The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-01-28
BIRTHS. DEArHs, MARRIAGES

| .i
DOWNING. The funeral OF the late
Dwight Foster Downing occurred Sun,
| day afternoon, Jan. "a, 1909. A brief
prayer service was conducted at the
thome of Mrs. Caroline Downing, wild
ow of the late Stephen r. Downing,
aunt OF the deceased, and a public ser
vice was held at the Congregational
church. Interment was made in For
est cemetery by the side of the wife,
Grace Durfee Downing, who died Aug.
Is. 1906. The service at the home,
No. All South First street, at 200
O'Clock was conducted by the Rev.
]. B. Adkins, pastor of the Congrega-
tional church, of which Mr.. Downing
was a member in the presence of the
relatives, members of the bar and a
few friends with whom the deceased
had been intimate. The music con-
sisted of hymns by Mrs. Virginia
Knight Logan and Miss Daut Phillips,
after which the minister offered pray
er and read Tennyson's crossing the
Bar" and gave brief obituary. The
casket was then taken to the Congre-
gational church, Messrs. John f. La
cey and John Malcolm, for the Ma
haska County Bar, C. E. and f. G.
L.ofiand. business men with whom the
deceased had been associated, and j..
S. and A. S. Cunningham, close per-
sonal friends, acting as pall-bearers
and the members OF the bar as escorts.
The church service. at 2:30 o'clock,
was that of the First Church of Christ
Scientist, of which the deceased wife
had been a member. The music was
that of the pipe organ and duet, the
words of the hymns being those of
Mary Baker G. Eddy. The service
was conducted by A. P. Spencer and
Miss Carrie Baughman. readers of the
Scientist church, The funeral was
largely attended. The bar was present
in body. Dwight Downing was well
known i'm the business life of the city
and in the social life of former days,
and friends came for this last tribute
to his memory as a man and a Co
laboTeF. sesl{i RI,
Dwight Foster Downing was born in
London, Madison county, Ohio Nov
Is, 1854, and died at Oskaloosa Hospi-
tai of cerebral hemorrage, Friday,
Jan. %, 1909, aged 81 years, 2 months
and days. He was the second and
Youngest child of Foster l.. Downing
and Sarah Croney Downing. The
Downing family came to Iowa In Os-
tober, 1855. stopping at Muscatine. In
the following year, 1856, they came to
oskaloosa and were prominently iden-
tilted with the early business history
of the city. The elder Downing pur-
chased the old Madison House" a
pioneer hostelry, and upon the site
thereof built tn original 'Downing
Hotel" completing the structure in
1874. The son, Dwight Downing, re-
ceiyed his early education. in Oska-
loosa institutions and thin took up
the study of law. He was d prepare
tory student under M. E. Cults and
also worked with H., W.. Gleason. He
was admitted to the bar in 1878 and
went to Beloit, Kansas, to open an
Office. He later returned to Oskaloosa
and has since been a resident of the
city and a practitioner in the district
and supreme courts of the state, and
became well known as corporation
and business lawyer. Mr.. Downing
married Miss Grace Durfee, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. w. A. Durfee, of 0s-
kaloosa, August 81, 1881. He is sur
viyed by his aunt Mrs. Caroline Down
ing, one niece, Mrs Zula Plummer,
and four cousins. e The sister, Mrs
Ollie Bancroft-Lord, passed away
about three years ago at Los Angeles,
Cal, she also dying Of appoplcxy.
Father, mother, sister and uncle,
stephen F. Downing, all died of the
same cause. Since tn death of his
wife, two years ago, Mr.. Downing has
had apartments at the Y. NJ. c. A.
building. Twice before he has suffered
slight strokes" and has been confined
to his bed On one occasion he was
unconscious number of hours, but
ultimately recovered his usual health.
The man seemed to have had a pre-
monition of approaching Illness, for
he had the day previous to his death
packed his belongings together and
had all of his property gathered in
neat order. He mad not been feeling
well recently, but had been uncom-
planning. His Sudden taking off was a
shock to friends and associates. A
profusion of flowers, tributes of
friends OF The Mahaska County Bar,
of business houses and business as
sociates attested the mans place in
the community and in the h'arts and
minds of those to whom he was
known. Dwight Downing may not
have been as conspicuous in his daily
life as some others of his day and
his profession, but he was steadfast
and dependable. He was possessed
of a peculiar personality and may have
been termed eccentric by the casual
observer Those who best knew him
found him a good, clean and honest
man, POSSESSED OF virtues and quail
ties greatly to be admired Mr.. Down.
ing was not disposed 10 invite atten-
ton, condolences or even friendships
His associates we're not numerous
His peculiar disposition courted Sc
-. ~. 4ts....