Eleanor Christina Downing

1. ELEANOR C.2 WILLARD (Alexander1) was born on 31 Dec 1828 at Michigan Territory (modern Wisconsin).1766,1767,1768,1769,1770 She married Major William M. Downing on 29 Feb 1856 at Yolo county, California.1771,1772 She died on 11 Jan 1910 at Cottonwood, Yavapai county, Arizona Territory (modern Arizona), at age 81.1773,1774,1775 She was buried in the Dos Cabezas Cemetery, on Route 186 15 miles SE of Willcox and 1/2 mile from Dos Cabezas, Cochise county, Arizona.1776

She went by the nickname of Ellen.1777

1850 Census: Eleanor C. Willard appeared on the census of 2 Aug 1850 in the household of Alexander Hamilton Willard Sr and Eleanor McDonald at Eastern District #25, Platteville, Grant county, Wisconsin, called "Ellen" aged 22, born in "Wisc."1778

"A story related to Thelma Farley by Clara Willard Holmes concerns a woman Clara called "Auntie Ellen". Clara used to sit on her lap. This lady lived in Cottonwood or in the greater Verde valley. When the lady was younger and had a young child, word came of an Indian uprising and her husband left to fight. This woman was subject to terrible headaches that would sometimes lead to fainting. She soon felt one coming on so she tied her child to the bed with rope and put out food, then crawled into bed herself and passed out. When she came to, she saw an Indian standing looking at her with horror on his face. When he saw she was awake he said something like "I won't hurt you." She was scared but didn't do anything. What the Indian saw was that her eye had swollen and burst on her cheek. The Indian put his hands out over the child, as if in blessing, and looked up and said words like a prayer and then walked out." This story might be of Eleanor Willard Downing.1779

1880 Census: Major William M. Downing, called William M. Downing, and Eleanor C. Willard, called E. C. Downing, appeared on the census of 4 Jun 1880 living in Allen Street, Tombstone Village, Pima county, Arizona Territory (modern Arizona), with their daughter; Wm. M. is 55, married, Running a Lumber Mill, cannot write [?!], born Kentucky, father born Kentucky, mother's birth not given; Eli is 50, married, Keeping House, born Wisconsin, father born Vermont, mother born Missouri.1780

Eleanor C. Willard survived her husband, Major William M. Downing, who died on 3 Mar 1898 at Bisbee, Cochise county, Arizona Territory.1781,1782

13 March 1898: "L. A. Willard came in from his Verde ranch yesterday and left for Bisbee on last night's taxless. He goes to Bisbee in response to a letter stating that his brother-in-law, Major Wm. M. Downing, died in that city on the 3d of this month and that his sister wished him to come and help her settle up the estate. Mr. Willard has not seen his sister for 41 years.&quot.1783

At some point after her marriage, they lived in Old Mexico on a cattle ranch. While there she contracted a serious illness and lost her hair, and she thereafter always wore a cloth cap. But in her old age her hair regrew and it came in as lovely red curls. Lewis's children would greet her in the morning by pushing back her cap and kissing her on her head. One morning they noticed and called attention to the new hair growing in.1784

1900 Census: Eleanor C. Willard, called Ellen C. Downing, appeared on the census of 21 Jun 1900 in the household of her brother, Lewis A. & Julia A. Willard, on the farm in Beaver Creek Precinct, Yavapai county, Arizona Territory, age 71, a Widow, born Dec 1828 in Wisconsin, father born New Hampshire, mother born Kentucky.1785

MAJOR WILLIAM M. DOWNING was born circa 1825 at Kentucky.1786,1787 He died on 3 Mar 1898 at Bisbee, Cochise county, Arizona Territory.1788,1789 He was buried in the Dos Cabezas Cemetery, on Route 186 15 miles SE of Willcox and 1/2 mile from Dos Cabezas, Cochise county, Arizona Territory.1790

Known children of Eleanor C.2 Willard and Major William M. Downing were:

   *     67  i.   DELIA3 DOWNING was born circa 1860 at California.1791 She died on 15 Jul 1887 at Cochise county, Arizona Territory.1792 She was buried in the Dos Cabezas Cemetery, on Route 186 15 miles SE of Willcox and 1/2 mile from Dos Cabezas, Cochise county, Arizona Territory.1793

     1880 Census: Delia Downing, called Delia Downing, appeared on the census of 4 Jun 1880 in the household of her parents, Wm. M. & Eli Downing, at Allen Street, Tombstone Village, Pima county, Arizona Territory (modern Arizona), age 20, Single, At Home, born California, father born Kentucky, mother born Missouri.1794

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ID: I27393

Name: Eleanor C. Willard

Sex: F

Birth: 31 DEC 1828 in Platteville, Iowa Co., WI

Death: AFT 1900 in , , AZ

Ancestral File #: 39DR-9N

_UID: CD06C81D8260CF4B9CFC5D44F68AA29AA91E

Change Date: 8 DEC 2001 at 11:52:26

Father: Alexander Hamilton Willard b: 24 AUG 1778 in Charleston, Cheshire, NH

Mother: Eleanor McDonald b: 1774 in , Fauquier, VA

Marriage 1 William Major Downing b: ABT 1824

Married: 29 FEB 1856 in Yolo Co, California

She died on August 14 near Salt Lake City. Notice the ages of David Feathers' children at this time. In the 1860 Census: Nell and William Sanderson are settled in Cottonwood near her Uncle Austin Willard, Uncle Alexander Jr., and her Aunt Eleanor. They were not far from where her Grandpa Alexander Sr was living in Franklin along with her Uncle Lewis. Living with Nell and William is her 8 year old brother Lewis Feathers aka Willie. 14 year old Jane Feathers is living with her Uncle Joel over in Clear Lake, where Joel was surveying for Napa County. It is unknown where 9 year old Kitty was living. It is unknown where David Feathers himself was.

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Ellen C Dunning United States Census, 1900 Name Ellen C Dunning Event Type Census Event Year 1900 Event Place Upper Verde Precinct Cherry Creek, Verde, Oak, Beaver Creek towns, Yavapai, Arizona Territory, United States Gender Female Age 72 Marital Status Widowed Race White Race (Original) W Relationship to Head of Household Sister Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Sister Birth Date Dec 1828 Birthplace Wisconsin Father's Birthplace New Hampshire Mother's Birthplace Kentucky HOUSEHOLD

ROLE

GENDER

AGE

BIRTHPLACE

Lewis A Willard Head M 69 Wisconsin Julia A Willard Wife F 43 Pennsylvania Frances E Willard Daughter F 14 Arizona Lewis A Willard Son M 7 Arizona Alexander F Willard Son M 5 Arizona Olga W Willard Daughter F 18 Nevada Ellen C Dunning Sister F 72 Wisconsin CITING THIS RECORD

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9V8-4PX : 6 March 2015), Ellen C Dunning in household of Lewis A Willard, Upper Verde Precinct Cherry Creek, Verde, Oak, Beaver Creek towns, Yavapai, Arizona Territory, United States; citing sheet 6A, family 126, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,047.