Josiah Downen Jr1,2

#4094, (1 August 1780 - 9 June 1845)
Relationship2nd great-granduncle of William David Lewis
Father*Josiah Downen1,2 (c 1750 - c 1801)
Mother*Mary Elizabeth Smith1,2 (1747 - 1835)
Source unknown. A similar photo, by Dan Elliott, appears on the Posey County Indiana Genealogy GenWeb site, www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~inposey2/cemeteries/Dowen_Timothy.html

Family

Ann Barton b. 1792
Children 1.Samuel Downen18
 2.Ruth Downen+18 (1816 - 1845)
 3.Martha "Polly" Downen18 (1817 - )
 4.Elizabeth Downen18 (1820 - )
 5.William Downen18 (1822 - 1897)
 6.Jane Downen18 (s 1824 - )
Birth*1 August 1780He was born on 1 August 1780; (1 Mar 1780 in one account.)3,4 
1790He appeared on the census of 1790 in the household of Josiah Downen and Mary Elizabeth Smith at Pendleton Co., South CarolinaG, age16.5 
1810He appeared on the census of 1810 at Greenville, Muhlenberg Co., KentuckyG.6 
1811He removed in 1811 Knox County (now Posey Co.) Indiana (5 brothers and families.)7,8 
Marriage*2 March 1815He married Ann Barton, daughter of William Barton and Ruth Underwood, on 2 March 1815 at Posey Co., IndianaG.9,10 
1820He and Ann Barton appeared on the census of 1820 at Marrs Twp., Posey Co., IndianaG; nei. David Downen.11 
September 1824Was on the County Board in September 1824.12 
19 January 1826He witnessed the will of John Barton on 19 January 1826 at Posey Co., IndianaG.13 
1830He appeared on the census of 1830 at Robinson Twp., Posey Co., IndianaG; nei. Tilman Downen, Jane Downen.14 
1840He appeared on the census of 1840 at Robinson Twp., Posey Co., IndianaG; neis. Barton's, Elizabeth Oliver (ID 3945.)15 
9 September 1842He left a will on 9 September 1842.16 
Death*9 June 1845He died on 9 June 1845 at Posey Co., IndianaG, at age 64.3,4 
Probate*10 July 1845His estate was probated on 10 July 1845 at Posey Co., IndianaG.17 

Citations

  1. [S2089] "Early Downen History, 2nd Edition", 1972, Elizabeth Myers (Carmi, Illinois), to Mrs. Eben F Pinkham (Exater, California), p. 1; Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  2. [S627] Blanche Moye Cook, History of the Downen Family, 1777-1970 (Illinois: Alice Roberta Bradley, typist, 1974), pp. 9-16b.
  3. [S2089] Elizabeth Myers, "Early Downen History", p. 1. Josiah Downen, b. 1 Mar 1780, marr. Ann Barton (b. 14 Jul 1792) in Posey Co. IN 5 Mar 1815; both d. Jun 1845.
  4. [S627] Blanche Moye Cook, History of the Downen Family, pp. 9-16. Josiah Downen Jr., b. 1 Aug 1780, d. Posey Co. IN 9 Jun 1845; marr., in 1815, Ann Barton, b. 14 Jul 1792, d. 22 Jun 1845.
  5. [S268] 1790 U.S. Federal Census, image viewed online Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.com. Josiah (16+); Mary (F); M (16+) [Job or William]; 3 m (<16) [Josiah, Timothy, David]; 3 f [Elizabeth, Patsy and Hannah or Polly].
  6. [S238] 1810 U.S. Federal Census. Josiah (26-44); F (26-44) [?].
  7. [S565] Josiah Downen Family, online Ancestry.com, "In 1811, Timothy accompanied his brothers David, William, Job, and Josiah Jr. to the southwest corner of the Indiana Territory, which was soon to become Posey County. In September, he marched with others to Vincennes, where he served under General William Henry Harrison in the November 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe against Tecumseh's Indians. Timothy was severely wounded. The following year, Timothy's fifth child, James (our ancestor), was born. Over the next eleven years, five remaining children were born here: John, Thomas, William, Jane, and Mary."
  8. [S877] Cemeteries of Gallatin County, Illinois (Book 1), online http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~davidca/Gall-cem/…, "Josiah Downen, Jr. had entered this 160 acres in 1814, sold the south half in 1820 to his elder brother, Timothy, who built a log house on the northwest side of the tract. George T., son of Timothy, purchased the other 80 acres including Josiah Jr's old home in 1831."
  9. [S463] [Unknown author], Posey County Indiana Marriage Records I, 1815 1831, handwritten pages (n.p.: n.pub., unknown publish date)., p. 1 of entries, no. 4; date partial March 2?, 1815.
  10. [S246] Indiana Marriage Collection, 1802-1892 [database], online Ancestry.com, 2 Mar 1815.
  11. [S115] 1820 U.S. Federal Census. Josiah (26-44); F (45+) [Ann, check age]; F (16-25) [poss. Ann if this was Josiah's 2nd marr.; f (10-15) [poss. Malinda]; 2 f (<10) [Ruth, Polly, poss. Elizabeth].
  12. [S46] John C. Leffel, History of Posey County (Leffel) (Chicago IL: Standard Publishing Company, 1913), p. 69; he was a JP.
  13. [S785] Posey County Will Record A & B 1816-1852 (n.p.: n.pub., unknown), Book A, p. 74. John Barton, last will and testament, 19 Jan 1826. Gives land to sons Harrison and Allen, "and if there should be another son born an equal part;" daus. Charlotty Priscilly Ruth Polly Ann "with the other too and Drusyly" ten dollars each, "and if a girl equal with the girls." Everthing else to wife Christina. Witnesses Josiah Downen and Samuel Barton, John Barton's mark. Proved 15 Apr 1826 before J. P. Drake, Clerk, Posey Co. Court; recorded 19 Jul 1826. [From the transcript, it appears that the will was dictated, and that Christina was expecting a child at the time. What is meant by "with the other too" (two? as well?) is not known. As the girls' names are written it is ambiguous as to whether any have two names, i.e. "Polly Ann" and not "Polly and Ann"]
  14. [S116] 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Josiah (40-49); F (30-39); 2 m (5-9); f (10-15), f (5-9).
  15. [S54] 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Josiah (60-69); F (50-59); 2 m (15-19), m (10-14), m (5-9), m (<5); 2 f (5-9).
  16. [S785] Posey County Will Record A & B 1816-1852, Will of Josiah Downen [Jr]. Names wife Anne; three sons, William (eldest), Job and Samuel ("after arriving at the age of twenty one years"; three daughters, Ruth, Marline and Jane; "heirs of my daughter Elizabeth deceased." Estate included 337 acres and personal property, will dated 9 Sep 1842. Image 617/1008.
  17. [S785] Posey County Will Record A & B 1816-1852, Will of Josiah Downen [Jr]. Names wife Anne; three sons, William (eldest), Job and Samuel ("after arriving at the age of twenty one years"; three daughters, Ruth, Marline and Jane; "heirs of my daughter Elizabeth deceased." Estate included 337 acres and personal property, will dated 9 Sep 1842. Probated 10 Jul 1845, image 621/1008, witnesses George P. Green and William Barker.
  18. [S477] Downen Book, Alexandrian Library, Mount Vernon, online http://boards.ancestry.com/thread.aspx. Hereinafter cited as Downen Book.