Rutha Maria Gwaltney 1836 - 1874
Rutha Gwaltney Downen
Rutha Downen
Rutha Gwaltney was born in Posey County, Indiana, USA, on 1 December 1836. She was the daughter of Benjamin Gwaltney (1800-1886) and Sarah Murphy Gwaltney (1800-1860).
She married William Downen on 11 November 1857 in Posey County. They had the following children:
Benjamin Downen (1858-After 1870)
Julia Anna (or Anna Julia) Downen (1860-(1880-1883))
Joseph Downen (1861-1898)
Sarah E. Downen (1864-After 1885)
Elizabeth Downen (1867-1952)
Delia Downen (1869-1905)
Willis H. Downen (1872-1914)
Rutha showed up in the 1850 census with her family in Robinson Township in Posey County. (census image here)
I finally located William and Rutha in the 1860 census after searching for them under the name Downey instead of Downen (huh? - - I would hope Ancestry's search logic worked a little better than that). William's son Josiah from his previous marriage was still there, as were Rutha's children Benjamin and Julia. In addition, a 21 year old named John Parke also showed up, I have no idea if he was family or a hired hand. (census image here)
As of the 1870 census all the children one would expect to show up were there. Josiah had still not moved out, but the census shows all of Rutha's children. (census image here) (View neighbors in html)
Rutha died on 15 July 1874 in Posey County and is buried in Kissick/Downen Cemetery in Posey County (her stone is worn in some places and the year 1874 can be misread as 1871, but enough other evidence supports the later date that I think we can accept that date).
William never remarried; he died in 1897 and is buried next to Rutha in the Kissick/Downen Cemetery.
Other Links
Rutha Gwaltney Downen page at Find A Grave
Contact us
Return to Mills-Miller Family Tree
Return to Online Trees Page
Return to Families Page
Return to Genealogy Pages
Return to Main Page