From North Carolina, 1780-'81: Being a History of the Invasion of the Carolinas, by David Schenck, pub. 1889, Edwards & Broughton, North Carolina, pp. 464-466:
- To the brothers, Charles and Joseph McDowell, of Quaker Meadows, and to their no less gallant cousin, Joseph McDowell, of Pleasant Garden, Burke County, North Carolina, are due more credit and honor for the victory of King's Mountain than to any other leaders who participated in that decisive and wonderful battle. Yet, the name of McDowell does not appear on the granite shaft, raised by patriot hands, on those memorable heights—a reproach to the intelligence of the men who wrote its inscriptions and an indignity to North Carolina which contributed so largely to construct the monument. It was Colonel Charles McDowell, and Major Joseph McDowell, his brother, who originated the idea of organizing a force to capture Ferguson, and in conjunction with their cousin, they were the most prominent in executing the plan which they had conceived.
Major Joseph McDowell was subsequently a General of militia and was known as General McDowell. He also served as a member of Congress from North Carolina during the years of 1787, 1788, 1791 and 1792. In 1788 he was a member of the State Convention which met for the consideration of the Federal Constitution. He was of Scotch-Irish descent; his ancestors came to North Carolina by the way of Virginia. The McDowells of North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio are all of one common stock.
On one of the foot hills of the Blue Ridge, a beautiful round knob, selected for its lovely view, and overhanging the "Quaker Meadows," is the cemetery of the McDowell family. On a slab of marble, erected as a head-stone, is this inscription:
"TO THE MEMORY OF
GENERAL CHARLES McDOWELL,
A WHIG OFFICER IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR,
WHO DIED, AS HE HAD LIVED, A PATRIOT,
THE 31ST MARCH, 1815, AGED
ABOUT 70 YEARS."
By his side is the unmarked grave of Major Joseph McDowell, his brother. Not a stone is raised to his memory; not a line is carved to recount his deeds of valor and patriotism; no epitaph tells the story of King's Mountain and Cowpens and Ramsour's Mill, where he was foremost in the fight; no record speaks to the stranger and says, here lies a hero who was victorious in every field, and never turned his back on a foe. The only mark that indicates the grave of this gallant soldier is the letter J rudely carved on a white oak tree that stands at its head.
- What a reproach to those who enjoy the liberties that were purchased with his blood! Will the State he loved and served so well suffer this reproach to continue?
- Close by his side, the remains of his cousin, Joseph McDowell,* of Pleasant Garden, lie. On a head-stone is this inscription:
HERE LIES THE BODY OF
CAPTAIN JOSEPH McDOWELL,
BORN 27TH FEBRUARY, 17-5,
(the other figure obliterated)
AGED 60 YEARS."
[*Blogger's note: *Actually, this is Capt. Joseph J. McDowell, born 1715 in Ireland, the father of Charles and Joseph of Quaker Meadows. Cousin Joseph "P.G." McDowell was interred at Round Hill Cemetery on his Pleasant Gardens estate.]
