Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Brownfield Downs 
Birth27 May 1824, Redstone Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Census16 Jul 1870, Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Memoroll#1342, pg 131
Death15 Mar 1911, Fayette Co, PA
BurialLaurel Hill Presbyterian Cem, Laurel Hill, Fayette Co, PA
FatherJohnathan Downs (1788-1844)
MotherMary Miller (1790-1855)
Misc. Notes
Raised on the farm and was a farmer all his life. Was a republican. Married by Rev. Thomas Martin. Listed in the 1870 census at age 46 as a farmer, with his wife and children Martha (19), John (17), Annie (14), and Mary (8).
Listed as being of Uniontown in 1908 obit of nephew Joseph Wells. This is consistent with his wife's obit the same year there.
“WILLIAM BROWNFIELD DOWNS was born in Redstone township, Fayette county, Penna, May 27, 1824, and is the son of Jonathan Downs and Mary Miller Downs. Jonathan Downs was born in Redstone township in 1788, was a farmed and died in 1844, aged fifty six years. He was in active membership in the old regular Baptist church and was a republican.
The grandfather of W B Downs, Jeremiah Downs, was a native of England, and came to this country in the latter part of the last century and settled in Redstone township.
Mary Miller, the mother of William B Downs, was the daughter of Peter Miller of Jefferson township; she was born in 1790 and died June 4, 1855, in the sixty fifth year of her age.
Jonathan and Mary Downs had ten children: Lucinda Downs married to Thomas Stephens of Washington township; David Downs lives at New Geneva and is the father of A F Downs, county treasurer; Margaret Miller Downs married to John Master of Washington township; Joseph Miller Downs lives in Knox county, Illinois; Alex Campbell Downs lives in Pike county, Ohio; William B Downs; Jonathan Downs resides in Noble county, Ohio; Caleb Bracken Downs lives at Granville, Fairfield county, Ohio, and is a Presbyterian minister; Isaac Newton Downs lives at West Newton, Westmoreland county, Penna, and Mary Downs is matron in the Newsboys' Home, Columbus, Ohio. William B Downs was reared on the farm and has been a farmer all of his life. He was educated in the subscription schools of Redstone township, and is a republican in politics. On March 24, 1848, he was married to Miss Rebecca M Wells by Rev Thomas Martin. She was born August 12, 1828, and was the daughter of Joseph Wells, the latter for many years a worthy citizen of the county. They have two living children: John Allen Downs, born March 12, 1853, married to Miss Alice Rittenhouse and lives in Franklin township, and they have two children. Mary T Downs born October 12, 1862, married to James Reid of Uniontown.
Mr Downs and wife are both members of the Presbyterian church of Uniontown.”
Listed as being of Uniontown in 1908 obit of nephew Joseph Wells. This is consistent with his wife's obit the same year there.
“WILLIAM BROWNFIELD DOWNS was born in Redstone township, Fayette county, Penna, May 27, 1824, and is the son of Jonathan Downs and Mary Miller Downs. Jonathan Downs was born in Redstone township in 1788, was a farmed and died in 1844, aged fifty six years. He was in active membership in the old regular Baptist church and was a republican.
The grandfather of W B Downs, Jeremiah Downs, was a native of England, and came to this country in the latter part of the last century and settled in Redstone township.
Mary Miller, the mother of William B Downs, was the daughter of Peter Miller of Jefferson township; she was born in 1790 and died June 4, 1855, in the sixty fifth year of her age.
Jonathan and Mary Downs had ten children: Lucinda Downs married to Thomas Stephens of Washington township; David Downs lives at New Geneva and is the father of A F Downs, county treasurer; Margaret Miller Downs married to John Master of Washington township; Joseph Miller Downs lives in Knox county, Illinois; Alex Campbell Downs lives in Pike county, Ohio; William B Downs; Jonathan Downs resides in Noble county, Ohio; Caleb Bracken Downs lives at Granville, Fairfield county, Ohio, and is a Presbyterian minister; Isaac Newton Downs lives at West Newton, Westmoreland county, Penna, and Mary Downs is matron in the Newsboys' Home, Columbus, Ohio. William B Downs was reared on the farm and has been a farmer all of his life. He was educated in the subscription schools of Redstone township, and is a republican in politics. On March 24, 1848, he was married to Miss Rebecca M Wells by Rev Thomas Martin. She was born August 12, 1828, and was the daughter of Joseph Wells, the latter for many years a worthy citizen of the county. They have two living children: John Allen Downs, born March 12, 1853, married to Miss Alice Rittenhouse and lives in Franklin township, and they have two children. Mary T Downs born October 12, 1862, married to James Reid of Uniontown.
Mr Downs and wife are both members of the Presbyterian church of Uniontown.”
Spouses
Birth12 Aug 1828, Fayette Co, PA
Death22 Mar 1908, Uniontown, Fayette Co, PA
Burial24 Mar 1908, Laurel Hill Presbyterian Cem, Laurel Hill, Fayette Co, PA
FatherJoseph B. Wells (1803-1877)
MotherAnna Shaw (1808-1893)
Misc. Notes
Married to William Brownfield Downs according to her father's will and the CYCLOPEDIA OF FAYETTE BIOGRAPHIES. Obit lists her marriage, sister, children. They lived in Franklin Twp until 1878, moved to South Union until 1905, then lived with their daughter in Uniontown. Two other daughters preceeded her in death; one was the first wife of James F. Reed, the other was Mrs David Strickler of Franklin Twp. She was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church. Husband was still alive at the time (84). She had been in poor health for several years and died of old age at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James F. Reed. Obit says she was in her 80th year.
Marriage23 Mar 1848, Fayette Co, PA
Marr MemoRev. Thomas Martin