Davis County IA Archives Biographies.....Downing, Samuel B. 1830 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net//copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net//ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 14, 2007, 7:32 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896) REV. SAMUEL B. DOWNING.-The subject of this review is a man whose life has been consecrated to all that is good and true, who has been a faithful and zealous laborer in the vineyard of the Master, and one whose efforts in connection with temporal affairs have been attended with a full quota of success. He has passed the greater portion of his life in the State of Iowa, has been prominent as a clergyman of the Christian Church, and has been intimately identified with the agricultural interests of Davis county, where he is still the owner of a large landed estate. He is now living in practical retirement in the attractive little city of Bloomfield, and here rests secure in the respect and esteem of the community where he has lived and labored to so goodly ends for so long a period of years. It is certainly incumbent that in this connection there be incorporated a review which shall take due cognizance of the salient points in his life history. A native of the old Keystone State, Samuel B. Downing was born in Venango county, on the 4th of February, 1830, being the son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Burns) Downing, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania, the latter being the daughter of Thomas Burns, a native of Scotland. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Andrew Downing, who was born on the Emerald Isle. So it will be seen that the extraction of Rev. Samuel B. Downing is of that dual strain designated as the Scotch-Irish-one which has furnished to America one of its most alert, progressive and sterling elements and one which has been invariably a conservator of good citizenship, through an exemplification of well directed industry, honesty of purpose and unswerving integrity. In his young manhood Andrew Downing emigrated from his native land to the United States, and here was consummated his marriage. Alexander and Elizabeth Downing became the parents of ten children,-seven boys and three girls,-of whom our subject was the sixth in order of birth. All lived to attain mature years and to establish homes of their own, but at the present time only three of the number survive, these being Samuel and two brothers: George S., who has been general superintendent of the State penitentiary at Salem, Oregon, for the past decade; and William, who is a resident of Linn county, Oregon, and farmer by occupation. Samuel B. Downing, to whom this sketch is dedicated, passed the first thirteen years of his life in his native State, and then accompanied his parents on their removal to Iowa,- this being in the early pioneer days of 1837. The father took a claim of land in Roscoe township, Davis county, the same comprising a quarter section which he entered from the Government. He settled on this tract and devoted his attention to its cultivation for a number of years, after which he removed to the western part of Davis county, and there continued his farming operations until the time of his death, which occurred in 1867. In politics he maintained an independent attitude, not identifying himself with any organization, and religiously he was a devoted member of the Christian Church. The mother of our subject entered into eternal rest in the year 1846, having been a woman of noble, Christian character. Our subject received his preliminary educational discipline in the district schools, and supplemented this by a thorough course of study in the high school at Palmyra, Missouri, and in the high school at West Ely. In 1846 he enlisted for service in the Mexican war, becoming a member of Company E, Third Missouri Cavalry, Colonel John Rail commanding, and proceeded with his regiment to Santa Fe, New Mexico, said Territory having at that time been still under the domination of old Mexico. He was an active participant in a number of engagements, among which was the final battle of that war, said contest having taken place at Santa Cruz. Soon after the war with Mexico, and about ten days after the battle at Santa Cruz, three brave comrades came to our subject and informed him that on the next Saturday night they intended to rob a rich mining town, located about sixteen miles up the river from Santa Cruz, also stating that he had been elected to assist in the work, as they wanted twelve brave men. They had arranged with all the other men, and they imparted to our subject the names of the eleven soldiers who had agreed to aid in doing this most nefarious crime. Mr. Downing listened to every word as they slowly and minutely explained all their plans, and when they had finished he told them that not only would he not assist them, but neither would he allow them to carry out their plans without him. They ordered our subject to close his lips and added many threats as to the action they would take in regard to him should he reveal the secret. Mr. Downing said to them, with great firmness and with tears in his eyes: "Now, boys, you have all been brave soldiers and can now be honorably discharged and go home to your families; but if you rob that mining town you will be dishonored;" and he further added, "If you go I will report the matter to headquarters before you