Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Downey, Mrs Martha J 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 6, 2008, 5:03 am

Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Mrs. Martha J. Downey, the wife of Harvey Downey, residing at No. 642 South 
Chicago street, is a member of one of the old pioneer families of Will county. 
She was born in Essex county, New York, July 6, 1839, and is a daughter of 
John J. and Elizabeth (Nelson) Flack, who were natives of Washington county, 
New York, but resided in Essex county, that state, until 1845. Her father was 
born May 10, 1799, and her mother on the 15th of December of the same year. 
Their marriage was celebrated December 24, 1818, and in 1819 they removed to 
Essex county, New York, where Mr. Flack made for himself a prominent place in 
business circles. He followed general agricultural pursuits, engaged 
extensively in dealing in horses, cattle, sheep and hogs and was a 
manufacturer of lumber. He also owned a general store there and continued his 
commercial and agricultural interests for many years. He was likewise the 
founder of what has always been known as the town of Flackville. At the age of 
fourteen years he enlisted for service in the war of 1812 and remained with 
the army until the close of hostilities, being known throughout the ranks 
as "the young volunteer." In 1844 he visited Will county, Illinois, and 
purchased large tracts of land in this part of the state, becoming owner of 
five farms, which he purchased in order to give one to each of his sons and 
retain one for himself. In 1845 he removed his family to Joliet and settled 
upon a large farm two miles southeast of the city, where he spent two years, 
then moving to Joliet, where he lived until his demise. He arrived here during 
the pioneer epoch in the history of the county, when the work of development 
and improvement was in its incipient stages. In those early days he had to 
haul his grain by wagon to the Chicago markets. On the old Flack homestead two 
miles southeast of Joliet is still standing the log house in which he first 
resided on coming to the county. He became the owner of property interests in 
both Joliet and Chicago and in public life he exerted a widespread and 
beneficial influence. He served as an officer in the courts of Joliet and of 
Will county for many years and he died September 25, 1876, after a useful and 
honorable life, his widow passing away only a little later. Of the eight 
children born unto Mr. and Mrs. John J. Flack, Mrs. Downey is the only one now 
living. She was a little maiden of five years when her parents came to Will 
county and here she was educated in the public schools, attending school with 
H. M. Higinbotham and many other citizens now prominent in Joliet and Chicago. 
She has been three times married. Her first husband was John K. Shaw, of 
Rutland, New York, who came to Joliet in 1855 and was here engaged as freight 
agent for the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company. Later he was 
promoted to assistant ticket agent and held that position for several years. 
He afterward removed to New York city and died near the eastern metropolis in 
1861. There was but one child by that marriage, Dr. John Bliss Shaw, who 
wedded Lidia Hammond, and they now reside at No. 303 North Ottawa street in 
Joliet, where he has a large practice. Mrs. Downey's second marriage was to 
Aaron Shreffler, a native of Pennsylvania, who also came to Will county at an 
early period in its development and here engaged in the manufacture of brick 
until his death. There was one child by that marriage, Celia A., now the wife 
of Harry A. Roberts, a resident of Chicago. After losing her second husband 
Mrs. Shreffler became the wife of Harvey Downey, a native of Oswego, New York, 
and a son of Bosworth Downey, of the Empire state, who likewise became a 
resident of Will county, Illinois, and carried on blacksmithing in Joliet 
until his death. Harvey Downey is also a blacksmith and horseshoer by trade, 
and he and his brother, under the firm name of Downey Brothers, now carry on 
business at No. 106 Washington street. Three children have been born unto Mr. 
and Mrs. Downey: Dr. Charles E. Downey, who married May Love, of Joliet, and 
is the physician for a new railroad company, operating in the west, moving 
westward as the railway is completed; Maud I., the wife of John Kriemier, a 
farmer living in Manhattan township; and Kate E., the wife of Dr. John 
Morrison, a practicing physician at Plainfield. Mr. Downey was a democrat in 
politics in early life but is now a stanch republican. Mr. and Mrs. Downey 
attend the Methodist Episcopal church in Joliet and own and occupy a nice home 
at No. 642 South Chicago street. Mrs. Downey has a very wide acquaintance in 
this city, having been brought to Will county in her early girlhood days. She 
has therefore witnessed much of its growth and development and as the years 
have passed the circle of her friends and acquaintances has increased. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/downey2572nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 5.6 Kb