Silas Downer was born on 15. Jul. 1829. Silas Downer was born on 15. Jul. 1831 at Albany Twp., Orleans County, Vermont. He was the son of
John Downer and
Sarah Neal.
Silas Downer and
Hearty Schenck appeared on the census of 4. Sep. 1850 at with his father, Jefferson County, Illinois.
Silas Downer was shown in the census on 4. Sep. 1850 as a farmer.
He married
Hearty Schenck, daughter of
Samuel Schenck and
(Unknown) (Unknown), on 15. Apr. 1852 at Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois.
Silas Downer and
Hearty Schenck appeared on the census of 17. Jul. 1860 at Township 3 S Range 2 E next to his father, Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois,
; personal property 100.00.
Silas Downer was shown in the census on 17. Jul. 1860 as a farmer.
Silas Downer was shown in the census in Jun. 1880 as a wagon maker.
Silas Downer and
Hearty Schenck appeared on the census of Jun. 1880 at Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois.
Silas Downer married
Kansas Allen at Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois. Silas Downer died on 5. Mar. 1899 at Mount Vernon, Jefferson County, Illinois, at age 67.
OBITUARY Silas Downer, one of the oldest and best known residents of Mt. Vernon, died at th e home of his brother, John Downer, at 409 South Breckenridge street yesterday afternoon afte r a long illness. Deceased was of New England stock and was born in Vermont, July 15, 1831. H e removed to Illinois with his parents when a small boy and settled in Jefferson county wher e he was educated and where he resided the greater part of his life. In his boyhood he was em ployed on a farm, but tiring of that means of earning a living after a few years experience h e decided to learn one of the mechanical trades, and at the age of nineteen be began workin g at blacksmithing, to which he devoted a great deal of attention. He was an inate mechanic a nd a natural worker in wood and most his life was spent in shops and mills, of which he desig ned and erected a great many. For a score of years he had a wagon shop on South First street , where he built and repaired a great number of wagons and other vehicles. April 13, 1852, h e was married in this city to Miss Harty L. Schanck. Some three or four years ago Mrs. Downe r died and subsequently the subject of this sketch was wedded to Mrs. Kansas Vance, nee Allen , who survives him. Deceased was a devoted member of the M. E. church of which during the lat ter ten years he was a regularly ordained and licensed minister. He was at one time an A. F . & A. M. also a member of H. W. Hubbard Chapter No. 160 R. A. M. but being unable to atten d the meetings on account of ill health allowed his membership to lapse some years ago. Mr. D owner was a Democrat in politics and formerly served as an alderman from the third ward in th e city council. The funeral services will be held at the late home of the deceased on South B reckenridge street at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. The interment will be in the family buria l grounds at Salem cemetery. March 6, 1899 Mt. Vernon Register News submitted by: Sharlet B igham LaBarbera Oct 18, 1997.