Alexander Downing

Alexander Downing MD
Born	1843
Died	1907
Residence	Granada Nicaragua
Occupation	medical
Society Membership membership ASL, AI local secretary for Granada left 1881.04 last listed elected_ASL 1868.05.19

Notes

House Notes

proposed as Local secretary 1868.05.05

Alexander A. in 1872 list

Notes From Elsewhere

John Alexander Downing
Birthdate: July 22, 1843 Birthplace: MO Death: Died 1907 Immediate Family:
John Alexander Downing was the oldest child of Henry Hawkins Downing, Jr. and Permelia Qualls Goldsberry. According to a newspaper account, Col. John Downing served in the Civil War with both the Confederacy and Union. Archive records in Jefferson City, Missouri show his original enlistment papers that record his enlistment on December 20, 1861 into Company “D” 2nd Missouri Regiment, Infantry. The original enlistment papers of J. K. Shaklett (who was also from Memphis, Missouri according to the same article) were also found showing his enlistment into Company “D.” J. K. Shaklett also served in Porter’s Regiment. A John Downing of Company “D” left the company at Springfield, Missouri on February 12, 1862, because of sickness. It is assumed this is John A. Downing. Research into John A. Downing’s service in the Union Army in incomplete. It may not be possible to find this information since there were several John Downings serving in the Union Army, and there is no information that would point to a particular company where he might have served. There is a John A. Downing who served in the 3rd Calvary, Company A, G. This could be John Alexander Downing.
At some point, either during the war or right after the war, John left Missouri with Samuel Longhorn Clemens better known as Mark Twain. We know from Mark Twain’s letters back to the Alto California that he was in Nicaragua in March 1867. It is not known whether it was this trip that John accompanied him, although Twain made the comment that he had been gone from home for five years. This time frame would fit well. After arriving in Nicaragua, John married Sabina Selva of Granada. John and Sabina moved to Memphis, Missouri in April 1876 and left in October 1877. (See copies of the original deeds where they bought and sold three lots in Memphis.) In Granada, they operated one of the finest hotels called the Hotel de los Leones. It was located across the street from La Casa de los Leones. John was known in Nicaragua as Alejandro Alberto Downing. These were names chosen by Sabina when he was baptized as a Catholic. John and Sabina’s tomb is in Granada, Nicaragua. John’s epitaph reads: “AQUI REPOSAN LAS CENIZAS DE A. A. DOWNING, NACIO EN 1843 Y MURIO EN 1907.” Translated: “HERE REMAINS THE ASHES OF A. A. DOWNING, BORN IN 1843 AND DIED IN 1907.” John had a heart attack and died while visiting family in the United States. He was at the home of his brother, William Green Downing in Great Falls, Montana. His body was taken back to San Francisco and cremated before returning to his widow in Nicaragua. A copy of a newspaper article telling of his death is typed with this report. From pictures, I cannot tell if there is an epitaph above Sabina’s name on her tomb. It states: “SABINA SELVA DE DOWNING, 1839-1928.”
It was John Green Downing that John Alexander Downing had visited in San Francisco before he went on the Montana and got sick and died
It is amazing the impact that John and Sabina’s family has made in Central America and actually all over the world. John’s son, Luis, was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and received a doctorate degree in dentistry. He returned to Nicaragua and founded the School of Dentistry at the University of Nicaragua. Luis’ son, James (known to his family as Jaime) received his doctorate degree in chemistry and returned to this same school to found the School of Engineering. One great grandson, Luis Alberto Guillen (known to his family as Coky) is a well-known attorney in Costa Rica.
John’s oldest son, Guillermo, was involved with the government and to this day his descendents are in high government in Honduras. (Roberto, please expand on this.)
Items in Memphis Reveille (a local newspaper in Memphis, Missouri). These newspaper articles give a brief account of John’s visit to Memphis as well as his later bringing his family to Memphis, Missouri to live. It looks like he visited from July 22, 1875 until October 21, 1875 with his father and siblings. In April 1876, he arrived with Sabina and his children and bought a home in the city of Memphis. In October 1877, John and Sabina returned to Granada, Nicaragua to rear their children.
July 22, 1875
Pleased to receive a call on Thursday from Col. John A. Downing of Granada, Nicaragua, Central America. The colonel is visiting his father, H. H. Downing, Esquire, of Scotland County, Missouri.
October 21, 1875
Our friend, John A. Downing starts today for his late home, Granada, Nicaragua, Central America. He expects to return about April and bring his family with him.
April 20, 1876
A huge snakeskin displayed in the Cunningham and Downing window (a business in town) attracts attention. It is the hide of a boa constrictor and was brought home from Central America by Col. John Downing.
May 4, 1876
Col. John A. Downing presented us with some chocolates, the product of the estate of his wife’s father in Central America and manufactured in that country by an aunt of hers.
June 15, 1876
Col. John Downing presented us with a five-cornered Spanish piece, valued at $1.10 that is 124 years old.
October 25, 1877
John A. Downing and family start today for their former home, Granada, Nicaragua, Central America. Bon Voyage.
Amanda Downing, daughter of John and Sabina Downing, was a nun known as Madre Catalina. She was in the Philippine Islands when the Japanese occupied the island. She went to Nicaragua in1946 and died in 1947.
THE FOLLOWING WERE FOUND, HANDWRITTEN, IN SOME FILES FROM THE DOWNING HOUSE MUSEUM IN MEMPHIS, MISSOURI
Guillermo Enrique Downing was born 28th day of June at five o’clock, Tuesday and baptized 4th of August at 6 o’clock. Godparents are Fernando Grigman and Marianna Darbyshire of Italy. Parents are J. A. Downing and Sabina Selva of Grenada. (The year would have to be either 1864 or 1870.)
Matilde Rose Downing was born 14th of March 1869 at half past 3 in the evening (Tuesday) and was baptized Sunday 21st of March at 7 o’clock in the evening (1869). Godfather Don Emilio Benard. Godmother Dona Josephine Espindoza. Parents are J. A. Downing and Sabina Selva of Granada, Nicaragua, Central America.
Aida Permelia Downing was born 17th day of December 1874. All the children were born in Granada, Nicaragua, Central America.
Printed in the Memphis Reveille (date not known)
JOHN DOWNING IS DEAD
“John D. Smoot received a letter Saturday night from William G. Downing, of Great Falls, Montana, stating that his brother, John Downing, had died at his home in Great Falls. John Downing was a son of Henry H. Downing, Sr. (Jr.), who was for many years a resident of the west part of this county. In about the year 1861, he joined Major Shaklett’s company in the Confederate army, but latter became identified with the Union army, joining a company of the later. The deceased left the army and went to Nicaragua, Central America, where he was soon married and established a home. A few years later, he came back to this country and was engaged in business in Memphis. During this time, he owned the building now owned and occupied by D. R. Brown as a drug store.
“In about 1876, Mr. Downing sold out his business in this city and returned to Central America, where he and his family have since resided. Recently, he came to this country for the purpose of attending a reunion of the Downing family in California, that had been planned, and while paying his brother a visit, was taken sick and died.
“The deceased was well known to a great many of the people now living in this county, and quite a number of our citizens were his relatives