Absalom Porter Dowdle and Sarah Ann Holladay are believed to be a Heber Fort Family. The reason I say “believed to be” is that in the book “How Beautiful Upon the Mountains” is a diagram of the fort. On the west side of the fort on the diagram, appears the name Porter Dawdell. On page 15 of the same book is information taken from John Crooks journal listing those families who spent the winter of 1860-1861 in the fort with their families. The name Dawdell, or Dowdle does not appear on that list.

In Family Search under the name Absalom Porter Dowdle LRZ4-5LT it lists his son William Porter Dowdle as being born 17 January 1859 in Center Creek, Wasatch County, Utah. In the source records the name A. P. Dawdle is listed on the Muster Roll of the Infantry Company commanded by Capt.Thos Todd mustered in Heber Provo Valley on Oct 19th 1861. He is shown as a member of the fifth Platoon and as having a rifle with powder and lead. There is also a fascinating diary written by him that contains the following. “We lived in Coalville and had two sons, William and Thomas, and that made us the father and
mother of three girls and two boys. I now have five children. In 1862 I was sent to Provo Valley again to preside over work as an elder, and in 1864 we had another girl, Louisa, Born at Midway. I stayed in Provo Valley until 1868, and then I was sent again back to Coalville. In 1868 we had another boy. That made me seven children, and I knew that would be the last.” Based on his personal diary, and the information provided I am of the opinion that Porter Dawdell listed in the original Heber Fort is identical to Absalom Porter Dowdle in family search and lived in Heber Vally off and on from 1859- 1868.

At the end of his diary is the following note: The L.D.S Biographic Encyclopedia , 4:306 , has this to say about Porter Dowdle:

 “Absolom Porter Dowdle, President of the Australian Mission from 1856 to 1857. l was born June 1, 1819, in Franklin County, Alabama, a son of Robert and Sarah Ann Robinson Dowdle. He married Sarah Ann Holliday and came west with the so-called Mississippi Company in 1846, and spent the winter at Pueblo, on the Arkansas River. He was appointed by Elder William Crosby November 17, 1846, to preside over the Saints at Fort Pueblo.”

“Brother Dowdle and family and other families of the Pueblo Company, following in the wake of the Utah Pioneers in 1847, arrived in Great Salt Lake Valley July 29, 1847, with Captain James brown’s detachment of the Mormon Battalion, which had also wintered at Pueblo.”

Elder Dowdle was called to fill a mission to Australia, arriving at Sydney, April 1, 1852. When President Augustus Faraham sailed from Sydney May 28, 1856, he left Absolom Porter Dowdle in charge of the Australian Mission. Elder Dowdle preside until June 27, 1857, when he sailed on the ship “Lucas “ homeward bound.”

If you would like to read his journal , here is the link to it.
https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/93715868?cid=mem_copy

Here is also a link to a journal kept about the trip home on the ship “Lucas” This ship was chartered in Sydney Australia to bring members of the church who wanted to move to Zion. The Ship left Sydney on June 27 and arrived in San Pedro, California in October 1857. The journal for this ships voyage portrays the role of Elder Dowdle as that of a major leader on this voyage. 

https://www.familysearch.org/memories/memory/11198261?cid=mem_copy

Absalom Porter Dowdle was born on 1 June 1819, in Russellville, Franklin, Alabama, United States, his father, Robert Dowdle, was 22 and his mother, Sarah Ann Robinson, was 19. He married Sarah Ann Holladay on 6 September 1845, in Marion, Alabama, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 5 daughters. He lived in Utah, United States in 1852 and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1855. He registered for military service in 1861. He died on 5 June 1897, in Weber, Utah, United States, at the age of 78, and was buried in Greenville, Beaver, Utah, United States.

