His death certificate records Samuel Downing, age 91 years 2 months 29 days, born 1 Aug 1842 in Kentucky, died 30 Oct 1933 in Higginsville, Lafayette Co., Missouri, married, husband of Florence Kelly Downing, occupation hardware merchant, father Samuel Downing, mother’s maiden name Armanda Offutt, both born in Kentucky, cause of death weak heart from the infirmities of age, informant Kelley Downing, Higginsville, Mo.

Her death certificate records Mrs. Florence Kelley Downing, age 73 years 5 months 7 days, born 5 Feb 1863 in Shelbyville, Illinois, died 12 July 1936 in Dover, Fafayette Co., Missouri, widowed, late husband Samuel Downing, father Chastan Kelley, born in Tennessee, mother’s maiden name and birthplace unknown, cause of death repeated cerebral hemorrhage due to high blood pressure, informant S. Kelley Downing, Higginsville, Mo., burial in Ceity Cemetery, Higginsville.

So far as I know, this Downing family is not related to my Dennis Downing. I am including them in my database because they ended up in Lafayette Co., Missouri, as did Dennis’s son James Franklin Downing and his children. So keeping track of Samuel’s male line descendants helps me identify which Missouri Downings are my relatives and which are not.

1880 census of Lafayette Co., Missouri, Dover township, enumerated 1 June, lists on p. 1 as household #1:
Downing, Samuel, 3, head, farmer, b. Ky Ky Ky.

Apparently the census taker put down the first digit and forgot to complete it.

1900 census of Lafayette Co., Missouri, Dover township, enumerated 21 June, lists on p. 18A as family #299/302:
Downing, Samuel, 57, b. Aug 1842, Ky Ky Ky, hardware merchant; Florence, wife, 37, b. Feb 1863, Illinois Tenn Ky, married 16 years, mother of 2 children, 2 living; Richard C., son, 15, b. Dec 1884; Kelley S., son, 11, b. Mar 1889. Both sons born Missouri Ky Illinois.

1910 census of Lafayette Co., Missouri, Dover township, enumerated 7 May, lists on p. 25B as family #567/592:
Downing, Samuel, 67, b. Ky Ky Ky, retail hardware merchant; Florence, wife, 47, b. Illinois Tenn Ky, first marriage for both, married 26 years, mother of 2 children, 2 living; S. Kelley, son, 21, single, b. Mo Ky Ill.

1920 census of Lafayette Co., Missouri, Dover township, enumerated 12 Jan, lists on p. 12A at 904 Grand Ave., Higginsville, as family #32:
Downing, Sam, 76, b. Ky Ky Ky, proprietor of hardware store; Florence, wife, 56, b. Illinois Tenn Ky; Kelley, son, 30, single, b. Mo Ky Illinois.

1930 census of Lafayette Co., Missouri, Dover township, enumerated 10 April, lists on p. 5A at 904 Grand Ave., Higginsville, as family #114/115:
Downing, Samuel, 87, b. Ky Ky Ky, age at first marriage 41, no occupation; Florence, wife, 67, b. Illinois Tenn Ky, age at first marriage 21; Kelley, son, 41, single, proprietor of hardware store, b. Mo Ky Illinois.