The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1939-08-19
| | ST < n
TO THIS
LIFE OF W. II. DOWNS OF
NASHVILLE. TENNESSEE.
BY Hobart T. Mitchell

W. Is. Downs Was slave or w,
| p. Downs. being The son of black
woman and " hite man. WAS regu-
larry emancipaied by the order OF
the county court. Nashville, Tennes-
see. september. 10 1880. having
bought his freedom from his mas
ter
While slave he was cohabited
with black woman named Dinah,
whom he afterwards bought. TAX
ING from her owner bill OF sale
10 himself on June IS. 1881. He
was employed as a servant in a
hotel at Brownsville. Tennessee.
and being thrifty purchased a LOT
in the town built q cabin on IL.
and placed Dinah in possession.
She was employed 10 do the wash
ing for the hotel
In the wear 1910 Downs seems 10
have reconveved ninah nv hill ~
sale 10 the original owner. which
Vas. however. intended only as a
protection to her under the then
existing state laws touching free
persons OF color She continued TO
act as q free person. living on the
lot until her death. which occurred
some wears after he date Of
Downs death
IN 1919. Downs moved 10 Nash
VILE and became steward in the
Nashville Inn the principal hotel
Of NE ciiv One Tempe was
rhamhormaid AZ the sNme hotel
She was mo slave oF Thomas
Crutyher Shortly after Downs
came 10 Nashville he and Tempe
hegan 70 live together
About the Year 1855. Thomas
Cruicher. Inc owner Of Tempe.
seems 80 have permitted her 10 act
as free person upon The UNDER
standing that she should pay for
herself a certain sum OF money.
Having afterwards paid for her.
self on Dec >. lNl0. Crutcher con-
vcycd Tempe 20 John Eaton and
James r. Ferguson. and they
should SET her free as soon as the
same could be done. and until her
freedom could be effected she was
10 have enjoyed her freedom and
be- ubiea 10 her own control with
nui he Interference or disturbance
of any one
with 'he consent ~ Thomas
Crutch,r. in The ycar 1857. Downs
and Tonne were formally married
hN.a minister OF The gospel. a free
man Of color 4 large company be-
ing invited Tor the occasion. and
for an "infair" held in The honor
Of tho event From that time
Downs and Tempe lived together
as man and Wife. and We're 50 con-
s'dered and treated nv the COM
nunity. white and black.
About The year 1910. Tempe be-
came a chambcrmaid on one OF The
llso sleamors then plying be-
iwccn Nashville and New Orleans.
Down, was thrifty. and between
ISL on 1915. began to purchase
lots NJ Nashville. and improve
them lic used for these purposes.
no doubt. The earnings of himself
and Tempe. and money borrowed
from others and among others from
his forme owner. W. ?. DoWns.
who moved 10 Nashville. ". r.
Downs died in March. 1916 after
having accumulated property aud
money
an March I tSt7. John " Eaton
ard lanos Ferguson styling them.
sclvos trustees Of Tempe. hlod I,
N'll aeains' w. 4 Downs and "
Y cartwright. as administrators of
W = Downs to recover about $500
m money alleged 10 belong IA
Tempe and some household fur
nrurc.
W. J. Downs who as We have
'on. was Tho former owner of "
y. Downs. and who had loaned him
money 10 assist him in purchasing
ana improving property. seems 10
nave thought be should be entitled
10 The lands. =
Towns previous mate could not
come IN for share Of The nroner.
~ because cohahiiion with D,nah
was not commenced with tho a.
sent of their Respective owners n,
sanctioned AZ any time nv form
|al ceremony.
u is doubtful whether now,.
ever returned to Brownsville moro
man once after he had moved n
Nashville. and then only for foc.