^'' m^V «> Si ff^WMJt^^ -^5»ji ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF THE STATH OF PEWSYLVANIA WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation ILLUSTRATED " Jiy universal consent bioaraf'hy is the most fascinating form oj literature, its charm growing out of the fact that it is the story of life. The books that have ushered in new epochs for society have generally been biographies." — Rev. Newell Dwight Hillis. VOLIME il. THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY Nkw Vokk Chicago 1904 4 O/wv^i-v;bO HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA JEROME i'RAXCIS DOWXIXG. Tile name of "I'j'ic"' is replcle with ass ciatioiis which recall Ui c\X'ry palriutic Aniericaii a ll^cid of historic recollections. It is con- nected with a great lake, a great railroail. a great canal and a great naval \ictory. In addition to this it is the designation oi a large and prosperous city of n:;rth\\este''n I'enns_\l\ania, which hoasts the finest harhor on the chain of great likes, the lnn"ial place of .Vnthony Wayne. and a histor\- which li'uclies some of the most interesting points of 'he ])ioneer ]>eriod To this thri\ing and historic town the reader is invited for the purpose of making the ac(|uaintance of one o{ its most dis- tinguished and enterprising citizens, whose career it is the intention to unfold in the acconipan\nng hiograiihy. rile Downing family, long sn well known in Pennsylvania, origin- ated in that cclehrplod coinnionw ealth which has heen hapi)ily descrihed as the mother of states and statesmen. James Downing, father of the ])roniiiient l'enns_\l\aiiian with whose affairs we arc herein dealing, was horn in Boston in 1775. .Xfter his marriage he settled in what was then l\oxl)ur\-, hut w hicli hy annexation in 1867 hecame a snliiirhan aihlition to the adjacent cit_\'. .\ few years later he removed to Hamp- shire county and located in the town of Enfield on a farm, which, after the lapse of mer a hundred \ears. is still in |M)SSession of one of iiis descendants. On this homestead most of his iwehe children, consisting 33 o4G coMrr.xnicM or history .ixn cnxfiiLocv (if ei.t;lu Sons ami fmir daui^lilurs, were Imrn, and tlic yoinigc^l n\ these is tlic subject of tliis skctcli. 'Hie l>irtli of Jerome I'"rancis DMuniii" dccnrreil in the Ideality ah()\e iiie:iti(ineil mi the J4th nl' Ahireh, iSjj. His yniithful training was of the kind which, in ihi inlands of cases, has heen I'roved the liesl for y(nin<j men. and ci insisted ])rinci]iall\' of liard and steady wurk. cither on the farm or in sonie one of the factories or machine shojis then cstalilislied in the neii^iihoihood. In ad(htion to the \ahialile lesson derived from this Spartan discipline it had the added ad\anta.s;e of en- ahlint^' him to Lay up some sin"phis moiicv from his wa.yes. which was utilized to pa\' iiis way for a term or two at Amherst College. He en- tered the freshmrui class in 1S4S, and two yetirs later we find him in- stalled as editor of a newspajier in lloKoke. Alassaclnisetts. hrom this novitiate in the journalistic wurld he soon obtained ])romotion to the chief editorship of the Tro\- ( Xew ^'ork ) Paily I'ast. which responsible I)ositioii he retained for some time, and ac(|uittcd himself of its duties very creilitahly for one so young. His dominant ambition. howe\er. was to become a lawyer, and after considerable ])reliminar\- study he readily obtained admission to the bar and settled at Krie. J'ennsyKania. in the fall of 1855. That he succeeded in the practice as well as in mak- in.g a .good im]iression on the public is c\-idcnccd by the fact that in iSri3. or se\en years after his ad\ent, he was elected ilistrict attorney of the county. * The fates, however, hail other plans for the le.gal iieo|ih\te, and be was destined to find a (phte diileieut held tor the display of his natural ability than that olTi'red in the courts. "There is a tide in the affaiis of men, which, taken at the llood, leads on to toitune: ne.ulected, all the current of our li\es is bounded in shallows ami in miseries." This fateful opportunity was ]irescnted to young Downing, lie was wise ni' run st.it ii or rr.NNSYU'AMA. 547 eiiMui^li tn grasp it ])fi niptly, ;m<l in time was carried <in tlie llood-tide to that fortune foretold liy tlie i^reat ])oet. I lis ()p|)ortunity took tlie shape of a Inisiness offer of great \alue w lien presented. Init full <.>f |)romise. if wisely used, of iinicli greater value in the future. The old Insurance Compan}' of Xorth America, whose headcjuarters were in I'hiladelphia, and then as no\\ one of the strongest and best known in the country, was looking for an agent especially suited to do certain work of importance which the managers had mapped out. 