Katie "Isabella Katherine Wilson" TAMMEN ²

  General Notes:

FAMILY HISTORY FROM PAT ZUPAN: Katie's age is unknown; placed in orphanage in York, York Co, NE; adopted by Mr. & Mrs. A. A. Wilson and moved to Grand Island, Hall Co, NE.

MOTHER'S JEWELS ORPHANAGE, York Co, NE: records state Katie was taken on April 22, 1900 by Mr. and Mrs. Albert A. Wilson and her name was changed to Isabella Wilson (according to a letter written to the orphanage by the Wilsons)

1900 NE CENSUS, Keith Co, West Ogalla:
Albert A. Wilson, Jan 1869, 31, b. IN, parents b. IN, railway freight agent;
wife Hattie, Sept 1870, 29, b. PA, parents b. PA;
dau. Isabel C., Apr. 1898, 2, b. NE, father b. IN, mother b. PA.

1910 WA CENSUS, Pierce Co, Puyallup city:
Albert A. Wilson, 42, 1st marriage, married 16 yrs, b. IN, parents b. IN, shipping clerk for baking comp;
wife Hattie H., 39, 1st marriage, married 16 yrs, b. PA, parents b. PA;
dau. Isabelle K., 11, b. NE, father b. IN, mother b. PA.

ANCESTRY.COM, Member Story: "History of Katie Tammen" - contributed by Caroline McMahon on 25 Jun 2008: Isabella Katherine Wilson Downing we believe was Katie Tammen. Isabella was my great-grandmother. It is our understanding that Rachel Seely married David Tammen and David left the family and Rachel was very ill during pregnancy and the children were taken to an Orphanage in York, NE and left. By the time Rachel delivered and was no longer ill and returned to get the children back two girls were adopted out. The oldest and the youngest. My great grandmother was the youngest of those two. She was going to be adopted by a man named John Wilson and Hattie Thurber Wilson therefore, changing her name to Isabella Katherine Wilson. However, John Wilson passed away. It is our understanding that Hattie did not like nor want my great grandmother therefore, she took my great grandmother to a bus station somewhere near Hastings, NE and gave her 50 cents and told her that this is where she was from. She left her there never to be heard from again. During those years of 16 yrs-19yrs my great grandmother met and married my great grandfather Fred Wilson. If anyone has any information relating to any of this I would greatly appreciate any assistance you can provide.
(Note: Some of the information above appears to be incorrect, such as the parents of Katie, her adoptive father's given name, and the surname of her husband. John Tammen reportedly returned to the orphanage in 1901 and got his daughter Lizzie, but by then Katie and Ona were already adopted.)

1920 NE CENSUS, Hooker Co, Abby precinct:
Fred J. Downing, 39, b. KS, father b. IL, mother b. WI, farmer, gen. farm;
wife Isabella K., 21, b. NE, father b. US, mother b. PA;
son Alfred G., 6/12, b. NE, father b. IL, mother b. NE.
(Listed next to them on the census were Josiah & Alice M. Downing.)

1930 NE CENSUS, Hooker Co, Abby precinct:
Fred J. Downing, 51, 1st marriage age 38, b. KS, mother b. IL, mother b. NY, farmer, gen. farm;
wife Isabelle K., 31, 1st marriage age 19, b. NE, parents b. US;
son Alfred G., 10;
dau. Dorothy M., 9;
dau. Stella F., 7;
dau. Luella L., 5;
son "Dellbrt"(?) W., 3;
son Derold(?) D., 8/12(?).
All children were b. NE, father b. KS, mother b. NE.

1940 NE CENSUS, Cherry Co, Valentine city:
Fred Downing, 60, 0, b. KS, 1935: rural Cherry Co, NE, laborer, fish hatchery;
Isabelle, wife, 41, 8th, b. unknown, 1935: rural Cherry Co, NE;
Luella, dau, 15, attended school, 6th, b. NE, 1935: rural Cherry Co, NE;
Delbert, son, 13, attended school, 4th, b. NE, 1935: rural Cherry Co, NE;
Derrold, son, 10, attended school, 2nd, b. NE, 1935: rural Cherry Co, NE;
Ruby, dau, 8, attended school, 1st, b. NE, 1935: rural Cherry Co, NE;
Delmer, son, 5, attended school, 0, b. NE;
Opal, dau, 2, b. NE;
Wanda, dau, 0, b. NE.

FIND A GRAVE:
Name: Isabella Katherine Downing
Birth Date: 23 Apr 1898
Death Date: 3 Jan 1963
Cemetery: Juniata Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Juniata, Adams County, Nebraska, United States of America
Has Bio?: Y
Father: Johann Harms Gastmann Tammen
Mother: Ihte Wiards Tammen
Spouse:Fred J. Downing
Children:
Alfred Guy Downing
Luella Irene O'Brien
Ruby Jean Wilkinson
Delmer Lee Downing
Delbert W Downing

Katie married Fred Josiah DOWNING about 1917 in NE.¹ (Fred Josiah DOWNING was born on 26 Jan 1880 in Phillipsburg, Phillips Co, KS,^{5 6} died on 8 Dec 1963 in Hastings, Adams Co, NE ⁴ and was buried in Juniata Cem, Juniata, Adams Co, NE ⁴.)