FELIX DOWNEN (deceased), late a farmer near Ridgway, Gallatin County, Ill., was born near Mount Vernon, Posey County, Ind., May 20, 1858, and died on the farm now occupied by his widow, Oct. 22, 1900. He was reared to manhood in Posey County, received his education there in the public schools, and upon arriving at man's estate adopted the life of a farmer. On Feb. 13, 1870, be was united in marriage to Miss Kate Allyn, who was born and reared in the same neighborhood, and in September of that year removed to Gallatin County, locating on the farm where he lived the remainder of his life. At the time he took possession of this farm there was but eighty acres, about half of which was cleared. He improved this place and added to it until at the time of his death he was the owner of 200 acres of land, well equipped with improvements, and which is now occupied and owned by his widow and her children. Mr. Downen did a general farming business in his life-time and gave considerable attention to stock raising. He was a member of the Court of Honor, a fraternal organization, and with his wife belonged to the Baptist church. In the ordinary affairs of life he was a consistent practitioner of the tenets of his religious faith, dealing fairly with his fellowman, sympathizing with the unfortunate and contributing to worthy charities as his means would permit. He and his wife had the following children -Lemuel, born Oct. 6, 1880, now deceased; Ora, born Sept. 15, 1882, now the wife of Charles Foster; Inez, born Nov. 9, 1884, now Mrs. Edward Barnett; Mattie, born Sept. 17, 1886, at home with her mother; Mary, born Sept. 9, 1889, and Hattie Olive, born Aug. 31, 1896. 1905. (Memoirs of the Lower Ohio Valley . Madison, Wis.: Federal Publishing Company. 2:387.)

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