultivate the mind and reach the heart. In looking back at the work of the generation of men and women passing away, his place and his work in taming and cultivating is as observable as a vein of gold in a silver rock. The conspicuous morality, mild manners, enterprise and thrift that distinguish most Iowa neighborhoods from many others outside of Iowa are due to the wisdom and disinterested goodness of men like Gilbert McDowall who, at the very beginning ___ life here, bought and paid for religious and secular education, paid steadily, paid in good times and in hard times, who kept the fires continually burning on the alters of incense, who paid as they were able, who gave as they were blessed, who dare not without offending conscience refuse to give, who had no hope of the future but as people acknowledged God who feared the very wealth of prairies unless used in the fear of God who gave, gave, gave ,steadily every week and every year of their substance that the goodly land to which God had brought them might praise Him, Gilbert McDowall would have died one of the wealthiest men in Iowa if he had put out at interest and kept compounding, the money he has given to help turn in right directions the people among whom he lived. The world is kept moving aright by such men. Neighborhoods where they live always prosper. Their children are never seen in want. Enterprise always surrounds them.

Nine years ago, Mr. McDowall lost his wife since when he has seemed lost. At that time his children were all established in homes of their own, independent. She was one of those women that invited the highest respect and esteem according to her sex ~ a great woman, in fact ~ a home woman ~ a mother with wise advice, with a soft hand for a tired or sick boy or husband ~ a woman to whom one would tell everything ~ allow, gentle voice that one liked to hear and that one would not offend and rather go a long journey than disobey. Such woman governs with unseen scepters and draw with threads of gossamer. Mr. McDowall was of a stock that would not turn from opposition. He had no weak spot inside to the world. He was not troubled with doubts as to his Christian belief ~ would accept no amendments or modifications, out of his wife, like all wise women, counseled with him, advised with him, was there when he un-bended, when he was tired ~ perhaps discouraged ~ and was then his good angel. He fought many of the world's battles on her strength and loyally; laid his triumphs in her lap. He believed in her. She leaned on him till through the worry of a long life, anxiety for West while in the army, getting a large family in their places in the world, she fainted by the way, and took nearly all the sunshine out of Gilbert's life. We admire prominent women as we admire a fine ship or a speedy horse. We love only the home woman, and next to a Christian faith their influence follows is farthest. Fathers form our minds; mothers mold our hearts. The loss of a wife is not so much felt in early life as in the evening of life. Fair faces and fine forms can be replaced, but when the currents of their lives flowed along together till the union is complete the loss of one is very severe on the other. There is no more compassion able sight than to see an old man left alone, his work done, the evening of life coming, Life's companion gone, and life's light gone out His firm religious faith was abundant philosophy, but philosophy does not satisfy the poor heart though it may convince the head.

When Mr. McDowall came to Tama County the prairie had scarcely been touched. It was a vast expanse of native verdure, showing great wealth that would respond as man required, He and his fellow pioneer have changed it for the better. Few places in the world show more quiet moral loveliness, nor greater evidence of peace and plenty. When admonished by failing strength that his time had come, and he looked at the transposition he had helped bring about in Wolf Creek valley surely, he must have thought every earthly wish was gratified. Every promise concerning the things of time fulfilled. Beautiful groves and hedges around the landscape; prairie grasses had given place to clover blossoms, fields were stocked with the finest animals of civilized life; his children possessors of broad acres of great value, with fine homes, the church he had cared for doing her work; his grandchildren in a score of schools in the land; himself the object of reverence and respect. His work was done. He had the witness in his heart that it was well done. While he had abundant property in his name he had not lived for property. The country that had opened it arms to him and his was his debtor. He had but to choose a death bed and there is something pathetic in his choice. The mother's favorite is often one of her sons. The father's heart often cherishes a daughter, often the oldest daughter. When in usual health he visited all his children; he was welcome everywhere and knew it, the easy circumstances of all his children making it convenient and pleasant to entertain him. But he could settle down nowhere. He missed the gentle wife that waited for him beyond the dark river. Perhaps he liked to see all the young people often, to notice her resemblance in them, varied as human faces vary, and when he felt the sands of life nearly run, he was put to a last effort to select the one to be favored by making his dying bed. His daughter Maggie first reproduced what he loved in his dead wife. She shared more in family efforts when the family was making the efforts all pioneer families must make. She was his clever daughter, trials the younger members of families do not always comprehend. He went to Maggie when he felt the shadow of death upon him to be as near as possible to what his wife would have been. He decided the consisted life be had lived his family all about him. He never doubted God's promises a moment and they were all fulfilled to him. He got three score and ten years, then strength to live four score, and still God's goodness to those that fear him did not cease till in his 82nd year. He was brought back to the old Buckingham cemetery and laid beside the wife of his youth.

A closer inquiry into the lives of the old-fashioned men than we have space to make would be edifying. He read the Bible much and knew it familiarly. He had much of it., especially the Psalms, by heart. It was the one system of philosophy with which he was entirely familiar, and in it he found guidance in every vicissitude of life. It is worth observing that no other system produces better men and women. He had heard of infidelity but considered time wasted inquiring into such foolishness. He had heard of materialism, but it never raised a doubt in his mind. The longer he lived the more he believed the word of God and saw beauty of the plan of salvation. He was a monument of faith confirmed of through a long, long life. He adhered to the old religious dogmas with a grasp not conceivable to weak minds. They did not tend to make his austere or forbidding. Strength of mind comes only from the use of mind, and men who must labor most of their lives to rear families are debarred from intellectual pursuits. But such men as Gilbert McDowall establish the fact that an active religious man can keep his mind growing through contact with but little literature except the Bible and show the world that correct living insures peaceable dying. He gradually retired from worldly affairs and met the increased respect with which he was regarded with increased geniality. It is grateful to an old person ti have attention form the young and it shield no be withheld. There are no accounts kept in this world to tell how much we owe them. The lessons of their live are very valuable. It takes coaxing sometimes to get its chapters. Uncle McDowall was a powerful man physically as well as morally and intellectually; In early life he could walk seventy-five miles a day, and it is many years since he walked forty and thought nothing if it. He maintained correct habits through life, without which life is sure to be a failure. The lives of such patriarchs are worth studying from many stand points. The present generation has not the physical stamina of the past. We are more nervous. Uncle McDowall was not nervous; he lived prudently, took plenty of time to do his life work, and got plenty or more time to finish it. One of the great questions of the age is "what will prevent or cure nervousness" These Christian fathers would tell us to keep conscience void of offense before God, with faith firmly rooted in the Rock of Ages ~ to wait patiently of the Lord and not fret."

Contributor: Rebecca Chipman (48538312)