George T. Downey, 79, of 203 Fifth St., well known retired farmer, died Tuesday, 07 November, 1944, at 11:15 p.m. Tuesday in St. Clara's Hospital following an extended illness.
He was born August 22, 1865, in Clark County, IL,a son of the late Ezekiel Hinton and Mary Ann Jones Downey. His marriage to Minerva French occurred Feb. 25, 1891, in the home of her parents, Ezekiel and Caroline French. They farmed in Logan county for 29 years before retiring to their present home in Lincoln in 1920. He worked many jobs: at the pottery, for various farmers around Lincoln, at Malloy's Restaurant as a dishwasher and janitor. With his son Paul he ran a gasoline service station. He owned a farm in North Dakota which son Paul operated 1921-24. About 1936 Mr. Downey started a potato chip business in Lincoln.
Surviving are his wife and following children: Mrs. Grace McKinley, Chestnut; Mrs. Mary Reeder, Maywood; Paul Downey, Creve Coeur; Mrs. Alma Fortman, Lincoln; Darwin Downey, Chicago and Raymond Downey, Decatur. There are 16 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are a sister, Mrs. Ella Hetherington, Iowa and three brothers, James, Iowa; John, Peoria; and Oscar, Chestnut.
Mr. Downey was a member of the First Methodist Church.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Methodist church with the Rev. O. B. Enselman, pastor, officiating. Interment will be in Downing Cemetery. (This is a mistake. He is buried in the New Union Cemetery in Lincoln.)

submitted by granddaughter