Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 342
ROBERT M. DOWNER, a general farmer and stock-raiser of Muscatine County, residing in Sweetland Township, was born in Stark County, Ohio, Sept. 6, 1837, and is a son of John A. and Elizabeth ( Coder ) Downer, the former born Sept 2, 1805,in Connecticut, and the latter born in New Jersey, in 1807. Both parents removed to Pennsylvania in early life, and were there united in marriage. In 1832, they emigrated to Stark County, Ohio, where Mr. Downer entered a claim and developed a farm, making it his home until 1845, when he came to the Territory of Iowa, settling in Franklin Township,Des Moines County, where he again developed a farm from the wild prairie. Mr. and Mrs. Downer were the parents of six children, three of whom are yet living: Ann C., who is now the wife of Rev. J. T. Coleman, of Montrose, Iowa; Robert M., of this sketch; and Joseph B., whose history appears on another page of this work. The death of Mrs. Downer occurred shortly after her arrival in this State. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a lady highly esteemed by all who knew her. After the death of his wife Mr. Downer was again married, becoming the husband of Mrs. Elizabeth Babb, widow of Washington Babb. By this union three children were born, two of whom are yet living: William E., who is living in Carthage, Mo., and George C., a resident of Mt Ayr. The father of this family died July 5, 1888, in the eighty-third year of his age. He survived his wife many years, she having departed this life in 1873.

When eight years of age our subject came with his parents to Des Moines County, Iowa, and there received his education in the primitive log school-house of that date. Completing his education, he then worked upon a farm during the summer, being engaged in teaching school during winter. He later attended Cornell College in Linn County, where he was pursuing his studies at the breaking out of the late war, but abandoning the school-room, he enlisted in the 2d Iowa Cavalry, in August, 1861, becoming a member of Company K, and was mustered in at Davenport, where the regiment was stationed during the winter. With the company he was then sent to Benton Barracks , after which he engaged in all the skirmishes until Sept 2, 1862, when he was discharged on account of physical disability. He contracted desease during his term of service, from which he has never yet fully recovered.

Returning to his home in Des Moines County, Mr. Downer , on the 24th of December, 1863, led to the marriage altar Miss Reubenna J. Blizzard, a native of Ohio. By their union eight children have been born : Cora P., Mary B., Thomas B., William E., Isaac Frank, Ruby, J. B. and Preal. In 1865 accompanied by his young wife, Mr. Downer took up his residence in Sweetland Township, Muscatine County, Iowa, where he is now engaged in cultivating his farm of forty-eight acres, situated on section 19. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Muscatine, while politically he is a supporter of the Republican party.

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