Augusta Co VA was formed in 1738 from part of Orange Co and is located in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge. It was originally a huge area but many parts were carved out to form new counties and several states. It is the 2nd largest county in the state. John Dowling¹ son of Robert Dowling and Sarah Guinn was born in 1759 in Augusta Co, VA.^1,2

Originally a heavily wooded area, the settlement of what is now Darlington Co began after 1736 and 1737 when the province of South Carolina set aside a vast area of land for the Welsh Baptists of Delaware. This Welsh Tract bordered both sides of the Pee Dee River. For almost thirty years, settlers concentrated on the banks and small tributaries of the Pee Dee River. Local government did not exist for the citizens of the area. All deeds, estate settlements, and other legal matters had to be taken to Charles Town.

Beginning in the 1760s, and continuing in the the 1770s, other groups made their way into present-day Darlington, and were granted lands on the Lynches River, Jeffries Creek, and a host of other water courses. These settlers included descendants of French Huguenots, Scots-Irish, and the English.

In 1769, the Cheraws District was one of the new districts formed in South Carolina to replace the Anglican parishes.

John Dowling <and [WO] > served in. Captain Laucher's St Marie's Company in 1st Regiment of South Carolina Infantry commanded by Col Charles Coatsworth Pinckney from Nov 1775 through 1780. In 1782 he was put in Benton Regiment Marion Brigade and took part in all activities of that Regiment..¹

Four and a half years after John's enlistment in Pickney's Regiment his name disappeared from its rolls. John's company, commanded by Levacher de Saint Marie, was possibly one of the American organizations defeated at Charleston. In any event, it was not until 1782 that his military service for this idea of self-government was again recorded. It was then that he is known to have been a guerilla with the dreaded 'Swamp-fox', Francis Marion..³

John married Nancy Boutwell daughter of Burtonhead Boutwell and Saoni woBurtonheadBoutwell in 1783 in Jeffries Creek, Cheraws Dist, SC.^1,3

Sister-in-law Mary Boutwell Dowling had probably introduced him to the bride some years earlier, for this was Mary's sister Nancy. Both were daughters of Burtonhead Boutwell. Bride Nancy was twenty years of age, John was twenty-four. After his marriage, the remaining forty-three years of his life were to be spent near Jefferies Creek. This was the place that father Robert had brought him to from Virginia. And it was the place where all of John's little Dowlings would be born.

In 1785, the Cheraw District of SC was subdivided into counties, Marlborough, Chesterfield, and Darlington counties.

John Dowling was the Head of Household in the census in 1790 in St Thomas Par, Cheraws Dist, SC. John Dowling, males 1>21 (John), 2<21 (Dempsey, Elias), females 2 (Nancy, Lydia Ann).⁴

In 1800, counties were renamed as Districts and Darlington Co became Darlington District.

John Dowling was the Head of Household in the census in 1800 in Darlington Dist, SC. John Dooling males 4<10 (Zacharias, Allen, Simeon, ?), 1 10-15 (Elias), 1 16-25 (Dempsey), 1 26-44 (John), females 1 <10 (Rhoda), 1 26-44 (Nancy).⁵

John Dowling was the Head of Household in the census in 1810 in Darlington Dist, SC. John Dooling: males 3 10-15 (Zacharias, Allen, Simeon) , 2 16-25 (Dempsey, Elias), 1 >45 (John), females 1 <10 (Jemimah),1 10-15 (Rhoda), 1 16-25 (Lydia), 1 26-44 (Nancy).⁶

John Dowling was the Head of Household in the census in 1820 in Darlington Dist, SC. John Dowling: males 3 16-24 (Simeon, Levi, Allen), 0, 1 >45 (John); females 1 <10 (?), 1 10-15 (Jemimah), 1 26-44 (Rhoda), 1>45 (Nancy); other free persons 3.^7,8

John died on Jun 6, 1826 in Jeffries Creek, Darlington Dist, SC.¹

Nancy Boutwell was the daughter of Burtonhead Boutwell II (c. 1737-1766) and Saoni woBurtonheadBoutwell ( -aft1790). She and John Dowling had the following children: