JOSEPH DOWTY, a substantial farmer of Valley Township, was born September 11, 1837. His grandfather Joseph Dowty, was a farmer of Auglaize County, Ohio near the town of St. Mary's, and was the father of nine children, namely: Amos, Michael, Thomas, Squire, Lavina, Melverda, Sarah, Levisa and Elizabeth. The father was a pioneer of Auglazie County, having cleared his farm from heavy timber. His son Michael, the father of our subject, was born in Ohio and was married in Auglaize County to Mary Hay, daughter of James and Lydia Hay, who were the parents of five children: Joseph, Levi, Jonas, Elizabeth and Mahala. The father moved to Montrose, Lee County, Iowa, at the time the Mormons were leaving Nauvoo, Illinois, for Salt lake, and, Mr. Dowty bought out a claim of a Mormon, where he died about one year after reaching this state. His family lived on this farm about ten years. Mr. Dowty was an upright and industrious man, and was respected by all who knew him.

Joseph, a son of the above and the subject of this sketch, was reared to farm life, and was but ten years of age when his father moved to Montrose, Iowa, about 1847. After marriage he settled on a farm in Mills County, where he lived until 1876, when he moved to his present farm of 160 acres. He is a self-made man, having made all his property by his own labor. He was married in Mills County, Iowa, May 14, 1865 to Miss Mary Munds, daughter of John and Emily (Lafler) Munds. They were the parents of six children, who lived to maturity, viz.: Mary, James, William, Jane, Lona and John. The father came from Ohio in 1859, and settled on a farm in Mills County, where he died at the age of sixty years. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and was a man of integrity and industry. To Mr. and Mrs. Dowty have been born one child - John Franklin who was born June 13, 1869 on a farm near Hastings, Mills county, Iowa and is now a student of Tabor College.

Contributed by: Darlene Vergamini