Elizabeth Ellis Downing

Reason J. Downing was a farmer and stockman and achieved much success in these lines. He gave his support to the Democrat party and was a Baptist in his religious conviction. He married Miss Elizabeth Ellis, who was a woman, strong in character and constitution, who lived to the great old age of ninty-five years, and died several years after the Civil War, having witnessed many of the most stirring incidents of American history. His wife shared his religious convictions belonging to the Baptist church
Elizabeth Ellis was born in Shelby County KY in 1795. She was the daughter of Isaac Newton and Ann Nancy Downing Ellis. She married Reason J. Downing ( her first cousin ) in 1817. Family legend has it that she rode on a horse with her “colored “ girl ( a gift of her father ) from Shelby Co to Mason Co after marrying Reason. Her father and mother moved to Owen County where her father died when she was 38 years old. Her mother would move to Lincoln County Missouri with her younger brother Duncan. Her mother died in 1851 when Elizabeth was 56 years old. Elizabeth was married at age 22 and widowed at age 54.
Reason and Elizabeth set up housekeeping on Slack Pike about a mile off Clarke’s Run Road and a couple of miles from the village of Washington. Being Baptist, they more than likely attended church at the old Washington Baptist Church. In the first 20 years of their marriage, Reason and Elizabeth, would have 12 children. John was born when she was 22 and died when she was 60. Nancy was born when she was 24 and would survive her mother. Susan was born when she was 25 and died when she was 47. Isaac and James were born when she was 26 and 28 and both survived her. Lydia was born when she was 29 and died when she was 61. Eliza Jane was born when she was 31 and died when she was 61. William was born when she was 33 and died when she was 89. Elizabeth, Reason, Joseph and Thomas McConnell born when she was 35, 38, 40 and 42 all would survive her.
Elizabeth would live to witness nine ( 9 ) of her children marry. Her husband, Reason who died in 1849, would live to see only three ( 3 ) of their children marry. Nancy married Jacob Slack in 1845 when Elizabeth was 50, Eliza Jane married Dr. David Post in 1846 when she was 51. They moved to Cleveland Ohio. Elizabeth would marry Martin Sennett in 1849 when she was 54. In 1852 Lydia married David Benedict, Elizabeth was 57. 1857 brought 2 marriages when she was 62, Isaac married cousin Lucinda Downing and William married Nancy Wherry. A few years went by before the next wedding. In 1871, when Elizabeth was 76, Joseph married Caroline Bayless. In 1875 Reason married Mary Brady, Elizabeth was 80. And finally, in 1884, when she was 89, James married E. Best.
Elizabeth saw the following grandchildren born; 10 for Nancy, 7 for James, 1 for Lydia, 3 for Eliza Jane, 8 for William, 12 for Elizabeth, 5 for Reason and 2 for Thomas McConnell. One of Thomas McConnells’ was William Alexander, father of William Howard and grandfather of Kenneth William.
For 73 years Elizabeth survived the hardships of the frontier, childbirth, two major out breaks of cholera , the death of five children and an untold amount of diseases and tragedies to family, friends and neighbors.
Elizabeth Ellis Downing appears on the 1850, 1860 & 1870 census in Mason County KY with other members of her family. When she died it has been said, that at 95 years old, she was the oldest woman in Mason County. A photo of Elizabeth at approx 70-75 years of age exsists. She is buried beside Reason in the Downing cemetery on Slack Pike in Mason Co KY. It is believed that she contributed much of the info contained in the 1836 Downing bible. Copies of these pages are in the possession of Ken Downing. It is believed, as of Nov 2001, the original Bible was in the possession of Elizabeth Wallingford, Mason Co KY. Since then, Miss Wallingford has passed away and the location of the Bible is unknown.