McDowell was born at "Cherry Grove," near Rockbridge County, Virginia, on October 13, 1795.

He attended a classical school at Greenville, Virginia, a private school at Brownsburg, Washington College (now Washington and Lee University), Lexington, Virginia, and Yale College.

He was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-ninth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of William Taylor.

[1] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

This article about a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia is a stub.