Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 1886. Allen County. BENJAMIN DOWNING, SR., was born Octobr 18, 1826, on the farm where he now resides fifteen miles east of Scottsville, and is one of the prominent and respected farmers of Allen County, Ky. He is the seventh of four sons and four daughters born to Benjamin and Isabella (Campbell) Downing. (See W. R. Downing's sketch). Benjamin was reared on a farm; in August, 1850, he married Lucy A. Dunn, of Allen County, a daughter of John and Margaret (Bright) Dunn, who are natives of Kentucky and of German descent. To their union children were born as follows: John M., James H., Sarah T. E. Johnson, Benjamin, Margaret I. (deceased), Aldridge D., Samuel C. Mr. D. and wife are among the leading members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He has been justice of his county for eight years. He is the possessor of 600 acres of land on the banks of Barren River, 200 of which are in a good state of cultivation. He is one of the best farmers of Allen County. With the exception of fifteen years' residence within four miles of where he now resides, he has always lived on the old homestead; has been very successful during life, accumulating what he has mostly by his own industry; is strictly a moral and temperate man, was a member of Sons of Temperance. In politics he is a Democrat. Bright Campbell Downing Dunn Johnson = none http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/allen/downing.b.txt