My maternal 2nd great Aunt
Cynthia Ann, daughter of Nancy Estes and Garrett McDowell was born January 24, 1834 in Fountain County, Indiana. Her parents were married in St. Clair County, Illinois on January 27th, 1830. There was time enough for her to have an older sibling, and the 1840 census suggests she had an older sister who was no longer living with the family in 1850 either by death or perhaps marriage.A land patent dated June 6, 1932 shows her parents owned 80 acres of land in W½ of the NE¼ of section 27, Township 18 north, Range 7 west, Fountain County, Indiana. Fountain County lies in the western part of Indiana on the east side of the Wabash River. The county seat is Covington.
Based on the birth locations of Cynthia's siblings, sometime in late 1838 the family moved to Polk county, Missouri; Cynthia would have been about 4 years old. Polk County is located in Southwest Missouri. In the 1840 census, her family is listed in Polk county. There were 7 people (no slaves) living in the Garret McDowell household. Her father was employed in agriculture.
M F
Under 5: 2 1 John 2, Vincent 1, Christina 4
5 thru 9: - 2 Cynthia 5, unknown older sister
20 thru 29: - 1 Nancy
30 thru 39: 1 - Garrett
In 1841 Dallas county, Missouri was created from Polk county. The McDowell family's land was located in the new county. Land patent records credit Garrett McDowell with the following properties:
4/10/1843 40 acres NW¼NW¼ section 15 33N
- 20W Dallas
10/1/1845 40 acres NE¼NW¼ section 15 33N
- 20W Dallas
8/3/1848 80 acres E½NE¼ section 32 34N - 19W Dallas
Around 1847 the family moved to Mahaska county, Iowa. Cynthia would have been about 12 years old. Mahaska County was formed on February 17, 1843. The county was the first in Iowa to have a sheriff
and a justice of peace. The first courthouse was completed in January, 1846. The first school, a
small log cabin one-half mile east of Oskaloosa, was opened on
September 16, 1844. It is likely that Cynthia and her siblings attended this school. Land patent records credit Garrett McDowell with the following properties in Mahaska County:
10/1/1848 160 acres NE¼ section 10 74N - 16W Mahaska
12/4/1848 160 acres SE¼ section 8 74N - 16W Mahaska
When the 1850 census was taken, Cynthia and her family were living in Mahaska county, Iowa. Her father Garrett was farming his 400 plus acre farm which had a cash value of $1200. According to the agricultural schedule, 55 acres were improved and 350 were unimproved. He owned farm equipment worth $ 70. The livestock which were valued at $ 270 included 2 horses, 3 milk cows, 2 working oxen, 6 other cattle, 9 sheep, and 30 swine. In the previous year his cash crops valued at $ 50 included 70 bushels of wheat, 600 bushels of coarn, 15 bushels of oats, 25 bushels of potatoe, 45 lbs. of wool, and 100 lbs. of butter. The household members with age and place of birth were listed as follows:
Garrett McDowel 40
KY
Nancy McDowel 38 IL
Cyntha McDowel 15 IN
Christina McDowel 15 IN
John McDowel 12 IN
Vincent McDowel 8 MO
Tobitha McDowel 8 MO
Nancy A McDowel 1 MO
Catherine Scott 75 unk
James Wortman 7 IA
In 1851 an special Iowa state census was taken of 13 counties. The Garrett McDowell household of 9 people was listed in Mahaska County. Cynthia was probably one of the 9 inhabitants.
Sometime between 1851 and 1854, her parents moved to Jasper County, Iowa. Her mother Nancy was listed on a special Iowa census taken of Jasper County. Her father is said to have died in 1855, but as her mother was listed as head of the household, the date of her father's death may be in error.
Nancy McDowel 5 people, 1 male, 4 female (Nancy, Christina, Vincent, Tabitha, & Nancy)
A Find A Grave memorial suggests Cynthia married a Thomas Jefferson LaForce sometime between 1850 and 1856. In 1856, the LaForce household was living near Oskaloosa in Mahaska County, Iowa. The 2 person household was listed as follows:
Thomas J Laforce 26 KY resident of Iowa 2 years, teamster, voter, militia
Cynthia's mother and siblings were listed in the 1856 census in Mahaska County. Her mother Nancy, a widow and 9 year resident of Iowa, was a property owner whose farm included 15 improved and 218 unimproved acres of land. Her crops included 3 acres of spring wheat which yielded 16 bushels, 5 acres of oats whose yeild was listed as low, 15 acres of corn which yeilded 100 bushels, 150 lbs. of butter and 13 lbs. of wool.
Nancy McDowel 38 IL
Vincent McDowel 17 MO
Tobitha McDowel 15 MO
Nancy A McDowel 7 IA
Cynthia's mother and siblings were listed in the 1856 census in Mahaska County. Her mother Nancy, a widow and 9 year resident of Iowa, was a property owner whose farm included 15 improved and 218 unimproved acres of land. Her crops included 3 acres of spring wheat which yielded 16 bushels, 5 acres of oats whose yeild was listed as low, 15 acres of corn which yeilded 100 bushels, 150 lbs. of butter and 13 lbs. of wool.
Kansas became a territory of the United States in 1854. In 1857 Federal land sales began and immigrants including the LaForce family flocked to the area. This date is based on the birth locations of Cynthia LaForce's 2 sons, William born around 1856 in Iowa and Thomas born around 1857 in Kansas. When the 1860 census was taken the LaForce family was living in Ozawkie, Jefferson, Kansas Territory.
Thomas Laforce 30 KY a farm laborer with $ 0 real estate & $100 personal estate
Cynthia Laforce 25 IN
William Laforce 4 IA
Thomas Laforce 3 KS
Kansas became a territory of the United States in 1854. In 1857 Federal land sales began and immigrants including the LaForce family flocked to the area. This date is based on the birth locations of Cynthia LaForce's 2 sons, William born around 1856 in Iowa and Thomas born around 1857 in Kansas. When the 1860 census was taken in July 1860, the LaForce family was living in Ozawkie, Jefferson, Kansas Territory.
According to the Find A Grave memorial for Cynthia McDowell LaForce, Cynthia died on May 19th, 1861 and was buried in Bluff Creek Cemetery in Eddyville, Iowa. This leads me to believe the family had returned to Iowa sometime July 1860 and May 1861. According to the History of Ozawkie on the City of Ozawkie's webpage, in 1860 a great drought plagued the area. Perhaps this drought caused the LaForce family to return to Iowa. Cynthia was 27 years old.
After her death, Thomas married a second time on 9 April 1863 to Mary A. Olney [Williams] a widow with a 2 year old daughter named Anna Louisa Williams. Mary married a third time on November 8, 1868 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Unless the marriage was disolved, it appears that Thomas died before November 1868 most likely in Iowa. There appears to be no children from this union.
It is unknown what happened to the children of Thomas and Cynthia.
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