- Glasco Sun, Feb. 1, 1934, page 1:
JOHN DOWNEY PASSES AWAY
One of The First Pioneer Settlers In This Community. He Was Nearly 101 Years of Age
John Downey
The oldest resident of Cloud County, John Downey, passed away Tuesday morning, at 10:00 a.m. Mr. Downey came to the United States in 1849 and was then 16 years of age. Had he lived until the coming March he would have been 101 years old. Mrs. Mary Dillon, a sister of the deceased, also came to this country, in 1862. Mrs. Dillon died in 1930, nearing 90 years of age. They were hardy pioneers of this western country and the early hardships and privations seemed to have but prolonged their lives.
Mr. Downey married a Pennsylvania girl of Irish descent, Hanora Hurley, who died February 5, 1922, at 75 years of age. The Dillons and Downeys moved first from Pennsylvania to Iowa, and in 1870 they came overland by wagon train to Glasco where they have resided since.
The quarter section where the gas booster station stands was filed on by Mr. Downey who lived on it until 1890, having acquired possession by homestead rights. In 1890 he moved to the Downey farm in Solomon Township where he made his home until his death.
History recounts that in the fall of 1869 the last Indian raid passed through this section, consequently it was the following year that this bearded pioneer came to settle and help win the country to civilization. It is interesting to recall the names of the rest of the group that accompanied these early settlers to Kansas, among them Thomas and Pierce Butler, James Hurley, Michael Dillon, William Cuntlin, Michael Kief, Mrs. Mary Cuntlin, and "Grannie" Malone. The early pioneer priests Father Pirriere and Molliere offered Mass in the homes of these early day settlers until a later date when the first Catholic Church was built sometime in the '80s.
Mr. Downey leaves 11 children: Mrs. Mary Paul of Kansas City, Mrs. Johanna Loftus and Mrs. Ella Murray of Jamestown, Mrs. Margaret LaRoque of Bradley, Ill., Tom Downey, Mrs. Julia Henry, J.J. Downey, Timothy Downey, Richard Downey and Will Downey of Glasco, and George Downey of Simpson. Four children, Theresa, Eliza Anna and LeNora preceded their father in death. There are 31 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 10:00 o'clock Thursday, January 18 at the St. Mary's Church at Glasco, and burial was made in St. Mary's cemetery
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1835 - 1934 (99 years) 
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