'ihey were anxious to extend the company's operations into the western states and selected Mr. Downing as then' general agent for that entire section. He was at first somewhat ahaihed by the unexpectedness of liie ])roffer, as well as the magnitude of the resi)ousihilities invohed. hut after mature consideration decided to accept. This important e\ent in his career occurred in 1864. and from that time until the |)rescnt. a perind of nearly forty \ears. he has retained this higliK' res]ionsil)le trust. The long tenure with such a comjjany as the "Old Xorth .\merica" speaks for itself as to his ([ualifications for the ])lace anil the ability displayed in discharging his duties. His depart- ment embraces the states of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana. Kentucky. Ten- ne.ssee, Illinois. Wisconsin. Minnesota. North and South D.akota. Iowa, Mis-souri, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado. Wyoming and the territories of Oklahoma rmd New Mexico. In tliis \ast field of operations o\er tour thousand agencies ha\e been established, ;dl under the direct control of Mr. Oowning. and managed from his beadciuarlers at I-lrie. The busi- ness is organized with an elahtjrateness and thorouglmess of discii)line eipial to that of the best appointed army. The large force of experienced assistants re(|uired. both in the office and the held, ask and receive in- structions from Mr. Downing, and tlie.se are always fortlicoming with a ])r(im])tness and clearness that bespeaks the resourceful commanding 548 COMI'Eh'DlUM ()! HISTORY .IXP CIIX liAI.UCV otiicer. I'"..\])crt-^ say that iin (l''|)artmeiil olTicc of any nf (Jiir nmst pium- incnt iimlcrw ritiii;; iiistitiiliniis lias hecii coiiducted with iiKiie skill and business acumen thaii that presided nver by Mr. 1 )ci\\ nins:;'. llis oflice in I'.rie is <inc nt' the best cqiii])i)ed and must convenient!)' tnrnisheil ot' any of its kind in the L'nited States, its orderly arrangement fm'nisli- ins;' additional testinion)' to the or.ijanizinj^' ability of the presiding genius. Perhaps the key to .Mr. Downing's great pcr.sonal success and the resultant inci'ease in his eMmpan\''s business is fomid in hi.< just ancl hon- orable dealings with all his ])atrons in the settlement of losses and re- markable facility for luaking friends of those with whom business brings him in contact. This stnuiir-falrc, as the hvenrh wmdd call it. or (|nick a|)i)reciation of what circiuustances require, in other words the iKjssession of that invalua.ble <|ua!ity Icrnied "tact." has undnubtcdly ])rove(l a prime factor in Ixith the personal and official success obtained by Mr. Downing, hire underwriting is a science, and this scier.ce Mr. Down- ing has thoroughly mastered in all its intricate details, while at the same time fidly comprehending the broad jirinciples whicli constitute the foundation of insurance in general. But aside from his life work ATr. Downing has fomid time to dis- play many \-aluable traits as a citizen in various lines. Tublic improve- ments at Rrie have foimd no Cirmer friend nr more generous contributor. It is often remarked that a man should show his good will "by deeds, not words." It is a characteristic of Mr. Downing that he uses both these agencies with force to i)usb forward the interests of his comnumity. He talks well, as well as act? i^romptly, in their behalf. Examples of his public s])irit are abundant, but it is onl\- necessary to specifically mention a few. To hini the city owes its largest and finest business building, in fact the first erected in Erie whicli contained all the modern im])rovements OF TUB STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA. 54» and conveniences. It is a massive structure, eij^hty-two and a lialf by one hundred and sixty-fi\e feet on the s^round and six stories high, ex- clusive of haseinenl, the lieavy exterior w alls l)cing faced w ith the finest (|u;dity of ])rcsscd dark-red hrick. 'i'hc entire hnildiiis^' is iieated by steam and li<;hted by electricity as well as gas. The establishment of "(ilenwood Park." adjoining tlie city on the south, owed its inceptinn to Mr. Downing, .and since its inruiguration he has been its most liberal sui)]Mirter. It was his urgency and personal advocacv that ga\e tlie chief inipetus tn the uinvement fur securing the grounds and ins])ired others wiih his dwn enthusi.asm fur the completion of the great undertaking.