get five miles away, and you can kill me for it if you want to." The robbery did not occur, and soon afterward all started home, and these same men came to Mr. Downing and thanked him repeatedly for what he had done for them, many of them having been men much older than himself. After thus showing his patriotic ardor and zeal in this war, Mr. Downing returned to his home in Iowa, and became concerned in general farming in Davis county. He laid his land warrants in Fox township, securing 160 acres on the start, and thereafter adding to his landed estate until its area reached 1,200 acres. The appreciation in the value of this land has brought to him a competency, and of the fine estate he still retains in his possession 800 acres, the remainder having been presented by him to his children. His farm is in a high state of cultivation, and its permanent improvements are of exceptional excellence, including a substantial dwelling of fourteen rooms. The homestead is now occupied by his youngest son. In 1893 Mr. Downing removed from his farm to Bloomfield and here he has since maintained his home in an attractive residence, enjoying that repose which is the due recompense of a well spent life. He is still frequently called upon to preach, and ever stands ready to exercise the functions of his high office as a clergyman of the Christian Church. The marriage of our honored subject was solemnized in 1849, when he led to the altar Miss Telitha Stark, youngest daughter of Abner and Persis (Boone) Stark, the latter of whom was a second cousin of that celebrated figure in American history, Daniel Boone. Mrs. Downing was born in Henry county, Kentucky. By her marriage to our subject she became the mother of ten children, and concerning them we incorporate the following epitomized record: John W. is a prosperous farmer of Davis county; Abner has been superintendent of the county farm in this county for the past ten years and is the owner of a good farm to whose cultivation he devotes his attention; William Lincoln is a physician located at Moulton, Iowa; Sherman Grant, resides on the old homestead; Temperance is the wife of C. J. Moss, of Drakeville, Iowa; Indiana V. is the wife of John M. Kutch, of Fox township, this county; Roanna is the wife of Perry Rallston, of the same township; Ida Iowa is the wife of Charles R. Jones, a farmer of this county; May, who remains beneath the parental roof, is an accomplished musician, being a graduate of the normal school at Bloomfield, Iowa, and devotes her time to teaching this art; and Lillie J. is the wife of Elmer Morris, of Davis county. In political matters Mr. Downing has taken an active interest and has been conspicuous in public affairs in Davis county. In 1879 and 1881 he represented the county in the State Legislature, having been the candidate of the Greenback party, of which he was a stalwart supporter from the time of its organization until its final disintegration. In this official position he proved a wise and able legislator and his fidelity to the trust imposed gained him the endorsement of the people regardless of party lines. Further recognition of his ability and sterling worth of character was that accorded in 1890, when the Greenback party of the State made him its candidate for Governor, and though his party was much in the minority he made a strong candidate and secured a distinctive endorsement at the polls, though failing of election, as he had anticipated. Mr. Downing is still prominent in political affairs, and gives his support to the Populist party. For the past thirty-eight years he has been actively engaged in the work of the ministry, and his labors have been blessed and prolific of much good. At the present time he officiates in the pulpit each Sunday, having four distinct charges, and zealously laboring to promote the spiritual and temporal welfare of each. In his fraternal relations Mr. Downing has been for many years identified with the Masonic order and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His cherished and devoted wife has been his earnest coadjutor and true companion during all the long years of their married life and she has been a member of the Christian Church for a full half century. Mr. Downing stands forth as a distinctive type of the self-made man, since he started with very limited financial resources and has by industry and judicious management accumulated a competency. During the war of the Rebellion he was engaged quite extensively in the sheep business, and at one time was the owner of a flock comprising 800 head. In this connection he recalls the fact that at that time he received fifty-four cents per pound for his wool. A man of unblemished honor, a pioneer of the State, and one who has made his life a power for good, Mr. Downing well merits the confidence and the high esteem in which he is held, and his large circle of friends can only hope that his days may be prolonged and that "the peace which the world can not give" may continue to be his. Additional Comments: Extracted from: A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA ILLUSTRATED "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."'—MACAULAY. "Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant, of all things."—CARLYLE "History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1896 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ia/davis/bios/downing154gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 11.2 Kb