Josiah Downen 1849 - 1939
Josiah Downen was born in Posey County, Indiana, USA, on 13 May 1849. He was the son of
William Downen (1822-1897) and Elizabeth Barton Downen (1825-1856).
He married (or didn't marry, there is some confusion on this one) Caledonia Coker (ca. 1840-Before 1870). They had the following child:
Alvin Downen (1862-1904)
Josiah married Martha Robinson Luther (1859-1925) on 6 August 1884. They had the following children:
Willis Carl Downen (1885-Unknown)
Enos Downen (1887-Unknown)
Ceryl Ben Downen (1888-1980)
George Downen (ca. 1888-After 1930)
Anna Downen (1896-1992)
Howard Downen (1896-1988)
Franklin Downen (1898-1980)
Josiah first showed up in the 1850 census in Robinson Township in Posey County. The only glitch is that the family name was rendered as Downing, not Downen. (census image here)
Josiah's mother Elizabeth died in 1856 and his father William married Rutha Gwaltney, so when the family showed up in the 1860 census (this time rendered as Downey) the parents were listed as William and Rutha. (census image here)
I don't know exactly what transpired between Josiah and Caledonia Coker (marriage, fling, accident, whatever) but by the time of the 1870 census Josiah was still listed in Robinson Township with his father and stepmother. Caledonia Coker doesn't appear anywhere that I can find her, and Alvin (who is listed as Josiah's son in the 1880 census) was living with what appears to be his maternal grandparents in White County, Illinois. The census follows here for Josiah's family. By the way, the census takers finally got the family name correct this time. (census image here) (View neighbors in html)
At the time of the 1880 census, Josiah was living in Lynn Township in Posey County, along with his son Alvin and Caledonia's mother and sister (although Alvin is the only one listed with a family relationship to Josiah; his maternal grandmother Ann is listed as a boarder, and his aunt Victoria is listed as a servant). A 21 year old named William Warthen is also listed as a nephew. According to my records he was actually a second cousin once removed, but I'm sure it was easier to just say nephew to the census-taker. (census image here).
Josiah and Martha were married in Posey County, but by 1900 Josiah was living in Gallatin County, Illinois. I don't know where Martha and the children were but they don't show up in the census with Josiah. The people who are living with Josiah seem to be unrelated to him, Davis and Carrie Hughes and Luella Clifford. Alvin had married Arasa Cox and was still living in Posey County.(census image here).
By 1910 Josiah was living in Palmyra Township in Knox County, Indiana (not to be confused with the town of Palmyra in Harrison County, several counties over from Knox County). Martha and all of their living children showed up at this point, living at home. (census image here).
By 1920 Josiah and Martha had moved to Vincennes, the county seat of Knox County. All the children were gone by then. Ceryl had married Ethel Ford and moved to Sullivan County, Indiana. I don't know where George was in 1920. Anna had married Gerald Botsford and was living in Milwaukee. Howard was living on his own in Knox County, although he would marry Ruby May Westfall within the next three years. For some reason Franklin was boarding with a family in Akron, Ohio, although he moved back to Knox County before 1930. (census image here).
Martha died in 1925. I had thought she was buried in Knox County, Indiana, and it turned out she is, in the Upper Indiana Cemetery in Bruceville.
By the 1930 census Josiah was no longer in Vincennes but showed up in Palmyra Township once again. His son George was living with him. At that point it seems that George was the only single one left in the family, so it might have made sense for him to stay with his father, who was by then more than 80 years old. (census image here).
Josiah died on 23 September 1939 in Vincinnes, at the age of 90. He is buried in the Upper Indiana Cemetery with Martha.
Other Links
Josiah Downen page at Find A Grave
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