Families

the dow family

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The Dow home near Table Rock, after its days of glory. Photo 7755, shared by John Kent Dow.

John & lucinda dow
Parents of Mary jane & david dow

John and Lucinda Dow (1812-1864, 1818-1897) are buried elsewhere. They had four children, two of whom -- Mary Jane & David Pierce Dow -- ended up in Table Rock and are buried here.  Their daughter Martha is buried in Humboldt and their son Martin is buried in Arkansas.

mary jane dow kent
daughter of john & lucinda dow
​SISTER OF DAVID PIERCE DOW
​wife of byron kent
mother of anna & george j. kent

Mary Jane Dow, 1843 - 1886. She was born in Clinton County, Indiana, the daughter of John and Lucinda (Gordon) Dow. She married to Byron Kent on October 17, 1867 in Clinton County, Indiana. (After Mary Jane died in 1886, Byron remarried.)  Mary Jane and Byron were the parents of two children, George J. and Anna M. She and her husband Byron Kent.  Mary Jane and Byron are both buried in the Table Rock Cemetery, as are their children, George and Anna Kent Barnett.  

Their daughter Anna (1868-1892) married Garret Alonzo Barnett on Oct 25, 1889 in Pawnee County, Nebraska, according to information posted on FindaGrave by starbuck - [email protected].   Garret Barnett's whereabouts after Anna's death is presently unknown.
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Mary Jane Dow, Photo 904

DAVID PIERCE DOW
SON OF JOHN & LUCINDA DOW
brother of mary jane dow kent
husband of lucinda kent
father of louis, jay, and david

David Pierce Dow married Emma Lucinda Kent on March 11, 1883 at Michigantown, Indiana and to their union was born three sons, Louis Kent, Adrian Jay (who went by Jay), and David Neal Dow.  Jay Dow is buried in Table Rock, Louis in Kansas, and David at a place presently unknown. 

We have no pictures of David and Emma or any of their children.  

According to Clarence Dennis Read in a January 2019 post on the Historical Society's Facebook page, the 1917 plat map of Pawnee County shows that David Pierce Dow owned land in township 3 north range 12 east section 26 for 320 acres and 80 acres in section 25. His wife Emma Lucinda Kent owned 160 acres in section 25.

As to David and Lucinda's son Jay Dow, Clarence says he has been working on learning about him, there is not a lot of information available. "It doesn't appear he ever married and was a farmer most of his life. He served in the Nebraska National Guard for about 18 months not sure of the dates on that. From his WWI draft card it says he was of medium height and build with Brown hair and eyes." 

Clarence also says that David and Lucinda's son David Neal Dow died 6/22/1965 and is buried in Medford, Oregon. He married Retha Louise Brooks and they had three children, all born in California. 
​
Emma's 1933 obituary in the Argus reads:
Emma Lucinda Kent was born in Clinton county, Indiana, January 22, 1854, and died at her home near Table Rock, Nebraska, October 2, 1933, at the age of 78 years, 8 months and 20 days. On March 11, 1883, she was united in marriage at Michigan Town, Indiana, to David P. Dow. To this union were born: Louis K. Dow, of Manhattan, Kansas; Adrian J. Dow, of Table Rock; David Neal Dow of Yuma,Arizona; and a daughter who died in infancy. Two grandchildren, David Neal,Jr., and Ruth Janice Dow.

Mrs. Dow united with the Protestant Methodist Church of Michigan Town, Indiana, at the age of fifteen. The family has lived in Table Rock 49 years. She was a member of the Presbyterian church of this place but transferred to the Methodist Episcopal church here April 19, 1925,and was a member of this church at the time of her death.

Besides her husband and three boys she leaves to mourn her passing two brothers and two sisters, Martha J. Frazier of South Bend, Indiana, William Kent of Mulberry, Indiana, Minerva A. Jenkins of Michigan Town, Indiana and Adrian B. Kent of Boylston; a nephew, George Kent of Table Rock and family; as well as many friends. She was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister. Brothers and sister dead: Byron Kent, James V. Kent, Mary Ellen Walters.

