Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1904-02-24
FORMER KENTONIAN DIES
SUDDENLY IN NEBRASKA
REV. T. c. DOWNS, BROTHER OF MRS. D.
S. WILDS, DIES ON RAILROAD TRAIN.
He Wen; West Ia Early Manhood ana Joined
the Methodist Episcopal Conference,
South, and Achieved Much Success.

Mrs. David S. Wilds, of Kenton, has
received the sad intelligence of the
death of her brother, Rev. Thomas G..
Downs, of Preston, Nebraska. which
occurred on the 18th ult., while riding
on a railroad train. He was also a
cousin of Mr.. E. B. Downs, a promi-
nent merchant of Kenton. Deceased
went out from this vicinity in early
manhood and has made splendid sue
cess. j. W. Payne of Kansas City,
writes the following interesting sketch:
Another member of the Western has
passed away. Thomas G. Downs was
born near Downs Chapel, in Kent
Kent county, state of Delaware, No
vember %, 1871; died at Preston, Nsb,
January II, 1904. Converted and
united with the Methodist Protestant
Church when child and continued a
member of that church until 1868,
when he came to Missouri and united
with the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South. He was licensed to preach by
the Quarterly Conference of Wyan-
dotte Circuit, W NJ. Rush, presiding
elder, and J. P. Jewell, P. G.
Was admitted ON trial as a travelling
preacher in the Missouri Conference
in the fall of 1869, at Chillicothe, Mo.
When the Western Conference was
organized at Leavenworth, Kan, in
1870, he became a charter member and
spent the remainder of his life in this
conference. He served charges in the
following order: Wyandotte Circuit,
three years; Oskaloosa Circuit, one
year; Leavenworth Circuit, two years;
Paola Circuit, one year; Council
Grove District, four years; Atchison
District, four years; bingham Cir
cult, three years; Council Grove Sta
ton, four years; Bucyrus and StilweIl.
one year; Atchison District, four
years; Augusta District, two years;
Kansas City Station, one year, and
was on the second round of the fourth
year on the Atchison District when he
died. Thus it is seen he served 1s
years as pastor of circuit and stations.
and Is years and four months as pre-
siding elder of districts, total of "a
years and 4 months of active service.
and all within the bounds of the Wes-
tern Conference.
He was ordained deacon by Bishop
=. "; Macyin, at Council Grove, Kan.
September 2, 1871. Ordained elder NV
Bishop W. NJ. Wightman, at Atchison
Kan, September z, 1873.
He represented his conference in
four general conferences, held at At
lanta, Ga; Richmond, Va; Memphis.
Tenn. and Dallas, Tex. He served
SIX years as a member of the editorial
committee of the st. Louis Christian
Advocate.
de was married to Miss Edmonia
Boles at Wilder, Kan, October 1.
1873. Two daughters were born to
them. Pearl, the eldest, died when
about two years old, and Miss Byrd.
who is grown, and at present a teacher
IN one of the city schools,
Brother Downs, as a man. was die
nifed and graceful in his manners at
home and easy in any companv-a
''born gentleman.
He had a good mind and did not neo.
lect it. He never allowed himself to
run dry and become "rusty." but
by reading and study continued fresh
and vigorous to the end. He was
richly endowed with good common
sense.
As citizen, he took deep interest
III the affairs of the nation-and the
different nations.
He never tailed to vote, ard he voted
as conscientiously as he preached.
As to his Christian experience. he
was conscious of his acceptance with
God and rejoiced in it. He could saw
81 know whom have believed "
He had broad views in reference to
the different churches, nevertheless he
was decidedly a Methodist. He ha.
lieved that Methodist presented tho
finest type of Christianity of all the
churches on earth, and among the diff.
ferent branches of Methodists, his was
the purest and best.
AS member of the conference. he
hlled every place of homer and trust
In the gift of his conference, vet he
was mo place" seeker-the 'splace,
sought him.
While he neglected no duty REQUIRED !
OF him in the various fields where he
was appointed to labor, yet he ALWAYS
ieit that his first and foremost dutv
was to preach the Gospel. This was
ms GOD given work. and to this end
ne consecrated all his powers. He
preached and defended the doctrines
OF MS church. He preached a whole
Gospel-he had no ''hobbies. AM