James Ferguson Dowdell (November 26, 1818 – September 6, 1871) was the second President of the East Alabama College, now known as

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...

, from 1868 to 1870, and a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

. He was also a slave owne
Congress biography
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Biography

James Ferguson Dowdell was born on November 26, 1818, near

Monticello, Georgia Monticello is the largest city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Georgia, United States. The city includes historic buildings such as the Jasper County Courthouse, Monticello High School, and the Monticello Historic District. The popu ...

. Dowdell completed preparatory studies and in 1840 and graduated from Randolph-Macon College,

Ashland, Virginia Ashland is a town in Hanover County, Virginia, United States, located north of Richmond along Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 7,565, up from 7,225 at the 2010 census. Ashland is named after the L ...

. He studied

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1841 and commenced practice in

Greenville, Georgia Greenville is a city in and the county seat of Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 794 at the 2020 census, down from 876 in 2010. The city is located southwest of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area ( ...

. He moved to Oak Bowery, Alabama, in 1846 and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the State house of representatives in 1849 and 1851. James Dowdell was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859).Auburn library
/ref> During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

he served as

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of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, under General

Price A price is the (usually not negative) quantity of payment or compensation expected, required, or given by one party to another in return for goods or services. In some situations, especially when the product is a service rather than a ph ...

from 1862 until the close of the war. From 1868 to 1870, he served as the second President of the East Alabama College, now known as

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dowdell, James Ferguson 1818 births 1871 deaths People from Chambers County, Alabama People from Monticello, Georgia Confederate States Army officers Randolph–Macon College alumni Presidents of Auburn University People of Alabama in the American Civil War Auburn High School (Alabama) people Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Alabama People from Greenville, Georgia

James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...

19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Alabama Legislature