Funeral services were held in the Methodist church at 2:30 Thursday afternoon. The sermon was preached by the pastor, Rev. A. L. Embree, who was assisted by Rev. E. M. Martin, a former pastor; a mixed quartette furnished beautiful and appropriate music. A large number of mourning friends were present to pay a last tribute of respect to her memory.

The entire community joins with the immediate family and friends to mourn the passing of this well known woman.
David's obituary in the Argus reads:
DAVID PIERCE DOW PASSES AWAY

​David Pierce Dow, son of John and Lucinda Dow was born near Michigan Town, Indiana, November 19, 1849 and died at his home near Table Rock, Nebraska at the age of 87 years, 5 months and 16 days.

In 1878 he moved to a farm near Jefferson, Iowa.

In 1883 he was united in marriage to Emma Lucinda Kent. To this union four children were born.: Louis K. Dow, Adrian J. Dow and David N. Dow; a daughter died in infancy.

In 1884 Mr. Dow established his home on a farm near Table Rock where he died.

He was preceded in death by his wife whose funeral was held in October 1933. Four sisters and one brother also preceded him in death. His sons, Louis K. Dow of Manhattan, Kansas; Adrian J. Dow of Table Rock and David N. Dow of Medford, Oregon and one sister, Mrs. Frances Evans of Forest, Indiana also survive and mourn his death, as well as many other relatives and friends.

The long life of Mr. Dow is a tribute to his clean morals and integrity. He worked hard, prospered and saved, and altho he was a man who never spent much time away from home, he was well known because of his fine farm home and his financial interests.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church on Tuesday afternoon, May 11th, at 2:30, conducted by the pastor, Rev. A. L. Embree. The interment was in the family lot in the Table Rock cemetery.

the sons of david pierce & emma dow 
LOUIS, ADRIAN JAY "JAY", AND dAVID n. DOW

Jay Dow (1890-1974) served in World War I, as evidenced by his tombstone.  He lived in Table Rock for many years, although he died in Iowa. We don't know anything else about him. He is not on the alumni list as a Table Rock graduate; it was not unusual in those days (1890s, early 1900s) for boys to stop schooling at the eighth grade.
Picture
Doug and Teresa Bowen at Jay Dow's windmill pump. (Not related, probably neighbors.) Photo 7308, shared by Doug Bowen.
Note from  the editor: In 2018, we posted that Jay obviously had a farm, as evidenced by the picture below, taken in the 1950s.  In 2019, we received information from John Dow, a great grandson of David Pierce & Emma Dow saying that Jay Dow's home was actually the old Dow place where the three boys grew up.  And John confirmed that the windmill was at the old Dow home. He did it by producing a photo of the old place that showed the windmill!
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Photo 8003, the Dow home, shared by John Kent Dow/

There's that windmill again!  John Dow found this picture in his father's things (see more about him below) but he does not know who it is and there is no date.  He suspects it is a wedding couple with a chauffeur....  Or perhaps it is someone celebrating a wedding anniversary. Photo 8034.
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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DOW FAMILY FROM JOHN KENT DOW


​The children of David Pierce & Emma Kent  Dow were Louis Kay Dow (went by Kay Dow), Adrian Jay Dow (went by Jay Dow), and David Neal Dow

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Kay Dow & Jay Dow, circa 1965. Photo 7756, shared by great nephew John Kent Dow.
In May 2019, we heard from a member of the Dow family, John Kent Dow, a great grandson of David Pierce & Emma Dow, grandson of David Neal Dow. 

John Kent Dow shared some memories and sent three pictures: (1) the one of the Dow home at the top of this page; (2) a picture of brothers Louis Kay Dow (left) and Adrian Jay Dow (Kay & Jay); and (3) and a picture of David Neal Dow, John's grandfather.  

​Here's what he said:
David Neal Dow was my grandfather. 

We would take vacations in the summer time back to Table Rock to visit my uncle Jay.  Also know as Adrian Jay Dow, he was a local fixture in the town of Table Rock.  He lived in the Howell Hotel as a permanent resident.  I remember going downstairs and dining at a cafe called something like the Red Rooster.  