Sarah Ann Holladay was born on 20 April 1828, in Marion, Perry, Alabama, United States, her father, John Holladay, was 30 and her mother, Catherine Beasley Higgins, was 30. She married Absalom Porter Dowdle on 6 September 1845, in Marion, Alabama, United States. They were the parents of at least 4 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Goshen, Utah, Utah, United States in 1900 and Fremont, Idaho, United States in 1910. She died on 2 February 1915, in Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States, at the age of 86, and was buried in Santaquin, Utah, Utah, United States. 

Children of Absalom Porter Dowdle and Sarah Ann Holladay
Sarah Catherine Dowdle was born on 6 May 1846, in Osage Township, Camden, Missouri, United States, her father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 26 and her mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 18. She married Harvey Henry Meeks on 25 December 1860, in Center Creek, Wasatch, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 6 daughters. She immigrated to Utah, United States in 1847 and lived in Mountain View, Uinta, Wyoming, United States in 1920 and Jackson, Teton, Wyoming, United States in 1930. She died on 29 March 1936, in Thermopolis, Hot Springs, Wyoming, United States, at the age of 89, and was buried in Hudson Cemetery, Hudson, Fremont, Wyoming, United States.

Martha Jane Dowdle was born on 22 August 1847, in Salt Lake, Utah, United States, her father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 28 and her mother, Sarah Ann  Holladay, was 19. She married Jeremiah Albert Robey on 22 November 1865, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 6 daughters. She lived in Arlington, Wasco, Oregon, United States in 1910 and Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States in 1920. She died on 7 November 1929, in Salt Lake, Utah, United States, at the age of 82, and was buried in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. 

Absalom Porter Dowdle was born on 10 April 1849, in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States, his father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 29 and his mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 20. He died on 12 December 1849, in his hometown, at the age of 0, and was buried in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States.

Mary Elizabeth Dowdle was born on 17 January 1852, in Coalville, Summit, Utah, United States, her father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 32 and her mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 23. She married Henry Benjamin Humphreys-Williams on 11 October 1870, in Endowment House, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 7 sons and 5 daughters. She lived in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States in 1860 and Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States in 1870. She died on 13 December 1896, in Peoa, Summit, Utah, United States, at the age of 44, and was buried in Peoa Cemetery, Peoa, Summit, Utah, United States.

William Porter Dowdle was born on 17 January 1859, in Center Creek, Wasatch, Utah, United States, his father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 39 and his mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 30. He married Britta Pehrsson on 10 December 1883, in Santaquin, Utah, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son. He lived in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States in 1860. He died on 10 April 1885, in Santaquin, Utah, Utah, United States, at the age of 26, and was buried in Santaquin City Cemetery, Santaquin, Utah, Utah, United States. 

Robert Thomas Dowdell was born on 20 April 1860, in Coalville, Summit, Utah, United States, his father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 40 and his mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 32. He married Eliza Maria Olsen on 14 June 1902, in Boise, Ada, Idaho, United States. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. He lived in Kimberly, Twin Falls, Idaho, United States in 1910. He died on 23 March 1922, in Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States, at the age of 61, and was buried in Ogden, Weber, Utah, United States.

Louisa Ann Dowdle was born on 22 May 1864, in Midway, Wasatch, Utah, United States, her father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 44 and her mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 36. She married Henry Jedediah Clark on 25 July 1878, in Santaquin, Utah, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 5 sons and 2 daughters. She lived in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States in 1900. She died on 27 August 1954, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States, at the age of 90, and was buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States.

John Henry Dowdle was born on 7 September 1868, in Coalville, Summit, Utah, United States, his father, Absalom Porter Dowdle, was 49 and his mother, Sarah Ann Holladay, was 40. He married Mary Anderson in 1891, in Utah, United States. He lived in Santaquin, Utah, Utah, United States in 1898 and Fremont, Idaho, United States in 1910. He died on 26 November 1939, in Provo, Utah, Utah, United States, at the age of 71, and was buried in Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah, Utah, United States.

 
Heber Valley Heritage Foundation written by Jason B. Moulton