Honoring Barbourville Policeman “Highpockets” McDonald

In a small town such as Barbourville, police officers are responsible for far more than enforcing the law; they serve as the community’s primary first responders and problem solvers. Their duties include routine patrols, traffic enforcement, and responding to calls ranging from minor disputes and noise complaints to accidents, thefts, and domestic disturbances. Officers often handle initial investigations, write reports, gather statements, and write tickets, while coordinating with county or state agencies in the instances of more serious crimes. Because they work in close-knit communities like ours where residents know them personally, small-town police also play a strong community-policing role—conducting welfare checks, mediating conflicts, assisting at emergencies, lead community fundraisers like Angel Trees and Shop with a Cop as well as maintaining a visible, steady presence that helps prevent problems before they escalate.
One such police officer of seventy-five plus years ago was Barbourville’s Night Chief Gayle Dowis “Highpockets” McDonald.
Chief McDonald was born October 30, 1884, in Barbourville, the fifth of ten children born to Harvey and Samantha Josephine “Josie” Mitchell McDonald. Dowis’ father was a schoolteacher and ran the family farm, but with the promise of better wages to provide for his large family, he moved his family to Wallsend to work for the Wallsend Coal and Coke Company and for a period the family made their home in Pineville.
On February 20, 1905, while Harvey was walking on the track at the end of his shift, he was run over by a trip car coming out of the miles. He sustained near fatal injuries of broken bones and internal injuries. He passed away after bouts of consciousness three days later on February 23, 1905. Harvey was only 49 years old. He was buried in the McDonald Cemetery in Heidrick.
Dowis was 19 years old at the time of his father’s death and also worked in the coal mines. On July 23, 1911, he married Edna Eve Randall, the daughter of George Washington and Amanda Jane York Randall in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. At the time, Dowis was working at the fire department in Barbourville.
For more than 30 years he served as Barbourville’s Night Chief of Police or Assistant Chief. In 1949, there was a four-man force as outlined in the Mountain Advocate, Reid Green was Chief of Police, McDonald was Assistant, Charlie Mays and Tom Collinsworth were patrol officers with Herman Tye named as police judge.
Dowis and Edna raised their four children, Maude, Reed, Hazel and June in their home on Knox Street in Barbourville. A fifth child, Gayle Dowis McDonald, Jr. was born in January 1926 but died the following month following a bout with flu and pneumonia.
Dowis served in several roles in local government beyond his duties as Night Chief of Police. He served as Barbourville’s tax collector and ran for Jailer of Knox County.
On April 25, 1942, he registered for the World War II draft. His height was listed at 76.5 inches or 6 ft. 4.5 in. When the average height for men in 1942 was around 5 ft. 7 inches tall and Dowis stood nearly a foot taller than the average, “Highpockets” was an easily understandable nickname.
Dowis was ill most of 1950 with death finally arriving on October 22, 1950. He was 65 at the time of his death. His cause of death was chronic nephritis or kidney disease due to untreated diabetes characterized by high blood sugar over a long period of time.
Dowis’ services were held at the Methodist Church where he was a long-time member and officiated by Reverend Hugh Smith. He was buried in the Barbourville Cemetery.
Dowis’ wife Edna passed away on October 4, 1982, in Flint, Michigan where she lived with her daughter Maude after Dowis died. She was interred in the Barbourville Cemetery with her husband of more than 39 years.
The Museum Corner wants to show our appreciation for the generations of Barbourville’s police enforcement for making our little town a safe place to live and work. Our hats off to current Chief Winston Tye for his steady hand in protecting the citizens of Barbourville.