William M. Downen 1857 - 1926
William Downen was born in Posey County, Indiana, USA, in December 1857. He was the son of
Job Downen (1825-After 1860) and Ellen Coker (ca. 1839-After 1860).
He married Nolia B. Utley (1861-1930) on either 29 November 1877 or 14 March 1880 (the Posey County marriage records list both dates for some reason). They had the following children:
Bessie Downen (1883-1884)
Bertis Downen (1887-1969)
Lillie Downen (1889-After 1910)
William first showed up in the 1860 census with his parents in Lynn Township of Posey County. (census image here)
After the 1860 census William's parents Job and Ellen disappeared from the historical record. Their deaths may have been too early to be recorded in the online Indiana death indexes I have access to, and I have not been able to find their names in the Posey County cemetery books I have. They might have died in Missouri or Illinois, two other popular states of residence for the Downen clan, but I have no idea. In any event, when we next see William he was living at the residence of his uncle (Job's brother) William Downen (1822-1897). This was where he was living in Robinson Township when the 1870 census was taken. (census image here) (View neighbors in html)
William married Nolia Utley in 1877 or 1880 and the couple showed up in the 1880 census, still in Robinson Township. (census image here)
Between 1884 and 1887 William and Nolia moved to Gallatin County, Illinois, where their son Bertis was born in 1887 (their oldest daughter Bessie died in Posey County in 1884, which is why I believe they did not move before that). Bertis and his sister Lillie showed up in the 1900 census in Asbury Township in Gallatin County, along with 19 year old Walter Goforth, who was listed as a boarder. (census image here)
The family was still together in the 1910 census in Asbury Township. Walter Goforth was gone but 21 year old Arch Edwards was listed as a hired hand. (census image here)
Between 1910 and 1920 Bertis married Freda Rister, and in 1920 the two of them had their own household in Asbury Township. Lillie disappeared, I hope she got married, but the online Illinois marriage records don't cover this time period. I don't see any trace of her in the death records either which is a good sign, but if she had died between 1910 and 1916 in Gallatin County she wouldn't have showed up in the online death records either. I hope more research at a later date will ascertain her fate. In any event, the 1920 census found William and Nolia in Omaha Township of Gallatin County.
(census image here)
William died on 19 December 1926 in Omaha Township. He was buried in Old Cottonwood Cemetery, Cottonwood, Asbury Township. Nolia died four years after him in 1930 and is buried next to him at Old Cottonwood.
Other Links
William M. Downen page at Find A Grave
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