The Downs Family and its sub-Families

There are seemingly few Downs family source books and family histories out there.  In fact, I have yet to locate a single one which has any bearing or relevance upon my research.  Accordingly, none give the history of my line of Downs.

So, I will focus this section on the entire Downs line of which my cousins and I have recorded.

 The Downs Tree

Esther (LNU) (Esther¹), born abt 1797 in Virginia, was married to John DOWNS, but the husband's name at this time is unverified.  Currently, all that I have on Esther is that she had [her grandson] Philander DOWNS living with her in 1870, working on her farm.  From that information, it is safe to assume that Esther and her husband DOWNS were farmers and that after his death, she took on family members to work the farm in exchange for room & board.  Together, Mr. DOWNS and Esther had at least 2 children, though the 1870 US Census lists 2 girls believed to belong to Esther as well (Eliza b. abt 1835, & Levina, b. abt 1842):

1. Peter- b. abt 1812 d. bef 1880; m. 16 Apr 1837 to Elizabeth STEVENSON.

2. Isaac- b. abt 1819; m. to Lucinda (LNU).

1.  Peter DOWNS (Peter², Ester¹), was born in Maryland in abt 1811.  It is thought that he is the eldest son of Esther & Mr. (FNU) DOWNS.  Not much is known about either Peter or his wife, Elizabeth STEVENSON; however, there is record of their marriage in several county histories and family books, listing their date of marriage as 16 Apr 1837 in Mechanicsburg, Goshen twp, Champaign co, Ohio.  Peter worked as a laborer and a farmer throughout his life.  Elizabeth was born in between 1818-1823 in Ohio.  At this time, she is also believed to have died before 1880: both are not found in the 1880 census for Champaign, Logan, Madison, or Franklin counties, nor on a general search in Ohio.  Together, Peter and Elizabeth had at 6 children:

1-1.  Mary A- b. abt 1840.

1-2.  Elizabeth E- b. abt 1842.

1-3.  Margaret- b. abt 1844.

1-4.  Philander "Si"- b. 10 Jun 1848 d. 20 Nov 1929; m. 29 Nov 1871 to Cynthia Ann CLARK.

1-5.  Hannah J- b. abt 1852.

1-6.  Lucinda- b. abt 1855.

1-4.  Philander DOWNS (Philander³, Peter², Ester¹), "Si," was born in Mechanicsburg, Goshen co., Ohio on 10 Jun 1848.  Before marrying Cynthia Ann CLARK (b. 1854) 29 Nov 1871 in Champaign co., Philander worked on his grandmother's farm as a farm hand.  Later, Si moved to Urbana and owned a second-hand goods store both during and after his married to Cynthia.  The couple was divorced some time before 1900, when they are listed separately as divorced on the 1900 US Census for Champaign County, Ohio.  By the 1910 census, Cynthia was married and widowed by (FNU) MARTINDALE.  Si never remarried, but still saw his ex-wife at family gatherings, leading me to believe they were at least tolerable of each other after divorce.

Together, Philander and Cynthia had 5 children:

1-4-1.  Elizabeth Mary Ann (went by Mary E)- b. abt 1873; m. to Claude DUNNING.

1-4-2.  Anna A- b. abt 1875; m. to (FNU) SNYDER.

1-4-3.  Eliza F- b. abt 1877; m. to unknown.

1-4-4.  Levi A- b. abt 1879 d. abt 1882.

1-4-5.  James Edward- b. 19 Jan 1883 d. 5 Mar 1948; m. abt 1905 to Nellie Amanda PIPER.

1-4-5. Born James Edward DOWNS (Jim⁴, Philander³, Peter², Ester¹), Jim was the youngest child of 5.  He was born 19 Jan 1883 in West Liberty, Ohio, to Philander "Si" DOWNS and Cynthia Ann CLARK.  Moving to Columbus around 1900 (probably when after his sister Anna DOWNS Snyder came to town), Jim met and married Nellie Amanda PIPER (16 Sep 1889-1968), daughter of George PIPER and Mary Catherine MAPLE.  The two seem to have had a bit in common: both were from divorced parents and from mid-sized families.  Jim was generally employed as a fireman, though not usually in the traditional sense: during his latter years, he worked and retired from Ranco Manufacturing Co in Columbus.  Succumbing "static asthmaticus" (basically lung failure, probably contributed by his job playing with fires and furnaces as well as a smoking habit), Jim died on 5 Mar 1948.  Nellie outlived Jim by 20 years but never remarried.  She spent her entire adult life devoted to her husband and children, and after Jim's death, she remained stedfast to this tradition, spending most of her time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  Dying from "Cardiac Decompensation & Arterios Chrotic Cardiovascular Disease," Nellie left this world on 10 Oct 1968. Both were buried together next to son Bob in Union Cemetery, Columbus. 

