Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameSamuel Henry Downs 
Birth7 Sep 1837, Uniontown, Fayette Co, PA
Census20 Jun 1860, Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Memoroll# , pg 379
Census1870, Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Census1880, Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Memoroll#1129, pg 182
Census5 Jun 1900, So Union Twp, Fayette Co, PA
MemoED362, pg 3
Census10 May 1910, Menallen Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Memoroll#1345, pg 47
Census6 Feb 1920, Menallen Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Memoroll#1569, pg 18
Death8 Dec 1922, Menallen Twp, Fayette Co, PA
Burial10 Dec 1922, Bowman-Flatwoods Cem, Vanderbilt, Fayette Co, PA
FatherThomas Downs (~1799-1888)
MotherHannah Bee (1806-1858)
Misc. Notes
Sam became a Baptist minister “like his father and their fathers before them”. Baptists were loosely organized and ministers often supported themselves through some other occupation.
Sam married his first wife, Margaret Ann Dowden on January 1, 1857 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He is listed in the 1860 census for Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA as a laborer (22), with his wife Margaret (24) and sons John (3) and James (1), along with Phebe “Downs” (44), and Harry (19). [possibly Phebe and Harry Dowden, where Phebe is Margaret's mother and Harry is her brother.]
A Downs Family Bible lists these births for Samuel and Margaret Downs:
1. John Westley Downs, born August 26, 1857, died 10 March 1893
2. James Henry Downs, born July 30, 1859, died 10 March 1893
3. Hannah J. Downs, born April 27, 1861
4. Robert Nathan Downs, born December 2, 1863
5. Ralph Rile Downs, born June 16, 1867 , died 10 October 1867
Little is known about this family and there are two theories. One theory is that Sam and Margaret might have had a daughter named Barbara Downs and a son named John Downs, who later moved to York, Pennsylvania. Barbara Downs married John Randsome and they had nine sons. In this scenario it is unclear whether Sam and Margaret were divorced, or not. The second theory is that Margaret died in childbirth.
In either case, Sam Downs left Philadelphia and traveled west.
Samuel Henry Downs married his second wife, Sarah “Sadie” Hutchinson Barricklaw on March 16, 1868 at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He is listed in the 1870 census for Franklin Twp as a 31 yr old farm worker with his wife Sarah (24), John (13), James (11), Jane (9), Robert (7), Mary [Barricklaw] (5), and George (2).
Sam was a Baptist minister at Old Uniontown Church. He worked as a yard boss in a steel mill. Samuel and Sarah Downs had eight children: George Calvin (1868), Sarah M. (1870), Martha E. (1872), Roxalina (1875), Ida Belle (1877), Joseph James, Samuel, and Matilda.
He is listed as a farm laborer in 1880 in Franklin Twp with his wife and 4 children from the first marriage plus 5 from the second.
Samuel at some time later in life, lived with his daughter Ida Belle and her husband Thomas Knox; as Samuel's wife Sarah had died when Samuel was not even 50 years old.
In 1900 he appears to be listed as a boarder (Sept 1847, PA) with the family of Mary Seiler, 10 yrs younger than he was.
He is listed in 1910 as a farmer (72, PA) with his 3rd wife, Elizabeth A. Downs (46, WV). And in 1920 he is listed as a father-in-law (83, PA) with the family if his daughter Ida Knox.
Sam Downs passed away on December 8, 1922 at the age of eighty-five. According to an obituary in the Uniontown Morning Herald (December 9), he died at the home of his son-in-law, Thomas Knox of the Miller Farm near New Salem. Samuel and Sarah Downs are buried at Flatwood-Bowman Baptist Cemetery, a few miles north of Uniontown on Route 201.
Sam married his first wife, Margaret Ann Dowden on January 1, 1857 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He is listed in the 1860 census for Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA as a laborer (22), with his wife Margaret (24) and sons John (3) and James (1), along with Phebe “Downs” (44), and Harry (19). [possibly Phebe and Harry Dowden, where Phebe is Margaret's mother and Harry is her brother.]
A Downs Family Bible lists these births for Samuel and Margaret Downs:
1. John Westley Downs, born August 26, 1857, died 10 March 1893
2. James Henry Downs, born July 30, 1859, died 10 March 1893
3. Hannah J. Downs, born April 27, 1861
4. Robert Nathan Downs, born December 2, 1863
5. Ralph Rile Downs, born June 16, 1867 , died 10 October 1867
Little is known about this family and there are two theories. One theory is that Sam and Margaret might have had a daughter named Barbara Downs and a son named John Downs, who later moved to York, Pennsylvania. Barbara Downs married John Randsome and they had nine sons. In this scenario it is unclear whether Sam and Margaret were divorced, or not. The second theory is that Margaret died in childbirth.
In either case, Sam Downs left Philadelphia and traveled west.
Samuel Henry Downs married his second wife, Sarah “Sadie” Hutchinson Barricklaw on March 16, 1868 at Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He is listed in the 1870 census for Franklin Twp as a 31 yr old farm worker with his wife Sarah (24), John (13), James (11), Jane (9), Robert (7), Mary [Barricklaw] (5), and George (2).
