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Community of Downs History
McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

John Price came here from Kentucky, in 1830, but did not then locate here. In 1834, he entered the land on Section 4, [Downs Township] which, in 1836, he made his home, and upon which he still lives. This first, he entered at Vandalia, and later, he entered land at Danville, making, in all, nearly seven hundred acres, which he purchased at the Government price. His neighborhood was called Priceville, and still popularly retains the name, although the station and post office are called Downs. There seems to be a difference of opinion in regard to the true name of this station. Priceville is the name by which the neighborhood was known for several years; when the station was established near the center of Section 4, in 1870, the railroad officials called it Downs. The same year, the Downs Post Office, which was for several years at Mr. Peasley's house, was transferred to the station, and the post office authorities have since known it as such. Soon after, the small office of "Delta," in Old Town; was discontinued, and all mail matter for that place was ordered sent to Downs. The reader will please take his choice. P. B. Price, son of old Father Price, laid out the town and platted fifteen blocks north of the railroad. It is nine miles from Bloomington, on the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western Railroad, and is the only station and the only post office in the township. C. D. Bellville, as soon as the place was laid out, built a store on the block north of the depot, and filled up with a general stock of goods. He now lives at Weedman, where he is engaged in trade. In the fall of the same year, J. A. Davis and Amos Allen built a store and put in a stock of merchandise- The following spring, the Killian brothers built and occupied another. These three were more than the trade would support, and this latter firm bought out the stock of Davis & Allen; and consolidated with their own. In 1874, the Killian Bros. sold to Craig & Rodman, who continued for about six months, when Rodman sold out; and, in the following spring, John Craig sold to his brother Joseph, who closed out the stock in 1876, and closed up the store. In the fall of 1876, Mr. Savidge moved the old storehouse from Delta, and Davis & Killian put a stock of goods in it. In the spring of 1877, C. D. Bellville made another mercantile venture, and six months later moved the goods to Kunller, and sold the building to A. Anderson, who keeps a shoe-shop there. In the fall of 1877, John Bellville traded his store for Kansas land to John Denham, who closed out the stock in six mouths, and sold the building to Davis; soon after this, Davis & Killian dissolved and Cowden took an interest; 0. Staten purchased the stock and good will in April, 1879. When Davis & Killian left the store they had so long occupied, Price Bros. opened a stock of dry goods and groceries, and ran it for a year, when they closed out the balance of their stock, and the store has not since been occupied. In the fall of 1875, Drs. Montgomery & Chapin built and stocked the present drug store, and have continued to occupy, adding stationery, groceries and wares. Dr. James Montgomery, the "father of the town," and the good physician "for all the surrounding country, was educated in the Green Isle" of his nativity, and after serving his adopted country fur three years in Capt. Walden's company of the 94th, commenced the practice of medicine in this neighborhood. In the spring of 1871, he moved to Downs Station. His partner, Dr. S. L. Chapin, came here in the spring of 1875 ; that fall, he entered into partnership with Montgomery, and, in 1878, took up his residence in Holder, north of here, in order to better accommodate his large practice in that vicinity. P. B. Price, either alone or with J. J. and B. R. alternately, has been engaged in grain, lumber and stock trade, at Downs, ever since the town was laid out. The business, some years, has been quite large and lucrative, but at others very unsatisfactory. J. H. Robertson came, when the village of Delta migrated southward, in the spring of 1871 ; his blacksmith-shop was burned in 1873, and he rebuilt and took in Frank Lewis as partner. He has all the time carried on a considerable trade in agricultural implements with his blacksmithing business. When the people of Downs wanted a Justice of the Peace who could "temper" the spirit of the community, they elected Robertson ; he knows how to strike when the iron is hot. J. K. Gardner sold implements here during the seasons of 1876 and 1877. [The History of McLean County, Illinois, Chicago: W. LeBaron Jr. & Co., 1879] The village of Downs [in Downs Township] was platted in 1870, and has had a solid growth. It is now an incorporated town with a population of 282. ["Official souvenir program, McLean County Centennial, Aug. 27, 28, 30, 1930" by: McLean County Illinois Centennial Souvenir Program Committee, Harold Lang and Eugene Funk] In the fertile farming country southeast of Bloomington lies the incorporated village of Downs, which today has a population of 299. It has a number of retail stores, automobile and other service establishments, a postoffice and several commodious grain elevators. The village is located on the New York Central Railroad and on US 153. Downs was surveyed and platted in 1870 on the site of an earlier village called Priceville, laid out by P. B. Price, son of an early settler. Today, this village is the only community of Downs Township, with a total population of 998. First settler of the township was Lawson Downs, who came in 1829 and took up a claim at what later was known as Diamond Grove. [This is McLean County, Illinois by: John Drury, The Loree Co., Chicago, Illinois (1955)]

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