Together, Jim and Nellie Amanda had 3 children:

1-4-5-1.  Harry Edward- b. 23 Dec 1906 d. 19 Dec 1986; m. Vira Beatrice BOSLEY.

1-4-5-2.  Kathryn- b. 26 Aug 1910 d. 5 Apr 1988; m. Louis J BARBEE (b. 1906).

1-4-5-3.  James Robert- b. 19 Nov 1917 d. 11 Oct 1998; m. Della June HABERMAN.

1-4-5-3.  "Bob" was born James Robert DOWNS (Bob⁵, Jim⁴, Philander³, Peter², Ester¹) on 19 Nov 1917 in Columbus, Ohio.  He lived all his life in Columbus, with the brief exception of his being drafted into the Navy, marrying Della June HABERMAN, daughter of Frank HABERMAN and Bessie Kathryn METTLES.  Bob and June had 3 children naturally and an adopted daughter, plus numerous foster children.  Retiring after over 30 years of distinguished and loyal service, Bob worked for the Borden Dairy Company, delivering milk to such people as Dave Thomas (founder of Wendy's fast-food chain) and many other notable Columbus residents.  Throughout his adult life, Bob lived to play with his technological devices, such as video and audio equipment and televisions.  He lived for and loved his family, traveling North America all his marriage on vacations, sometimes to exotic places like Acapulco, Mexico, and Moosenee(sp?), Canada.  Dying just one month shy of his 81st birthday, Bob passed 11 Oct 1998 from lung failure at his 150 Westview home in Columbus, OH, and was buried in Union Cemetery.  His remains lie in the "Old Addition" near the Olentangy River in the north-east corner.  June left their long-time Columbus home, moving to Louisville, KY, to be with her eldest daughter after Bob's death, where she died from old age (multiple organ failure) in the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Jeffersontown, KY, on 5 Jun 2006.  She is buried next to Bob in Union Cemetery in Columbus.

1-4-5-3-1.  James Robert, Jr- b. 1939; m. 1964 to Sally Kay HAINS.

1-4-5-3-2.  living (female)- b. 1941; m. 1964 to living HEADLEY.

1-4-5-3-3.  Jerald Rowland- b. 24 Jul 1943, d.26 May 1997.

1-4-5-3-4.  living (female-adopted)- b. 1951; m. to living CAUDILL.

1-4-5-3-1.  Born James Robert DOWNS, Jr. (Jim⁶, Bob⁵, Jim⁴, Philander³, Peter², Ester¹) in 1939 in Columbus, Ohio, Jim studied briefly at Ohio State University after high school graduation from Worthington, then after giving in to illness, Jim dropped out at OSU and took up studies at Carnegie College the following year, graduating with a technical certificate in radiology and lab.  By 1960, Jim was living and working in Coshocton, Ohio, employed by the Coshocton County Memorial Hospital, where he met Sally Kay HAINS, Coshocton native and a nurse's aid.  Receiving his Vietnam draft notice for the US Army in 1962, Jim decided to voluntarily enlist in the US Air Force, where he served as a lab technician in San Antonio, TX, for 4 years.  In the midst of his service, Jim returned to Ohio in Dec 1963 for proposal and again in May 1964, when he married Sally and whisked her back with him to San Antonio.  When the couple returned to Ohio, they settled down in Columbus (Jim's childhood hometown) and Sally was due with their eldest son, and over the next 8 years had 2 more children.  In 1978, they built what Sally refers to as "The Homestead" in Orient, Ohio, where they continued to raise their children and saw them all graduate from Westfall.  In retirement, they have built a new home near Mt Vernon, OH, and both Sally and Jim continue to live an active life together amongst family and friends.

