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John J. Downey

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John J. Downey

Birth	:	22 Mar 1855 Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, USA
Death	:	22 Dec 1926 Custer County, Nebraska, USA
Burial	:	Holy Trinity Cemetery, Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate	:	41.6947556, -70.0742950
Inscription	:	Father
Description	:	JOHN J. DOWNEY Pioneer Settler and Farmer of Custer County Dies Friday John J. Downey was born March 22, 1855 in Schuykill County, Pennsylvania. He was of Irish decent, his parents coming to America in 1849 and settling in Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of a family of 12 children born to John A. and Ellen Sweeney Downey. He father was a coal miner and John J. began work as a slate picker in the mines. The family lived in Ohio before coming to (Webster County) Iowa. He remained in the mines until 1880 when he moved to Nebraska. He arrived... Read More	JOHN J. DOWNEY Pioneer Settler and Farmer of Custer County Dies Friday John J. Downey was born March 22, 1855 in Schuykill County, Pennsylvania. He was of Irish decent, his parents coming to America in 1849 and settling in Pennsylvania. He was the youngest of a family of 12 children born to John A. and Ellen Sweeney Downey. He father was a coal miner and John J. began work as a slate picker in the mines. The family lived in Ohio before coming to (Webster County) Iowa. He remained in the mines until 1880 when he moved to Nebraska. He arrived in Custer County in the summer of 1880 and took up his homestead on the old home place in Dale Valley that has been his home ever since. He went through all the struggles and deprivations and hardships that are the lot of the pioneers and lived to the prairie conquered and become the valuable and happy homes of thousands that came after him. His first house was 12X14 foot soddy and was followed by a second one of the same type and in later years a nice modern frame structure. On June 23, 1879 in (Webster County) Iowa he was married to Mary Ann Jones and to this union were born 12 children. The eldest is Ellen May, now Mr. J.E. Price of St.Louis, Missouri. Three of the oldest sone who saw service in the Would War are John A. and Thomas F. of Anselmo and Hugh Raymond, rural carrier of Merna. Another son, Joseph M. is also at Anselmo. Mary Agnes, the second daughter died in 1920. Bernice E. now Mrs. Wm. Downing, resides in Omaha at present. The two youngest boys, Harold P. and Paul A. farm the home place. Three other children, Johanna, Frances and Lewis Arthur died in childhood. He also has three living sisters, Mrs. Robert D. McCarty of Merna, Mrs. Ellen Carey of Pennsylvania, and Mrs. mary english of Wilmington, Delaware. All of this children except John A. were able to be present at the funeral. He is also survived by the faithful wife who had been with him in all the struggles of the plains. mr. Downey has been ailing in health for many months. During the early fall he took a trip to the Mayo Bros. Hospital at Rochester, Minnesota, in company with Dr. Downing but did not find relief there. Finally the summons came to him about six o'clock on last Friday (Dec. 3, 1926) evening. Death came early and he passed away sleeping. He died as he had lived, devoted to his faith. The funeral service were conducted from the Merna Catholic Church at 10 a.m. Monday with Rev. Fr. Keller officiating. In spite of the weather the church was full of his many old neighbors and life long friends. Following the solemn impressive ceremony of the mass and a short sermon to the congregation the remains were returned to Dale Cemetery and interned near the home where he had so long lived. The funeral was directed by Mrs. Sittler. The pallbearers were the five sons present and Wm. Downing, his son-in-law. Besides the active pallbearers, a tribute to the pioneers was paid when the following of the old neighbors were asked to act as honorary pallbearers: W.H. Lee, R.J. Kelly, Joseph Sittler, Joseph Kell??barger, Charles Thomas, C.H. Jeffords, Dan Wid?man, James McCarty and E.B. Daley. Mr. Downey has always been one of the progressive citizens and farmers of the county. He was among the first to locate in Dale Valley and his farm there has always been a leader, both in improvement and cultivation. He was also a pioneer of the Catholic faith here and it is due in a great part to his efforts that his church has the place it has today throughout this section. By his efforts the first church in this section was established at Dale. Brick was burned on his farm for the construction of this building although later the plan was changed and a frame building erected. We find that he also served as the precinct assessor and for two terms served on the Board of Supervisors of Custer County. When the CB&Q rail road came through in 1886 he and his brother-in-law, the Robert E. McCarty, had a contract for building several miles o the road between Merna and Anselmo. He also conducted a general store for a time, the first established at the old town of Dale. He also ran the Dale post office moving it to his farm in Aug. 1880. At the time he closed out the stock of good in his general store. Of late he has served as president of the Merna Farmers Elevator and was a stockholder of the Bank of Merna. He always took active interest and a helping part in all community activity and progress. He was the true pioneer spirit, always looking forward to accomplishing greater and better things. Even as he made his presence felt while here, so will he be missed and mourned, not alone by his family but by all the community in which he labored. Obituary found on Ancestry.com

