John Dowden was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England on 12 August 1814. He married Eliza Fox in July 1841. Eliza was born on 18 January 1822 alos in Bristol, Gloucestershire, England. John worked as a mason. They left Southampton on the ship Magdalena on 23 May 1853 with their four surviving children, George, Elizabeth, Leah, and Emma, arriving in Adelaide, South Australia on 25 August 1853. Charles William Dowden was born on 7 July 1853 at sea. Six more children were born after arriving in South Australia.
.
John and Eliza settled at Upper Sturt for a short time before relocating to South Rhine where they purchased 100 acres from Angas and Murray, being Section 111, Hundred of South Rhine. They were granted Section 122 of 80 acres in 1861 and developed a dairy. They named their property Ashton Vale.
The first school in South Rhine was opened in 1861 in the Dowden barn, with classes being run by Maria Baker daughter of the local Baptist minister. The Dowdens were then involved in the establishment of the South Rhine Church.
John died on 7 October 1891 aged 77 years at South Rhine. Eliza died on 4 February 1895 aged 73 years also at South Rhine. They are both buried in the South Rhine cemetery.
.
.
Children of John and Eliza Dowden
1. George Chandler Dowden b. 30 April 1842, Bristol
2. Elizabeth Jane Dowden b. April 1844, Bristol
3. Leah Selina Dowden b. 19 January 1847, Bristol
4. Julie Eliza Dowden b. 7 January 1849 Bristol, d. 8 February 1850, Bristol
5. Emma Matilda Dowden b. 7 July 1849 Bristol
6. Charles William Dowden b. 7 July 1853 on the Magdalena
7. Julie Amelia Dowden b. 10 July 1855
8. Lydia Lavinia Dowden b. 13 May 1857 Flaxman’s Valley
9. Sarah Ann Dowden b. 7 March 1859 Tarrawatta, Angaston
10. Rhoda Eliza Dowden b. 18 February 1861 White Hut station
11. Ada Louise Dowden b. 24 June 1863 South Rhine
12. Esther Anne Dowden b. 16 November 1864 South Rhine
1. George Dowden married Mary Hastie and after farming in the north of South Australia moved to Western Australia to farm.
2. Elizabeth Dowden married Alfred Ball.
3. Leah Dowden married Edmund Cadd.
5. Emma Dowden married John Mouster.
6. Charles Dowden married Mary Ann Baker and they lived in the mid north. He died on 1 September 1936 at Medindie.
7. Julie Dowden did not marry.
8. Lydia Dowden married John Runnals Sibley and lived on the Dowden farm after John Dowden died. John Sibley sold Section 111 to Edward and David Miller on 28 November 1910.
9. Sarah Dowden married James Shearer on 23 March 1882. James, the son of James and Frances Shearer nee Sketheway and are all buried in the South Rhine cemetery. Sarah d. 22 January 1943 and James d. 7 January 1933.
10. Rhoda Dowden married John Vigers Banfield.
11. Ada Dowden did not marry; she died on 16 March 1938 at Prospect aged 74 years.
12. Esther Dowden married John McCallum.
