The Tragic Tale of Vera Dow

This beautiful young woman was the only child of William and Lorena Dorsey-Dow. The Dows had lost two other children making Vera the source of their pride and joy. The story of her tragic death was almost more than they could bear. To make matters even worse, William Dow lost both of his parents the same year, 1906. His father, Simeon E. Dow, died on October 30th and his mother, Chloe A. Dow, followed her husband to the grave thirty days later on November 30, 1906.

The Omaha Daily Bee, June 13, 1906

YOUNG WOMAN IS FOUND DEAD

Mrs. Vera McGraw, Commercial College Student, Supposed Victim of Epilepsy

[GRAND]DAUGHTER OF FOUNDER OF DOW CITY, IA

Girl of but Twenty Years, Deserted by Husband and Prepares Self to Pay Father's Mortgage.

Mrs. Vera McGraw, a young woman who has been attending the Omaha Commercial college, was found dead in her room at 205 South Twenty-fourth street by Mrs. Cusick, proprietress of a rooming house at that number. It was believed the woman came to her death by an epileptic fit, she having been subject to that malady for some time. Coroner Brailey took charge of the body. An inquest was held at the coroner's office yesterday oafternoon, the verdict being the woman came to her death from eiplepsy. The inquest, which was brief, showed the woman had been subject to fits ever since she was five years old. Mr. Dow, her father, arrived yesterday afternoon and returned to Dow City in the evening with the body. The death of Mrs. McGraw left Mr. Dow childless, two other children having died in recent years.

Mrs. McGraw was 20 years of age and the daughter of William Dow, founder of Dow City, Iowa (error). Mrs. McGraw was last seen alive at 10 o'clock Monday evening at her boarding place. About 5 o'clock Tuesday people at the Cusick house heard a noise as of something falling in the woman's room, but thought nothing was wrong, as Mrs. McGraw had been in the habit of getting up early. When she did not make her appearance by 8:30 Mrs. Cusick opened the door of her room and found the woman dead, her head on the floor and body across a low bed. Dr. Bridges was located on a nearby street and called in, but could render no assistance. Detectives Ferris and Dunn, who make the police investigation, found several scars on Mrs. McGraw's head and face which were believed to have been caused by the fall to the floor. The detectives failed to find any motive or evidence pointing to foul play, although it was hard to reconcile the abrasions with an ordinary fall. Friends of the dead woman stated Mrs. McGraw came to Omaha April 8 to secure a business education that she might get a position in Omaha and help clear off incumbrances said to be attached to her father's large tract of land at Dow City. Mrs. McGraw's husband is said to have left her after a short married life. The woman was quite prepossessing in appearance.

Parents of Vera Dow: William E. and Lorena Dorsey-Dow

William and Lorena buried their daughter in the Dow City Cemetery, but since the Dow family had, around 1890, suffered what was termed "a reversal of fortune" which left all of the Dows practically penniless, no marker was ever placed on Vera's grave.