Free Genealogy Biography of Daniel Downer,
Pennsylvania Volunteer of the Civil War
Daniel Downer Children of Levi and Elizabeth (Hall) Downer: 1. William H., born April 15, 1814, died of dropsy, May 12, 1885; after the death of his father, William H. and his brother Jonathan A. conducted the tannery in Uniontown. 2. Jonathan Allen, born January 7, 1816, died of apoplexy, October 2, 1882; he continued the operation of the Uniontown tannery from 1854 until his death. 3. James Paul, born February 7, 1818, died of bright's disease, April 5, 1893. He served in the Mexican war, rising to the rank of lieutenant; he was with Scott at Chapultepec, serving in Colonel Roberts' regiment, and was one of the scaling party who placed the ladders against the walls and gained entrance to the city. The fall of Chapultepec opened an easy entrance to the city of Mexico and virtually ended the war.
He removed to Kansas after the Mexican war, and when the war between the states broke out he enlisted and went to the front under command of his intimate friend General Lyon. He was wounded in the knee in battle, and rose to the rank of major before the war closed; after the war he was Indian agent to the Utes and became a large land owner of Kansas. 4. Hugh Hall, born April 5, 1819, died of paralysis, March 2, 1888. He settled in Iowa City, Iowa, and in 1849 joined the "gold seekers." making the trip to California overland by ox team. He later settled in San Jose, where he owned considerable real estate. He died in Uniontown.
5. Daniel, born November 27, 1820. He was a graduate of Washington and Jefferson College, studied law with Judge John Dawson, and practiced law in Uniontown for many years. He enlisted during the civil war as a private in the Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, under Colonel Berrs, later was commissioned lieutenant in another regiment, serving until the close of the war. He returned to Uniontown, but did not again practice law. He purchased a farm, and thereafter devoted himself to agriculture, stock raising and dealing.
6. George W., born March 20, 1823, died by accidental drowning at Brookfield, Jefferson county, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1885. 7. Eliza Melvin, born January 1, 1826, died. 8. Jacob, born January 8, 1829, died of dropsy, October 8, 1888. He was a merchant of Uniontown for a few years, then went west, joining his brother Daniel in Kansas. 9. David, born January 5, 1832, died of bright's disease April 9, 1911. He learned the printing trade, went west, and at various times edited and published four different newspapers in the states of Kansas, Colorado and California, 10. Caroline A., the only living member of this most remarkable family. They all lived to ages fifty-nine to seventy-nine; all were useful workers and successes in the various walks of life, and none ever married. So peculiar a record does not elsewhere exist in any other family, to the writer's knowledge, and one most interesting to preserve.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Fayette County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1912.
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