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is John J. Downey's memorial?
John J. Downey's memorial is located at: Holy Trinity Cemetery, Harwich, Barnstable County, USA.
When did John J. Downey death?
John J. Downey death on 22 Dec 1926 in Custer County, Nebraska, USA
Where are the coordinates of the John J. Downey's memorial?
Latitude: 41.6947556
Longitude: -70.0742950

Family Members:

Parent

John Alexander Downey

(1811 - 1882)

Ellen Nelly Sweeney Downey

(1811 - 1896)

Spouse

Mary A. Downey

(1862 - 1947)

Siblings

Bridget Downey Couhig

(1842 - 1894)

Johanna “Annie” Downey McCarty

(1852 - 1937)

Children

Ellen May “Ella” Downey Price

(1880 - 1931)

Thomas Francis Downey

(1883 - 1971)

Mary Agnes “Mamie” Downey Brown

(1887 - 1920)

Hugh Raymond Downey

(1889 - 1949)

Johanna Downey

(1891 - 1893)

Frances Stella Downey

(1893 - 1898)

Bernice Esther Downey Downing

(1895 - 1995)

Lewis A. Downey

(1897 - 1898)

Harold Patrick Downey

(1901 - 1941)

Paul A. Downey

(1903 - 1987)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Holy Trinity Cemetery
Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6947556, -70.0742950

2. Island Pond Cemetery
Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6889000, -70.0789032

3. First Congregational Church Cemetery
Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6867485, -70.0767899

4. First Congregational Church Memorial Garden
Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6866906, -70.0770977

5. Kelley Cemetery
Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6903610, -70.0922470

6. Harding Ryder Gravesite
East Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6949900, -70.0476700

7. Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Harwich Port, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6739006, -70.0811005

8. Kildee Hill Cemetery
Harwich Port, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6710930, -70.0880960

9. South Harwich Cemetery
South Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6780739, -70.0465088

10. Christ Church Episcopal Memorial Garden
Harwich Port, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6685850, -70.0636900

11. Pilgrim Congregational Church Memorial Garden
Harwich Port, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6674500, -70.0763100

12. Old First Methodist Cemetery
East Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7027206, -70.0389862

13. Hawks Nest Cemetery
East Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7162800, -70.0490600

14. Lothrop Avenue Cemetery
West Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6726540, -70.0993480

15. Holy Trinity Memorial Wall
West Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6706100, -70.1011200

16. North Harwich Cemetery
North Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6956700, -70.1221700

17. South Chatham Cemetery
South Chatham, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6785011, -70.0307999

18. Smith Family Cemetery
West Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6739998, -70.1175003

19. Baptist Church Cemetery
West Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6703987, -70.1174011

20. Evergreen Cemetery
East Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.7022018, -70.0207977

21. Orrick Smalley Chase Burial Plot
South Chatham, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6779600, -70.0235800

22. Pine Grove Cemetery
West Harwich, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6730550, -70.1222220

23. Eldredge Burial Plot
South Chatham, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6807800, -70.0211800

24. Swan Lake Annex Cemetery
Dennis Port, Barnstable County, USA
Coordinate: 41.6769420, -70.1267150