BENJAMIN DOWNER was born August 10, 1819, in Todd County, Ky., and has continued to reside here to the present time. He is the son of Benjamin Downer, Sr., a native of Spottsylvania County, Va., where he was born in 1782, and in 1809 removed to Todd County, then a part of Christian County, Ky., where he died in 1826. His wife, Elizabeth, daughter of John S. Slaughter (of Revolutionary fame), was born in Culpeper County, Va., in 1782, and died in Todd County, Ky., in 1862. From this union sprang Susan (Eddins), Frances (married first to Clark and afterward to Bradshaw), John S., William W., Mary S. (Lackey), Ellen (Casky), subject, Elizabeth (Hutchinson), Henrietta (Gibson), Adaline (Reno) and Julia (Hancock). Subject’s early educational advantages were such as the schools of the community afforded in his youth, but he has greatly improved his opportunities by careful reading of standard works and current literature. On December 20, 1847, he was married to Miss Emily L., daughter of John and Frances (Thompson), Pendleton, of Christian County, Ky., and to them were born William K. (dead), Addie, Frank N., James W., Lizzie, John P., Carrie, Emily L. and Benjamin R. Mr. D. is a farmer, owning 337 acres of very good land in first-class condition, and in fine state of cultivation. In religion he is a Methodist, in politics a Republican, and was a Union man during the late war.
