Alexander Dowling

Newspaper sketch of Alexander Dowling during his campaign for election to the Indiana Supreme Court.

Alexander Dowling (December 19, 1839 – December 11, 1917) was a justice of the Indiana Supreme Court from January 2, 1899, to January 2, 1905.

Early life and education Born in Hillsboro, Loudoun County, Virginia. Dowling came with his parents to New Albany, Indiana, in 1840. His father, Henry M. Dowling, engaged in the practice of law in New Albany for many years, and at one time was engaged in the pharmacy business. Dowling was elected to the Indiana Supreme Court on the Republican ticket in the election of 1898, serving from January 2, 1899, to January 2, 1905. During the time that he was a Judge of the Supreme Court he retained his residence in New Albany. He was not a candidate for re-election, preferring to resume his law practice in New Albany.

Personal life and death On October 13, 1859, Dowling married Miss Cornelia F. Kiger, of Greencastle, Ind. His wife died in 1899. They had two surviving children, Harry M. Dowling, who is engaged in the practice of law in Indianapolis, and Mrs. Charles Coffin, of that city. From the time of the death of his wife Dowling maintained his home at East Thirteenth and Spring streets in New Albany, where he lived alone until the time of his death.

In late November 1917, after having been engaged in the trial of a case in the Floyd Circuit Court in New Albany, Dowling went for lunch to his home, where he was stricken with a heart attack. He never fully recovered from the effects of the attack, though he was actively engaged in his work up to the time of his death.

Two weeks after his heart attack, Dowling was found dead in his office in the New Albany National Bank building, at Pearl and Market streets, at 9:30 in the morning. Dowling's daughter, who had been visiting her father for two weeks, departed for her home in Indianapolis only an hour before his death. He accompanied her to the interurban car, when she departed to take the Pennsylvania train at Jeffersonville, after which he walked through the snow to his office, preferring to walk rather than wait for a car, which was delayed on account of the bad weather.

His stenographer, Anna Gifford, arrived to find him on the floor. She summoned Dr. F. W. Hazlewood, who arrived in a few minutes and declared Dowling dead. Dowling was stricken while taking off his overcoat, his body being found with one arm remaining in the sleeve. The County Coroner determined that death was due to heart disease.