So was the Name McDOLE or McDOWELL?

ANSWER: It depends on which generation you asked.

When John McDowell came to White County in 1810, it was always McDowell. His name is recorded in the County Court Minute Books as McDowell a few times. It might sometimes be McDowal or McDowel in public records, but I didn't start seeing McDole used until Andrew (born 1799), John's son, was an adult.

In 1840 it is especially noticeable that Andrew, John, and Jane are all listed as McDole. At that time they were living close together in DeKalb County. It was not a mistake by the census-taker. The census-taker (Does anyone know a synonym for that?) spelled the name "McDowell" for Luke and Curtis McDowell who lived nearby. So it was not a case of an illiterate recorder.

Sometimes I think Andrew just wanted to set his family apart from Luke McDowell's family, by insisting that they were McDoles. Andrew's son Smith used the name McDole in the 1850 census, and his widow used it in the 1860 census. Some of their children continued with the McDole spelling, also. I imagine they may have even pronounced it McDole instead of McDowell. I have read that in some places some families changed from McDole to Madole; which is another name to consider researching.

I mentioned Jane McDole in the 1840 census. She lives nearby in a few census records. I'm still thinkin' on that one, and will write out an idea I have later. If you know about Jane McDole, please write me. She was born in South Carolina about 1795.