Alexander Dowie (4 September 1827 – 18 July 1909)[1] was an 1851 emigrant from Scotland to South Australia. He is known as a businessman, who developed a major footwear manufacturing, tannery, and retail store in Adelaide.
Dowie was born in 1827, the third son of John Dowie (26 November 1800 – c. 1832) and his wife Margaret Dowie (born 1 August 1802). He had a younger brother, John Murray Dowie. His father and sister died when he was around four years old. Later he lived in Portobello, Scotland, where he was apprenticed to a bootmaker.
In April 1851 Dowie married Jane Cockburn (c. 1831 – 28 October 1910) and they emigrated to South Australia on the Blundell in May that year, partly sponsored by Caroline Chisholm. They arrived at Adelaide in August. He joined the gold rush to Mount Alexander, but soon returned to Adelaide, opening a bootmaker's shop and factory ("South Australian Boot Factory")[2] in Rundle Street. His businesses were located at the far end of the street, then moved closer to the centre, at numbers 69 and then 63. He also opened a tannery in Bowden.[3]
In 1904 Dowie transferred his business to sons Norman Dowie and (Charles) Stuart Dowie;[4] they sold it to A. W. Barlow and Co. in 1908.[5]
His brother John Murray Dowie followed him to South Australia, arriving in 1860. His son John Alexander Dowie worked for a time in his uncle' bootmaking business. After studying theology in Edinburgh, John Alexander Dowie returned to Australia and started serving as a minister. He married Dowie's daughter Jane in 1876[6] and built a huge following for his faith healing ministry. He emigrated with his family in 1888 to San Francisco. By 1893 he had settled in Chicago (in time for the World's Fair that year). After building his faith healing business, in 1901 he bought land and founded Zion City in Illinois, about 40 miles north of the city. He owned all the property.
Alexander was a friend of John Darling, and influenced him to also emigrate to South Australia. They continued to associate: Darling hired at least one of the Dowie boys, the two families worshipped at the same church, and two Darling boys married daughters of Dowie.
Dowie was appointed President of the Board of Conciliation, serving from 1885 to 1896.[3]
He joined the Congregational Church before he left Scotland, and was active in the Adelaide church as Sunday-school teacher, lay preacher, and deacon.[3]
Alexander Dowie died 18 July 1909. His wife, Jane Dowie, died 28 October 1910
His brother John Murray Dowie (c. 1826 – c. October 1908) emigrated c. 1861 aboard Shah Jehan; active Hindmarsh Square Congregational Church, left for Chicago 1896