1809 Birth:2178 Birth year of 1809 taken from family reminiscence which is generally consistent with 1860 and 1880 census enumerations; birth place of Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland also taken from family reminiscence.

1860 U.S. Census:2383
Washington County, Iowa (English River Township, Richmond Post Office)
Enumerated 11 July 1860
William McEldowney •• 50, male, farmer, real estate value $400, personal property value $650, born in Ireland
Ann •• 50, female, born in Ireland
Samuel •• 19, male, born in Pennsylvania
Mary A. •• 17, female, born in Pennsylvania
Ellen •• 25, female, born in Pennsylvania
Wm. H. •• 4, male, born in Iowa
Edward •• 2, male, born in Iowa
Adjacent to the household of Jacob Moore,2382 thought to be a cousin of Ephraim Patterson2379 residing in Washington Township, Johnson county, Iowa, in 1860 and whose son Smiley Patterson married Mary A. McEldowney.

1880 U.S. Census:2425 William McEldowney enumerated in the household of his son-in-law Smiley Patterson in Oregon Township, Butte County, California as a white male, age 71, father-in-law, widowed, miner, born in Ireland, father born in Ireland, mother born in Ireland. His daughter Mary E. and five grandchildren (Mary E., Nelly, Albert, Jessie, and Daisy) also resided in the household.