Downing, John S.

DOWNING

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/28/2021 at 23:57:14

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.641

JOHN S. DOWNING
John S. Downing, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 12, Liberty Township, was born in Marion County, Iowa, in 1854, his parents being George and Rhoda Beach Downing. The father was born in Virginia, December 3, 1823, and emigrated to Iowa, where, in Henry county, he met and married Miss Beach. Locating in Marion County, Iowa, he there cleared a farm, which remained his home until the outbreak of the Civil War. His patriotic spirit being aroused, he enlisted as a member of the Thirty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, serving as officers' cook. His demise occurred near Louis­ville, Kentucky, in December, 1862, while in the service of his country. The mother of our subject was born in Ohio, December 24, 1823, and was largely reared in that state. Removing to Henry County, Iowa, at an early day, she was there married, and after her husband's death resided for several years in Marion County. Marrying a second time, she became the wife of Peter Sherman and they took up their abode in Jasper County, Nebraska, subse­quently establishing their home in Keith County, that state. Mrs. Sherman passed away in Perkins County, Nebraska, August 17, 1897, when seventy-four years of age. Unto George and Rhoda (Beach) Downing were born six children, namely: William, who died in Kansas some years ago; Mrs. Eva McIntyre, residing in Kansas; Mrs. Ida Hogate, of Florence, Colorado; Obil, of Marion County ; George H., who was killed in a railroad wreck near Florence, Colorado, March 16, 1906; and John S., of this review.
The last named was reared in the county of his nativity and acquired his education in the common schools. Throughout his entire business career he has followed farming and stock-raising, his first purchase of land being his present home farm of two hundred and forty acres on section 12, Liberty Township, which he still owns and operates. The property is equipped with all the modern accessories and conveniences of a model farm of the twentieth century and the many substantial improvements which now adorn the place stand as monuments to his labor and enterprise. He also owns another tract of one hundred acres in Liberty Township, and in addition to the work of general farming has also been engaged in stock-raising. He was formerly a breeder of Hereford cattle but has now for several years given his attention to the raising of shorthorn stock, in which line of activity he has been very suc­cessful. He has achieved his splendid prosperity since arriving in this county in the summer of 1879, though at different times he had previously spent a year or more here.
On the 17th of August, 1879, in Belmont Township, occurred the marriage of Mr. Downing and Miss Phebe Schee, whose birth took place in Marion County, Iowa, in April, 1855. She is a sister of John F. and Lewis Schee, of Indianola, and a daughter of Alexander and Alice (Brindley) Schee, who were early residents of Warren County and are mentioned elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Downing accompanied her parents on their removal to this county in 1866 and acquired her education in the schools of Marion and War­ren Counties, being reared to young womanhood in Belmont Township. She has become the mother of seven children, as follows: Effie Myrtle, who resides in Liberty Township and is the wife of Fred Kimzey, by whom she has two chil­dren, Freda and Helen; Homer A., Bessie, Alice, Winifred and John Carlton, all of whom are at home; and George, who passed away August 16, 1889, at the age of two years.
In his political views Mr. Downing is a staunch Republican, while fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Milo. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Liberty Township, and by reason of their genuine personal worth and excellent traits of character have won an extensive circle of warm friends throughout the com­munity.