Charles James Downing (1859-1932) son of Nancy (Getty) and Charles Henry Downing.

He married Martha Estelle Carman (1861-1950)

Nancy's first child, Charles James Downing, was born December 15, 1859, in the little town of Canandaigua, Seneca Township, Lenawee County, Michigan. His father was Charles Henry Downing from New York. Because of the ab­sence of certain records, it has been difficult to piece together Nancy's story, and her life still remains a mystery.

Charlie spent some years of his boyhood in New York, then again when he was a teenager, at which time he worked on the railroad.

Charles and Estella had eleven children.

  • Irving Henry (1881 to 1956) married Ella Hazel Frost.

  • Anna Matilda (1886 to 1919) married Charles Anspach.

  • Nora Belle (1887 to 1973) married Ransom Earl Squires.

  • Charles Clayton (1889 to 1962) married Camilla Jane Wilson.

  • Joseph Emery (1891 to 1972) married Iva Elizabeth Spencer.

  • Martha Ellen "Nellie" (1893 to 1929) married Emiel Wegner.

  • Louis Ezra (1895 to 1954) married Mary C. Williams.

  • Walter Harry (1897 to 1976) married (1) Vera Mae Grant, (2) Helen Craig Pierce.

  • Leland George (1901 to 1971) married Fannie Ellen Wadsworth.

  • Leon James (1901 to 1903) was Leland's twin. He died of indigestion and whooping cough when he was less than two years old.

  • Marion Estelle (1905 to 1977) married Fenton Lafayette Barrett.

 
Charlie and Estella set up housekeeping on the Ireland farm north of Deerfield. They were tenant fanners for Irving Osburn. They then lived for a time on their farm on the County Line, which was to become Harry Downing's place later. On November 2), 1896, they bought the old George K. Getty homestead from Thomas VanDuzer, where Albert Wielfaert now lives, and lived there for a few years.
Charles James Downing was born in Canandaigua, Lenawee County, Michigan. He spent his early boyhood at Elmira, New York State, returning to Seneca, Michigan, a t the age of ten years. At the age of eighteen years he came to Ridgeway Township, Lenawee County, Michigan. He farmed here the remainder of his life.
Charlie was just nineteen when he bought his first land on May 1, 1878. He purchased twenty acres from his mother. It was the north half of a forty acre parcel on the County Line just north of where Leslie Downing lives. Later that same year Nancy sold the south half to her second son, Alonzo Titsworth, and Alonzo in turn sold it to Charlie in 1887.
Mother and Dad met while they both worked at the Irving Osburn farm. After a courtship of three weeks, they were married. They first settled on the J.F. Pilbeam place for a short while and then purchased forty acres on the comer of Lenawee County Line and Kniffen Roads. They gradually expanded both family and farm until they owned 400 acres and had raised eleven children.
Charlie Downing died of a stroke of apoplexy at his home on April 11, 1932, age 72; cause of death arterial sclerosis, chronic nephritis, and cerebral hemorrhage. Estella died of cardio respiratory failure July 21, 19.50, age 88 years. They are both buried in the, Ridgeway Cemetery .
Through perseverance, ambition and excellent planning, Charles and Estella acquired a great deal of material wealth, especially land, of which they owned at one time close to a full section. In later years the road running past the homestead was named Downing Highway, at the suggestion of Leland's wife, Fannie. The road had been named Putnam, for a school teacher in Britton. But this man had long since moved back to Ohio.

Eunice died November 7, 1932, age 69, of heart failure. Elick died November 26, 1944, age 81, of acute cardiac failure. They're buried in the Ridgeway Cemetery .