Sam was a Baptist minister at Old Uniontown Church. He worked as a yard boss in a steel mill. Samuel and Sarah Downs had eight children: George Calvin (1868), Sarah M. (1870), Martha E. (1872), Roxalina (1875), Ida Belle (1877), Joseph James, Samuel, and Matilda.
He is listed as a farm laborer in 1880 in Franklin Twp with his wife and 4 children from the first marriage plus 5 from the second.
Samuel at some time later in life, lived with his daughter Ida Belle and her husband Thomas Knox; as Samuel's wife Sarah had died when Samuel was not even 50 years old.
In 1900 he appears to be listed as a boarder (Sept 1847, PA) with the family of Mary Seiler, 10 yrs younger than he was.
He is listed in 1910 as a farmer (72, PA) with his 3rd wife, Elizabeth A. Downs (46, WV). And in 1920 he is listed as a father-in-law (83, PA) with the family if his daughter Ida Knox.
Sam Downs passed away on December 8, 1922 at the age of eighty-five. According to an obituary in the Uniontown Morning Herald (December 9), he died at the home of his son-in-law, Thomas Knox of the Miller Farm near New Salem. Samuel and Sarah Downs are buried at Flatwood-Bowman Baptist Cemetery, a few miles north of Uniontown on Route 201.
Spouses
Birth1836, Pennsylvania
Misc. Notes
Margaret Dowden and Sarah Barricklaw were cousins who both married Samuel Downs.
It is believed by some that Margaret died in childbirth.
Another family story is that he was going to go be the minister (Baptist) at the new Christ Church in Uniontown, but she didn’t want to go and leave her family and home to live all the way out there in the wilderness. We were told he left her in Philedelphia, with a few of their kids & then he lived in Uniontown and married Sarah Hutchison Barricklaw there.
Nor is it known that they divorced, but that was not implied. Actually it was implied that he married the next wife while the other was in Philadelphia still! (this theory is supported by an early census record that has a woman named Anne Dowden, being the head of household in Philedelphia with several children listed.)
It is believed by some that Margaret died in childbirth.
Another family story is that he was going to go be the minister (Baptist) at the new Christ Church in Uniontown, but she didn’t want to go and leave her family and home to live all the way out there in the wilderness. We were told he left her in Philedelphia, with a few of their kids & then he lived in Uniontown and married Sarah Hutchison Barricklaw there.
Nor is it known that they divorced, but that was not implied. Actually it was implied that he married the next wife while the other was in Philadelphia still! (this theory is supported by an early census record that has a woman named Anne Dowden, being the head of household in Philedelphia with several children listed.)
Marriage7 Jan 1857, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Co, PA
ChildrenJohn Westley (1857-1949)
James Henry (1859-1893)
Hannah Jane “Anna” (1861-<1900)
Robert Nathan (1862-1924)
Ralph Rile (Died as Infant) (1867-1867)
Birth1845, Pennsylvania
Death16 Jul 1883, Fayette Co, PA
BurialBowman-Flatwoods Cem, Vanderbilt, Fayette Co, PA
MotherJane Byers (1820-1880)
Misc. Notes
Sarah’s family originated in England, although both her parents were born in Pennsylvania. Her mother was Jane Hutchinson, who died on July 21, 1880. There is a rumor that Jane Hutchinson was related to Admiral Nelson Fitzgerald. According to her mother’s will dated April 26, 1880, Sarah had a sister named Matilda Ransom. The will lists Jane’s two granddaughters as Jane Ransom and Mollie Barricklow.
She may be the Sarah Hutchinson, age 15, living with the Foster family in Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA in 1860.
Sarah was first married to a Mr. Barricklow, who died before 1867. They lived in Alexander, PA and owned real estate there. Mollie was their daughter (b. 1864 in PA.)
Sarah Hutchinson Barricklow was a widow with one child, Mollie (or Mary) Barricklaw when she married Samuel Downs. Mollie is listed with them as Mary in the 1870 census. Sarah owned real estate in the town of Alexander.
Sarah Downs died July 16, 1883, just three years after her mother’s death. According to some relatives, Margaret Dowden and Sarah Barricklow were cousins.
Her daughter Mollie (b. 1864 PA) married a Mr. Leighty and went to Oklahoma in the land rush.
She may be the Sarah Hutchinson, age 15, living with the Foster family in Franklin Twp, Fayette Co, PA in 1860.
Sarah was first married to a Mr. Barricklow, who died before 1867. They lived in Alexander, PA and owned real estate there. Mollie was their daughter (b. 1864 in PA.)
Sarah Hutchinson Barricklow was a widow with one child, Mollie (or Mary) Barricklaw when she married Samuel Downs. Mollie is listed with them as Mary in the 1870 census. Sarah owned real estate in the town of Alexander.
Sarah Downs died July 16, 1883, just three years after her mother’s death. According to some relatives, Margaret Dowden and Sarah Barricklow were cousins.
Her daughter Mollie (b. 1864 PA) married a Mr. Leighty and went to Oklahoma in the land rush.
Marriage16 Mar 1868, Uniontown, Fayette Co, PA
ChildrenGeorge Calvin (1868-1940)
Sarah Matilda “Tilly” (1870-1948)
Martha E. “Mattie” (1872-1943)
Roxalina “Roxy” (1875-1973)
Ida Belle (1877-1940)
Samuel Harry (1880-1967)