Eva Jane Dowdy (nee Peveto)
Where were you born?
I was born in Orange, Texas on December 18, 1919.
Where did you go to school?
I graduated high school from Orangefield High School in 1938.
Did you go to college after high school?
I didn't go to college, I went to Johnson's Beauty School in San Antonio, Texas.
How did you and Peepaw (Solon Raymond Dowdy) meet?
I was living with one of my aunts in San Antonio and Peepaw lived a couple of streets over and was friends with my cousins and that is how we met.
When and where did ya'll get married?
We were married on October 7, 1938 in Austin, Texas.
What were your first jobs?
I worked in a beauty shop in San Antonio and Peepaw worked in an old A&P store.
How long did ya'll work other jobs before you had an opportunity to go into business for yourselves?
We went into business for ourselves in 1939. About one year after we were married.
What and where was your first business that you went into?
Our first store was called "The Red & White Store" which was bought from my uncle located in Orangefield, Texas .
What was the town like that you had opened your business in?
Well, Orangefield was an oil town located not to far from Beaumont and the "Spindle Top" boom.
What type of services and products did your store have to offer?
It was a general merchandise store. We had gas, oil, piece goods, a butcher shop, groceries, feed store, hardware goods, horse tack, etc.
How long did ya'll stay there?
Till about 1943. Approximately four years.
Why did ya'll leave?
Peepaw went to work for Neches Butane, at that time it was the world's largest rubber manufacturer.
Where did ya'll go from there?
We moved to Neiderland and Peepaw drove back and forth from Neiderland to Port Neches to work.
How long were ya'll there?
We lived in Neiderland till about 1946 or 1947.
Why did ya'll leave?
Preston was sick all the time so Peepaw wanted to move somewhere where it wasn't so damp.
Where did ya'll move to?
We moved to San Antonio.
What did ya'll do for work there?
We opened another store on South Flores and called it, "Dowdy's". Peepaw's father had worked for Joskes for 30 plus years and had all the connections as far as getting clothing goes.
How long were ya'll in business in that store?
Approximatey two-three years.
Why did ya'll sell the store?
Peepaw had had a couple of heart attacks and a Mr. Pullin had heard about the store and came from Sabinal and offered Peepaw cash for the store.
Where did ya'll go from there?
Well, Peepaw had always wanted to live in the country, so we started looking for some ranch property. We bought the farm, south of San Antonio, in Verdi, Atascosa County, in December 1949.
What did ya'll do for work when you moved to the country?
We worked the farm. We raised cattle, pigs, grain, peanuts and maize. Peepaw also started working on Saturdays at Ricks Company for Mr. Ricks.
At what point did ya'll decide to open another store? Peepaw had told me, that if he could work for Mr. Ricks, then he could open his own store and go back into business for himself. So, he opened Dowdy's in Pleasanton, Texas on March 15, 1956.
When did you retire from the store?
I got out when they got the computer.
Are you happy with the outcome of the Dowdy's stores?
Peepaw had his goals for himself and the store and was able to accomplish both. Solon Raymond Dowdy passed away on March 3, 2002.
Dowdy, Eva Jane. Fifty Years of Memories in the Life of Eva Jane and Raymond Dowdy. Zabava Printing, Leon Zabava, September, 1988.
ORANGEFIELD, TX. The Handbook of Texas Online.
PLEASANTON, TX. The Handbook of Texas Online.