Shelby Co. Kentucky birth records, on LDS microfilm #216840, record birth of John Dennis Douning to John P. Douning and Nancy Nichols on 7 Apr 1859.

Missouri death certificates scanned online at the Missouri State Archives web site record John Dennison Downing, widowed, age 93, born 7 April 1859 in Kentucky, parents unknown, late wife Ardella May Downing, died 13 Aug 1952 in Leeton, Johnson Co., Missouri, cause of death acute cerebral vascular accident & senility, informant Alice Plankington, Leeton, Mo., burial in Providence Cemetery, Johnson Co., Mo.

In 1880 he was listed as age 21, a farm hand with the family of Bedford and Polly Ann Brown, whose daughter Lucelia later married his brother Joseph, although in 1880 she was married to her first husband, Wesley Oates.

1900 census of Johnson Co., Missouri, Post Oak township, enumerated 5 June, lists on p. 6B as family # 131:
Downing, John D., 41, b. Apr 1859, Ky Ky Ky; Narcissa, wife, 39, b. July 1860, Mo Ky Ky, married 14 years, mother of 0 children.

The next household is that of John’s brother Jesse.