I think Jay was active with your local museum at the time because he had keys and was showing us around. He was always a bachelor and was noted for being very smart. He played poker when he was young and was noted for winning. He had a very good memory and read books constantly.  When we visited he would watch Jeopardy on TV and guess most of the answers. 

In his final years he moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa with his nephew, who took care of him until his death. 

I enclosed a picture of the original farm house he was raised in and a picture of Jay and his brother Louis Kent around 1965 on one of our visits.

It appears the Howell Hotel has been closed for years along with the cafe. It would be interesting to know if anyone is still around that remembers Jay and his activities. Is anyone able to identify the farm house?  I am 60 years old now.
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Photo 8003, David Neal Dow, shared by grandson John Kent Dow.
Picture
David Neal Dow, circa 1960, from grandson John Dow

memories of jay dow

A Facebook post asking where Jay Dow's farm had been generated some memories in January 2019, with most of of them involving consulting aging fathers!
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Clarence in 1990....

clarence dennis read

Clarence found a copy of Jay Dow's draft card, and said, 
He was with the 328th repair unit as a Private sailed from France to the U.S.A. on June 20 1919 on the U.S.S. Pocahontas. I don't know if that address will help in finding out where his farm was.

larry aylor

His farm was about 3 miles east of Table Rock and 1 and 1/4 miles north. He sold it to Jim Fisher and moved into the hotel in town. Tim Bowen lives on that farm now.

sandy sitzman cerra

Someone always knows something and someone else adds to it! Only in Table Rock do you know your neighbors so well!

lori vrtiska seibl

Lori asked her dad, Floyd Vrtiska, if he remembered Jay Dow, and passed this along:
My dad says that there were lots of card games in the basement of Legion Hall. The “big stakes” players were 
“Colonial” Jay Dow, Vic Fellers, and Jay Mehlin.

Dad played at the lower stakes table with Bill Marfice, Ed Flider, Wayne Diehm, Lloyd Covault, Orval Johnson and others.

lisa marfice flider

Perhaps even though Jay Dow played high stakes, he may have gotten some hands that were no good, thereby generating a new verb phrase, "to Jay Dow" the hand.  At least that's what Lisa seems to report:
Ask your dad about this. When we would play Pinochle, if my dad got a hand that had an equal number of cards in each suit, say 3 of each, thus making his hand not good, he would say,"I Jay Dowed."  Does this sound familiar or was it just my dad??

susie marfice rutledge

Lisa's cousin responded:
Dad hasn't heard of that term. He did say he remembers Jay Dow as a great pitch player and had several stories of seeing him play cards. Must have been your dad's "saying!"

deb matthews

More consultations with dads!  Deb reported:
My dad hadn't heard of it either. Remembered Jay, but not the saying.

lisa marfice flider

 Dad certainly had a lot of sayings. All were funny and usually had to do with family or growing up in TR

susie marfice rutledge

Yes! Dad and I still say a lot of them now!

Lori, ask your dad if he remembers a card game with a big pot and Jay sprayed the table spitting out his tobacco after he lost it? Dad thought your dad was there, too.

And did your dad ever meet Jay's his twin brother Kay.

lori vrtiska seibl

Yes, Dad laughed and said "Oh, yes, I remember that well. He spit all over the place!"

Dad said he knew there was a brother but he didn't know him.

john kent dow
I have been enjoying the comments about my uncle Jay.

This looks to be the address of Jay's old farmhouse:  71521 629th Ave Table Rock NE 68447-3116.  I can only see the satellite picture but the roof line seems to match if you ever want to take a modern picture or find stuff in the records.

Some of the comments talked about his chewing tobacco habit.  My uncle was an avid chewer of Beech nut tobacco leaves and would spit into a tin can.  I remember visiting him and he was spitting into an old Libby's peaches can.   The farmers preferred chewing tobacco in the fields as it would not start a fire like cigarettes. 
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