The Dowdle family from Westport, Mayo

[pbuxton]

y grandmother was Annie Dowdle from Westport, Ireland. She married Alfred John Buxton. In Manchester. They lived on Russell Street in Ardwick Green. He worked under the arched by London Road Railway station as a gas meter maker.
Their children were: Alfred, 1893-1980, Ellen (known as Nelly) 1895-1978, Catherine 1896-1911, Henry 1899- 1903, William 1901- 1970, Annie 1903- 1998, Elizabeth (Betty) 1907-1985, Blanche 1909-1995, John Henry (Harry) my dad, 1911-2006.
I knew them all. There spouses and their children. my sister and her family emigrated to Canada in 1966. My mum and dad followed in 1972. Me and my family also emigrated in 1974.

[CathP49]

Hi,
Not sure where this reply will end up on the page. I received my Ancestry DNA results today. It wasn't exactly as I expected. I'm a lot more Irish than I expected. 99% apparently -  I expected 75% but this reflects which bits you happen to inherit from parents/grandparents etc. Actually it says 99% Irish and Scottish (and I do have a little bit of Scots) but the areas they show are all in Ireland in the areas my family came from. It's pretty neat how it all works.
Anyway, James Dowdle (USA) I don't see a match with you. My Ancestry tree is private. Not sure if yours is. I have not looked through every page of course as there are probably thousands. I am willing to share my tree with people on this site but not quite sure how. If you search for James Dowdle born in Hartlepool, 1904, on Ancestry that would get you to my tree (or a tree of one of my cousins). If you contacted me then I can share it. I am not sure if I am recorded as Catherine Payne (my married name) or Catherine T M Mannion (maiden name) on my tree. ...or should I put my email address on here? Is that a daft thing to do?
By the way, when I first replied to this board I made a mistake with my grandfather's name. Can't believe I did that . Think I got confused with all the Henrys and Patricks. Anyway he is James Henry Dowdle and I put just Henry.
Cath

[Maiden Stone]

Hi,
I am willing to share my tree with people on this site but not quite sure how. If you search for James Dowdle born in Hartlepool, 1904, on Ancestry that would get you to my tree (or a tree of one of my cousins). If you contacted me then I can share it. I am not sure if I am recorded as Catherine Payne (my married name) or Catherine T M Mannion (maiden name) on my tree. ...or should I put my email address on here? Is that a daft thing to do?
Cath

Hello, Cath. You are not allowed to put email addresses on here. If you do you'll get a message from a moderator asking you to remove it. You're not supposed to post information about living people, or people who may be alive. Whatever you post here will come up in a google search so be very careful. I wouldn't put my full name if I were you. You can edit your post to remove anything you have reservations about. (Paper & pencil icon at lower right-hand corner.)
The secure way to communicate with other posters on RootsChat is through private message. You can use this after you've made 3 posts.
If James has email notification switched on he'll know there's a new post on this thread. If not and if he doesn't return to the thread in a few days you could  send him a PM.
Hope this explains how things work. 

[Catherine P]

Thank you for the advice. You are right.
Must admit I can not find the pencil and paper icon you mentioned.
Cath

[Maiden Stone]

Thank you for the advice. You are right.
Must admit I can not find the pencil and paper icon you mentioned.
Cath

I think the icon is only there for a short time after you post a reply. You can edit your post within a set period after posting; it might be 24 or 48  hours, I'm not sure.

[CathP49]

Update on Dowdles:
I have found a DNA match that appears to connect with me via the Dowdles. She is descended from Sarah (Dunbar) and Henry Dowdle from Westport who lived in Govan Scotland. I would recommend taking a DNA test with Ancestry to see if we are all connected to the same Dowdles. I am surprised that I really have only found one good match. There are a few more that suggest we may be connected - very distantly. They seem to have Dowdles who arrived in the U.S. in the 1700s so I can't see that it would be a connection that way. It IS difficult to figure out exactly HOW you are connected to all the matches.
All the best for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Cath

[Catherine P]

I am not sure if anyone is on this forum anymore. Just wanted to post an update:
I have traced my Dowdle family to Westport also have a DNA match with descendant of Sarah Dunbar and Henry Dowdle. So that is my family. They went to Govan in Scotland first. Even though I have not found the baptism of my Patrick Dowdle (c 1849) I have him in the house of his parents (Sarah and Patrick Dowdle, in Govan) at the time of his wife's death (Scottish records are so good). Unfortunately she died in the poorhouse there. That is why he left his children there (actually found he had 3 children not 2) after his wife died. His parents were there, his sister was there and his cousins were there.
Anyway this family does not seem to be directly connected to all those people in Manchester who were Dowdles. It does not mean they were definitely NOT related but I have no DNA matches that seem to match. Also why would Henry and Sarah not go to Manchester if they had other children there and Henry had a brother there? It doesn't make a lot of sense.
There is another Dowdle family in the area of Westport that I have come across. You need to look in the Irish Loan and Sustainability fund books (Ancestry has links). I think this is your family. It even mentions a hatter if I remember correctly. There are three entries with Henry Dowdle named. he seems to be from Castlebar. I would definitely recommend doing further research into him. You can even find his death certificate there. I think he is a more likely candidate for your Henry Dowdle.
I definitely recommend doing a DNA test through Ancestry - or you could take part in a one name study using Dowdle Y DNA if you have Dowdle males in the family. I am sure I could get one of my cousins to take part.
I will probably not check into this site again as I am inundated with other Irish lines I am searching. Best of luck with your search.
Cath
My tree on Ancestry is called Payne Family Tree (Catherine Mannion) but my name on there is Catherine Payne - you may be able to find me. My tree is private but if you find a DNA match you'll be able to contact me.

[oldwestport]

In case it might be of interest: I have evidence of Dowdles in Westport in the late-18th century. I'm working on a book, an illustrated history of Westport, to be published by the local historical society, possibly towards the end of this year. I have come across the Dowdle name in old property records, which will be discussed in the book.
James Kelly
Westport Historical Society

[Twistiefries]

Hi
I would be very interested in the book. My 2nd gt grandfather was Henry Dowdle Who was listed as a hatter 1797 -1867
regards
Cath Leach