Simeon Downing

DOWNING, NEWMAN, WILLIAMS, SEWELL

Posted By: Diane (email)
Date: 2/24/2002 at 19:44:10

Simeon Downing resides on section 13, and his post office is Shell Rock. He was born in Adams county, Ohio, February 17, 1828, and when ten years of age removed with his parents, William and Susannah (Newman) Downing, to Sciota county, where he helped till the soil until 1844. The family then migrated to Iroquois county, Illinois. Here, in 1850, Mr. Downing married Miss Susannah Williams, also a native of Adams county, Ohio. In 1864 they emigrated to Iowa, lived in Bremer county two years, then came to Butler county and located where they now reside.
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Mr. Downing has been successful as a farmer, and now owns 180 acres of fine land. In politics he was a democrat up to 1864, since which time he has voted the republican ticket. His religious connections are with the Methodist Episcopal Church. The children are Mattie, now wife of George Sewell, of Dakota; Arthur, Dennis, residing in Dakota, and Flora B. Mr. Downing received but a common school education. His father died in Kansas and his mother in Illinois. The family were of English descent.
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Source: History of Butler and Bremer Counties, Iowa
Union Publishing Co., Springfield, IL, 1883
Page 507-508