Two photographs of McDowell families. 

The first is a photograph from the Summer studio of Bloomington, Indiana. On the back in pencil is "Emlsey & Rebecca McDowell, grand-parents of Ira McDowell."  The couple was easily found on Findagrave.

Emsley and Rebecca (Brookshire) McDowell.

Emsley McDowell was born on 21 February 1932 in Springville, Lawrence County, Indiana and died on 16 August 1912 in  Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana. He was married on 30 November 1854 in Monroe County, Indiana to Rebecca Brookshire. Rebecca was born on 13 May 1835 in Clark County, Kentucky and died on 7 March 1911 in Springville, Lawrence County, Indiana. The two are buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Bloomington.

The second photograph does not have a studio mark. On the back if "Taken in Laurenceport, Ind approx 1905 or 1906 Dena McDowell, Katherine and Ira McDowell."

Dena McDowell, Katherine McDowell, and Ira McDowell.

I searched for Dena McDowell in the census records for Indiana. There were two entries. The 1930 census lists Ira and Dena McDowell living in Perry, Monroe County, Indiana with their children Katherine, Howard, and John. Ira worked in a stone mill. 

Ten years earlier the family was living in Perry with their three children, with Ira working as a farmer and at a stone mill. 

The couple has memorials on Findagrave with photos that match Ira and Dena. Ira Vester McDowell was born on 14 November 1877 in Monroe County, Indiana and died on 26 November 1956 in Monroe County. He was married on 5 February 1902 to Fidema A. "Dena" Daniels. She was born on 12 October 1878 and died on 18 August 1949 in Monroe County. The couple's daughter Katherine McDowell was born on 29 November 1902 in Indiana and died on 30 April 1991 in Bloomington. The three are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Bloomington.

I do not know if the two McDowell families were related.

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