Downing, James W.

DOWNING

Posted By: Linda Ziemann (email)
Date: 9/28/2005 at 21:12:11

A Narrative History
of
The People of Iowa
with
SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN
EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY,
BUSINESS, ETC.
by
EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M.
Curator of the
Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa
Volume IV
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc.
Chicago and New York
1931

JAMES W. DOWNING is an Iowa man whose energies have gone completely into one
line of work and practically with one business at the same old stand. He is
editor and publisher of the Ute Independent in Monona County.

This paper, a weekly, published on Friday, was founded in February, 1890, by
C. C. Coe. James W. Downing at that time was about fourteen years of age,
and his training as a printer's apprentice began about the time the
Independent came into existence. He has been with it ever since,m and during half of
the Independent's career he has been its publisher.

Mr. Downing was born in Monona County August 3, 1875. His father, John A.
Downing, was also a native of Iowa, and was a highly respected farmer of
Monona County, where he died at the age of seventy-eight. John A. Downing married
Emma Leach, a native of indiana. She died as the result of a surgical
operation at the age of sixty-eight. There were three children: C. P. Downing, of
Ute; Olive, wife of Thomas Holt, of Ute; and James. W.

James W. Downing's birthplace was a log house in Monona County. He grew up
on a farm, attended the district schools and for a short time had the
advantages of the village schools in Ute. In accepting an opportunity to go to work
in the office of the Ute Independent he found the work and occupation that
have kept him usefully and honorably employed for over forty years. He has
been owner and publisher since 1910. Personally he is a Republican, but
conducts a paper independent in politics.

Mr. Downing married Miss Anna Cunningham, a native of Iowa. Their two
children are Miss Edna, who assists her father on the paper, and Rita, wife of Ray
McGrew, of Los Angeles, California.