Biographical Sketch of Samuel Rhoads DOWNING (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 618-622. "SAMUEL RHOADS DOWNING is the only son of Sandwith and Lydia (Smedley) Downing, and a native of Chester county, being born in East Fallowfield township, September 3, 1833. He was educated principally in Anthony Bol- mar's private school at West Chester, and after completing his studies spent some four years in the real estate and conveyancing business with his guardian, Thomas Williamson, of Philadelphia. Mr. Downing subse- quently became proprietor and editor of the Chester County Times, a weekly republican newspaper published at West Chester, which he conducted until 1863, when he disposed of his journal and retired to a farm in East Goshen township, to the management of which he has ever since devoted most of his time. He now controls two fine farms in that township, aggregating two hundred and fifty acres of very valuable land. These farms mainly de- scended from the ancestry of Mrs. Downing, and have been in possession of the family during nearly one hundred and fifty years. Mr. Downing is a member-at-large of the State board of agriculture, having been appointed by Governor Beaver and re-appointed by Governor Pattison. He was a member of the road commission, appointed by Governor Beaver in 1890 to formulate plans for macadamized roads in this State. Politically he is and has been an ardent republican. He has also taken an active interest in the cause of popular education, and has served for thirteen years as school director in this county. In religion he and his family are Friends. "On April 25, 1861, Mr. Downing was wedded to Mary Miller Goodwin, a daughter of Thomas and Phoebe (Miller) Goodwin. To Mr. and Mrs. Downing were born three sons, all of whom grew to maturity. The eldest is Dr. Henry Miller Downing, who was educated at Swarthmore, read medicine with Dr. T. D. Dunn, of West Chester, and later matriculated in the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania, from which institution he was graduated May 1, 1886, with the degree of M. D. He subsequently took special courses in diseases of the eye, ear, nerves and throat, at the Philadelphia Polyclinic hospital, in which he was graduated in the spring of 1887, and is now engaged in successful practice in East Goshen town- ship. Charles T. Downing, the second son, was educated principally at the Pennsylvania State college in Centre county, Pennsylvania, and is now engaged in farming in East Goshen township, this county. The youngest son, Prof. George M. Downing, was graduated in June, 1888, from the Penn- sylvania State college with the degree of bachelor of science, after which he engaged as assistant professor of physics and electrical engineering at the Pennsylvania State college, but resigned that place, and is now taking a post graduate course at the Brooklyn Polytechnic institute, New York. "The great-grandfather of Mrs. Samuel R. Downing, Thomas Goodwin, was a native of Wales, and resided in Llandewy, Merionethshire, from which place he emigrated to the United States during the early settlement of Pennsyl- vania, and settled at Edgemont, in what is now Delaware county, Pennsyl- vania, on property since occupied by Everard Passmore, becoming the founder of the Goodwin family of this section. He was originally a minis- ter of the church of England, but became a Friend and was unfrocked about the time of his settlement here. His son, Thomas Goodwin, married Ann Jones, also of Welsh descent, and a daughter of Richard Jones, of Goshen township, this county, and had a son, also named Thomas Goodwin, who married Phoebe Miller in 1838, and had one child, a daughter named Mary Miller Goodwin, who became the wife of Mr. Downing. She was born in East Goshen township, January 8, 1839. Her grandfather, Richard Jones, pur- chased the property now occupied by Mr. Downing, and settled here about 1749. "Thomas Downing, the founder of the Downing family in America, and great- great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born at Bradninch, Devonshire, England, December 14, 1691, but after marriage emigrated to this country and became a resident of Concord township, in what is now Delaware county, Pennsylvania, as early as 1718. There he resided until 1733, when he removed to Sadsbury township, this county, and two or three years later settled where Downingtown now stands. This place he founded, and it was so named in his honor. He was thrice married, and had eleven children, from whom have descended one of the most numerous and prominent families in the State. In religion he was a Friend, being received, together with his wife, by Concord monthly meeting on June 3, 1730. He died January 1, 1772, aged eighty-one years. His third son, Richard Downing (great-grandfather), was born in Concord township, Delaware county, February 27, 1719, and died July 8, 1804. On March 21, 1741, he married Mary Edge, who was a daughter of John and Mary Edge, of Providence, and was born July 2, 1721, and died December 13, 1795. Richard Downing was a mill owner and maltster, being assessed in 1787 with a grist mill, fulling mill, two saw mills and a malt house. He was the father of twelve chil- dren, his eighth child and fourth son being Jacob Downing (grandfather). "The latter was born at Downingtown October 25, 1756, and passed from earth October 2, 1823, aged sixty-seven years. In early life he removed to Philadelphia, and resided in that city most of his life. He was engaged in the iron business at Atsion, New Jersey, where he owned a forge and rolling mills. In politics a whig and in religion a Friend, he lived an active and useful life, and became widely known in the business circles of this country. He married Sarah Drinker, a daughter of Henry and Eliza- beth Drinker, of Philadelphia, by whom he had a family of six children: Henry, died in infancy; Elizabeth, married Robert Sharpless; Mary, wedded George Valentine; Sarah, who became the wife of Reuben Valentine; Henry, and Sandwith. Sandwith Downing (father) was born in the city of Philadel- phia October 24, 1799, lived most of his life at Downingtown, Chester county, and died September 4, 1847, in Susquehanna county, at the home of his brother, Henry Downing. He was a miller by occupation, and in politi- cal faith a stanch whig. He married Lydia Smedley, a daughter of Peter and Phoebe Smedley, of Uwchlan township, this county (whose ancestors came from Derbyshire, England about 1682, and were Friends), and to their union was born an only son, Samuel R. Downing, the subject of this sketch. "Henry Drinker, father-in-law of Jacob Downing (grandfather), was a member of the ship-owning firm of Drinker & James, of Philadelphia, and resided on Second street, that city, during the revolutionary war and at the time of the yellow fever plague in 1792. He was a strict Friend, and refusing to take up arms during the war, he was incarcerated in prison at Win- chester, Virginia, together with many others of like faith. After his release he returned to Philadelphia, where he died. "Of Samuel R. Downing a writer says: 'He has been a pioneer in the advocacy of permanent roads, both through the public press and from the platform, and not only in his native county, but throughout the State of Pennsyl- vania. As a member of the road commission he assumed his full share of the duties thereof, with the zeal of one whose heart was in the cause, esteeming that good roads would in their measure bring comfort, health, and profit in dollars and cents, to the people, young or old, weak or strong, rich or poor. As a result in full part of his earnest advocacy, his resident township of East Goshen has built and is now constructing smooth, solid highways and permanent waterways.' "