The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-26
From the Albany Evening Journal.
Death Of Samuel Downing, the
Last Soldier of the Revolution.

Samuel Downing, the last of the noble
army of the revolution. died at his forest
home near Northsille, Saratoga county, on
Monday, Feb'y 49, 1867. He was born in
Newburyport, Mass, Nov. 80, 1861. He
was therefore in the l06th year of his age
when he died-his precise age when he died
being al65 wears, 2 months and q DAYS.
He entered the army of the revolution
when he was Is. TO do 50, he left his en-
ployer lin New Hampshirel without leave.
Onshis first application he was refused. bat
he soon. found recruiting officer who took
him, notwithstanding his youth and .dimiiu-
tive stature This was just after the surren-
der of Burgeyne. - - S. * IA
Henentered into the service with great
spirit and enthusiasm. He NAV not have I'M
derstood all the great issues involved in the
contest; but he served as faithfully and
| fought as brayely as those who did. Much
of his time was spent In the valley Of the
| Mohawk, guarding trains and fighting indi-
| ans and tories. But he was also. with the
army on the Hudson, and took part in the
| memorable seige of Yorktown.
| He continued in the service until the close
of the war; ard, 'e'en down to old age" it
| was his chief delight to discourse about
/ Washington, whom he had often seen. and
| the JOY UE tDe* people Wnen peace ana the
| nations liberties were declared.
| At the close of the war he returned to
New Hampshire, settled upon farm in An
trim, and soon afterward married Miss Eu-
nice George, two years his junior, and with
| whom he lived in perfect accord urtil 1853.
| She was the mother of Is children. 10 OF
| whom preceded her to the tomb. He took
possession of the farm where he died in
1894. 1t was then q trackless wilderness
| The first SON was born in 1852, and the last
| in 1871. The latter is the happy father of
l3 children. Three of his sons served thco,
the late war IN the Union aruas:-srai '' snss of
the daughters. So E.sssssslv. teacher
~ mi at Norfolk, va. So that patriot
oood still runs in the veins of the family
The mother Of these three boys was reluc
tant to consent TO have them all go to the
field; but the old patriot insisted, and. moth,
ing 10th, they did what their srsnsisa.l,cs- ar-
sired rainier than what their mother preferred
During the war; il was his chief pleasure to
hear Of Union victories. and to keep note OF
the battles in which the boys were engaged.
He PRAYED to live until peace came back to
the country, and he was grati6ed, although
he was disappointed in another wish, that he
might see jeff Davis hung.
As his age would indicate, he was man
4 OF an IRON Icsuit Va
| habits and religious life. Both himself
and wife were exemplary members OF the
methodist church, and his wife was his con
slant companion. He was cheerful-looking
at everything pleasantly, and suffering moth
ing to worry or disturb him. His grand
children were his playmates, and contributed
greatly to the joy of his age.
| Although temperance man. he was not
a teeto.aller. He took a glass of liquor oe
| easionaily, but was never intoxicated. He
had not very high opinion of the quality o
the rum of the present day, aud thought j
what people drank was as pure as that made
in the good old times, there would be less
evil resulting from the habit. He also used
tobacco, and had done SO from his earl,
manhood; and tea was his favorite beverage
/ We are afraid some of our dietarian friends
viii be disappointed at this relation of MIR
Downing's habits. Whisky occasionally ,ans
tobacco and tea all the time, and yet lived Il
los wears This is not the modern theory
| But perhaps if he had used neither he nigh
have lived to 1901 sd IS Z