Ann Barton 1792 - 1845
Ann Barton Downen
Ann Downen
Ann Barton was born in Randolph County, North Carolina on 14 July 1792. She was the daughter of William Barton (1763-1833) and Ruth Underwood Barton (1764-1836).
She married Josiah Downen (1780-1845) on 2 March 1815 in Posey County, Indiana. They had the following children:
Ruth Downen (1816-1845)
Martha Polly Downen (1817-1822)
Elizabeth Downen (1820-ca. 1840)
William Downen (1822-1897)
Job Downen (1825-1848)
Martha Downen (1830-1852)
Jane Downen (1832-1913)
Samuel Downen (1832-1848)
Ann's family was still living in North Carolina as of the 1810 census, but they showed up in Indiana as of the 1820 census, so it can safely be surmised they moved to Indiana between 1810 and her marriage in 1815. Her husband Josiah Downen must have moved into the area around the same time, since he was found in the Kentucky census of 1810.
The 1820 census found Ann and Josiah in Posey County, Josiah by name and Ann as part of a statistical grouping (gotta love those old census records!). The township name listed on the census itself was Smith Township of Posey County, although Ancestry.com's records indicate it was actually Marrs Township; I am assuming Ancestry was privy to some knowledge I don't have in making that determination. It's interesting picking apart the census data. The couple's two daughters Ruth and Polly Martha are straightforward enough, as is Josiah and his mother Mary, who was apparently still living with them at that time. There is an unknown white girl between 10 and 15 in the household. The census records appear to misstate Ann's age, because she is not listed as being older than 25 when she should be 27 or 28 years old. (census image here)
The 1830 census found Josiah (and by implication Ann as well) in Robinson Township, Posey County. The groupings by age and gender add up correctly and everyone is there who should be there. It looks as if Job's mother Mary was not living there at that point, although she was believed to still be alive (she is thought to have died in 1835). (census image here)
Josiah was listed in the census for the last time in 1840, still in Robinson Township. Once again Ann's age is off, this time they have made her at least two years older than she was. Since the census erred on the side of recording her as too young before, most likely the incorrect age was given to the census takers again, this time erring on the side of making her too old. There are three people I can't identify, possibly nieces, nephews or grandchildren. There is an unidentified male under five, an unidentified male between the ages of 10 and 14, and an unidentified girl between the ages of 5 and 9. (census image here)
Josiah died on 9 June 1845 in Posey County and Ann died 13 days later on 22 June 1845. Their burial places are unknown, although it was quite common then for people to be buried on a small section of their farm or a neighbor's property that was set aside as a graveyard. Given the extent of Josiah's holdings I would imagine the couple were buried on their own land.
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