Downard of Keosauqua, Iowa; Pennsylvania, Kentucky, etc.

Just a few Downard's!  Keosauqua, Iowa, 1995.  About 80!

One rare bird!!! Verne Downard's support of bird watching in Birdwatcher's Paradise , Lacey Park, Keosauqua, and his cavorting with the birds in his ultra-light airplane (at 75+ years).

Keosauqua Airport - The Takeoff	Verne Downard Flying High 1995

 

The Aviator with his Para-Plane

Henry deBohun Companion of William the Conqueror	John Henry (Jackie) Downard (First in Iowa, Gun Maker) - Mary Ann Price

 

John Lincoln Downard Wedding Picture 1906		Justina Bohun Wedding Picture	Justina & John Lincoln Downard (before 1950)
Children of John Lincoln 1940 Frances Neta, Orlen, Roy		The Children of John Lincoln 1989 Keneth, Ruth, Verne, Margurite, Berty, Dale

 

Legendary Home of Downard's about 1555	Reproduction of first church 1692 - St. Augustine Parish, Maryland  (now Delaware)
Known Home of Downard's in Pennsylvania	Land for this church was donated by Downard family

 

The Downard's of Iowa - My Mother's Family

The family story is that three brothers left their home in Pennsylvania together.  When they came to the Mississippi river they decided to break up - one went South to Louisiana, one went North to Minnesota, and the other crossed the river to Iowa.

The mystery is that JP Downard's extensive records research doesn't contain my relative, and doesn't chronicle the departure of three brothers.

My family knows that it originated from the same Walnut Hill area of Pennsylvania (South of Pittsburgh), and still has known relatives near there.  My grandfather John Lincoln Downard visited PA several times and married a beautiful girl that he met there - Justina Bohun (married February 15, 1906 in Blair, Allegheny County, PA).

Justina Bohun's family origins is another great mystery story since the only information the family has is that she believed her family came from the Baden area of Germany.  Justina, her Mother and a brother came over on a ship together with a aunt.  But her mother and brother died from disease within a few years in Pennsylvania.  She was then raised by the Roth family - the aunt on the ship was her mother's sister.

The story continues!

The history of the Bohun family has been documented in England from Humphrey the Old who accompanied William the Conqueror when he invaded England.  Very little information was found about the family from any other sources.  Recently a book was found in UCLA's library that chronicles the Bohun family origins in France - Les Seigneurs de Bohun by Jean LeMelletier, Coutances: Arnaud-Bellee, 1978.

The old missing link!  I haven't found any information on Justina Bohun and where she came from.  The book above is the most interesting information I have come across that might indicate her origins.

Always Under Construction
October 31, 1999