Notes
Note N695
Index
Birthdate given as 5 Oct 1902 in information from Orville Hahn.
Notes
Note N696
Index
Living with father and mother-in-laws
Notes
Note N697
Index
From "Pioneer Life in the Fairview Community" in "Kearny County (KS) History", attributed to Laura Downs Hahn: I did not go to school at Fairview but August did. Our school was Prairie Center. My brothers Lloyd and Vernon and I drove a horse and buggy four miles to school and one time, the horse got loose from where we had it picketed to eat grass, and went home; having no horse for the buggy, we had to walk the four miles home. Another time a big prairie fire burned around the schoolhouse, and we were all really scared, but it did not set the building on fire.
Our father used to go away to harvest around LaCrosse, Kansas. One summer while he was gone, a big hailstorm came through and drove our cattle away from home. My mother waited until it had about stopped hailing, then put a wooden box over her head and went out and brought them back.
My brother was bitten by a rattlesnake, in the fall of 1909, I velieve. Lloyd, Vernon and Dad were out turning broomcorn brush, and the snake was under a pile of brush and bit Lloyd. He was scared and ran all the way to the house. My mother sucked the poison fromthe bite with her mouth and Dad went for the doctor at Leoti, but he was out of town and did not get to our place until the next day. The doctor said that allthat saved my brother's life was Mother sucking the poison out of his leg. He was in bed and awful sick for a long time.
---provided through the courtesy of Janice Ellis.
Birthdate on SS record is 5 Oct 1902. Age given as 37 in 1940 census.
"Miss Laura Downs writes her friends from Conquest, in western Kansas, that they are nicely settled and the children are going to school. But the distances there are somewhat wider than here. They have two and one-half miles to school, and other places accordingly."--23 Mar 1916, The (Clay Center KS) Times
"Western Kansas, where the Ira Downs family moved to, Wichita county, has not harvest to speak of. A letter from Laura Downs tells of her graduation and part in the exercises of the county school commencement there."--11 Jul 1918, The (Clay Center KS) Times
"Laura Downs writes us from Wichita county saying they were having a big snow when we were having the rain here at Christmas time. It was 16 degrees below zero Monday, where the writer's sister is in Colorado, so we haven't had it so bad."--6 Jan 1921, The (Clay Center KS) Times
Notes
Note N699
Index
Near Industry, Kansas.
Notes
Note N700
Index
1900 Census gives birthplace as Illinois, but the info from Orville Hahn is
more complete and is used here.
Notes
Note N701
Index
Served three years, discharged with honor Dec 31, 1863, then re-enlisted Jan 1,1864 for another term of duty.
Notes
Note N702
Index
When quite young, the Downs family moved from Ohio to Lancaster, Schuyler county, Mo. Age given as 81 in 1920 census. Age given as 46 in 1860 census.
"WM. DOWNS, 84, DIES -- Wm. Downs, 84 years old, died at his home 14 miles west of town yesterday after a long illness. He had been making his home with a son, James since his wife died. Another son, Chas. of Oak Hill, a daughter, Mrs. Lydia Wood of Oak Hill, Ira Downs of Lydia, Kans., Mrs. Tom Whittenburg of Eckley, Col., A.M. Downs of Talmage survive their father. Mrs. Downs died eight years ago. He was a Civil war veteran.
The funeral will be held Friday afternoon at 1 o'clock at the home and in Industry church later. Burial will be in Green Ridge cemetery, where Mrs. Downs was buried."--24 May 1922, The Wakefield (KS) News
"Downs:--William Downs was born in Knox county, Ohio,, July 23, 1838, and passed away at his home near Longford, Kan., May 23, 1922, at the age of 83 years, 9 months and 28 days. When quite young he moved with his parents to Lancaster, Mo., where he grew to manhood. On the 3rd day of December, 1861, he enlisted in the Civil War, in Company K, 21st Missouri Infantry, where he served three years and was discharged with honor December 31, 1863. He reenlisted on January 1, 1864, for three years longer or until the end of the war.
On January 10, 1866, he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret E. Ashlock, when he and his wife left immediately for Kansas City, where they lived for seven years. From there, he moved West and located on a homestead near Industry, where he lived for 44 years; then he moved to the home where he lived until his death.
To this union were born nine children,, five sons and four daughters, three having passed to the Great Beyond. The surviving children are: James Downs of Longford, Charles Downs of Oak Hill, Ira T. Downs of Leoti, A.M. Downs of Industry, Mrs. Geo. Woods of Oak Hill and Mrs. Thomas Wittenburg of Ackley, Colo.
He is also survived by 34 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, one brother at Fr. Madison, Ia., and one sister, Mrs. Mefford, of Industry.
He was a very kind and loving father and will be kindly remembered by all his friends and neighbors. It can be truthfully said of Grandpa Downs "that he was always kindly loved and respected by all who knew him."
The funeral service was held at the Evangelical church at Industry, by Rev. L.S. Curie, pastor of the Wesleyan church, interment in Greenridge cemetery."--8 Jun 1922, The (Clay Center KS) Times