1-4-5-3-1-1.  living (male)- b. 1966; m. 1988 to living MEYERS.

1-4-5-3-1-2.  living (male)- b. 1969; m. 1992 to living TIPTON.

1-4-5-3-1-3.  KimSue- b. 1973; m. 1999 to Edward SLAGLE (b.1966).

1-4-5-3-1-3.  Kimberly Sue DOWNS (KimSue⁷, Jim⁶, Bob⁵, Jim⁴, Philander³, Peter², Ester¹) was born to James Robert (Jim) DOWNS Jr and Sally Kay HAINS in 1973 in Columbus, Ohio.  Previously, she moved to Milwaukee, WI where she was married to (the wedding took place in Harrisburg, OH) and divorced from living CLARKE (m. 1994 div. 1997).  In 1999, she married Edward David SLAGLE (Eddie), and today they have 2 children and live in Galloway, Ohio, near Columbus.  Eddie was born in 1966 in Columbus, Ohio, to Edward Earnest SLAGLE and living MADDEN.  He is the eldest of 2 children and a childhood friend of KimSue's eldest brother. 

Downs Documents & Sources

Census Records: (email or write to KimSue for copies)

1. 1870 US Census-

   Philander ["Si"] DOWNS, [grandmother] Esther Downs, other grandchildren.

   Peter DOWNS, wife Elizabeth [STEVENSON] Downs, children.

   Cynthia CLARK [Downs Martindale], parents James CLARK & Elmira [Bates] CLARKE [Pine], siblings Ellison/Allison J, Sarah M, Anna/Alice, John CLARK.

2. 1880 US Census-

   Philander ["Si"] DOWNS, wife Cynthia, children Mary, Anna, Eliza, Levi.

   Mary Catherine [MAPLE] Sloan [Piper], husband Valentine SLOAN, children Ella Mae SLOAN [Caldwell], Cora Susan SLOAN [Little].

   James CLARK, wife Elmira [Bates] CLARK [Pine], children Ellison/Allison, John, James, Almira, Wm (also, the 1900 census lists that Elmira had 16 total children, but only the 8 survived).

3. 1900 US Census-

   James [Edward] DOWNS, mother Cynthia [CLARK] DOWNS [Martindale], siblings.

   Philander DOWNS.

   [Nellie] Amanda PIPER [Downs], parents George PIPER & Mary [MAPLE], sister Gertrude PIPER [Hart Columber].

   Mary [DOWNS] Dunning, husband Claude DUNNING, children Audrey, Dennis, Ross, Christine.

   Anna [DOWNS] Snyder, children Louis & May.

   James CLARK, wife Elmira [Bates] CLARK [Pine], children.

4. 1910 US Census-

   James [Edward] DOWNS, wife [Nellie] Amanda PIPER [Downs], child Harry E.

   Philander DOWNS.

   Cynthia [CLARK Downs] Martindale.

   George PIPER.

   Mary [Catherine MAPLE Sloan Piper] Hart, husband Wm HART, child William Jr.

   Anna [DOWNS] Snyder.

   Elmira [Bates] CLARK [Pine].

5. 1920 US Census-

   James [Edward] DOWNS, wife [Nellie] Amanda PIPER [Downs], children Harry E, Kathryn, & James Robert.

   Philander DOWNS.

   Cynthia [CLARK Downs] Martindale.

   George PIPER.

   Mary [Catherine MAPLE Sloan Piper] Hart, husband Wm HART, child William Jr.

   Anna [DOWNS] Snyder.

   Elmira [Bates] CLARK [Pine], living with child Anna [CLARK] Mouser and son-in-law Adam C MOUSER.

Death Records

Graves

Obituaries

Other Docs

KimSue's PhotoShow	Eddie & KimSue's marriage certificate, 1999
Philander DOWNS & Cynthia Ann CLARK Downs Martindale's Marriage License	Bob DOWNS' marble championship article, Columbus Citizen
Memorials in the Columbus Dispatch for Bob & Jerry DOWNS	Final decree of Divorce for Bessie METTLES & Frank HABERMAN