DOWNING, Tera ^{1131,1165,1192,1195}

   Other names for Tera were BUTLER, J. D., Mrs.,¹¹³⁷ BUTLER, Tera,¹¹⁹³ BUTLER, Tera Downing ¹¹⁹⁷ and DOWNING, Matena.¹¹⁷⁸

  Noted events in her life were:

• Census, 15 Jun 1880, Cedar Creek Twp, Cumberland Co, NC. ¹¹⁷⁸
1) Downing, Henry W., age 33, married, farmer, born NC, parents born NC
2) Downing, Sophia, age 28, wife, married, keeping house, born NC, parents born NC
3) Downing, Empie, age 8, son, attends school, born NC, parents born NC
4) Downing, Matena, age 7, daughter, born NC, parents born NC
5) Downing, Lella, age 6, daughter, born NC, parents born NC
6) Downing, Danill L., age 3, son, born NC, parents born NC
7) Downing, Susan G., age 1, daughter, born NC, parents born NC.

• Census, 18 Jun 1900, Geddies Gin Precinct, Cumberland Co, NC. ¹¹³¹
1) Downing, William H., head of household, age 53, married for 28 years, born NC, parents born NC, farmer, owns his farm free
2) Downing, Sophia, wife, age 48, married for 28 years, 10 children, 9 living, born NC, parents born NC
3) Downing, Tera, daughter, age 25, single, born NC, parents born NC
4) Downing, Lella, daughter, age 24, single, born NC, parents born NC
5) Downing, Daniel L., son, age 23, single, born NC, parents born NC, at college 10 months
6) Downing, Susan G., daughter, age 21, single, born NC, parents born NC, at school 10 months
7) Downing, Cleta, daughter, age 16, born NC, parents born NC, at school 9 months
8) Downing, Ethel, daughter, age 12, born NC, parents born NC, at school 9 months
9) Downing, Latta, son, age 12, born NC, parents born NC, at school 9 months
10) Downing, Burline, daughter, age 7, born NC, parents born NC, at school 2 months.

• Residence, 1907, Pavo, Thomas County, Georgia, United States. ¹¹³⁹ After marriage, moved to Pavo, Georgia.

• Census, 16 Apr 1910, Pavo, Thomas County, Georgia, United States. ¹¹⁹³
1) Butler, John D., head of household, owns his home on Sycamore Street, age 48, single [sic], married for 2 years, 1 child, 1 living, born NC, parents born NC, no occupation
2) Butler, Tera, wife, age 32, single [sic], born NC, parents born NC, no occupation
3) Butler, John D. Jr., son, age 1, born GA, furniture merchant [sic, this should be on head of household line].

• Education. ¹¹³⁹ Attended same private school in Sampson County, NC, that Empie attended.

• Story. I have two Downing family photos showing Tera.

• Alt. Death, 11 Feb 1914. ¹¹⁹⁷

• Newspaper Article: Death, 18 Feb 1914, Fayetteville, Cumberland Co, NC. ¹¹⁹⁶ (article in Fayetteville Weekly Observer) A telegram was received here Wednesday night, February the 11th, announcing the sad news of the death of Mrs. J. D. Butler, which occurred at 10 o'clock at her home in Pavo, Ga. Mrs. Butler was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Downing, and was loved and esteemed by all who knew her for her fine Christian character. Mr. Downing and his daughters, Mrs. H. C. Atkinson and Mrs. L. G. Hair, left here for Pavo on the Palmetto Limited that morning, but just after their departure a message was received that the body would be brought here for burial. They were reached by wire to this effect at Pembroke, and returned to Fayetteville on the noon train. There were no details as to Mrs. Butler's death. On arrival of the train here, the body was taken to the residence of the brother of the deceased, Mr. Empie Downing, on Dick street. The funeral was held Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the First Baptist Church.

• Newspaper Article: Death Memorial, 18 Feb 1914, Fayetteville, Cumberland Co, NC. ¹¹⁶⁵ (article in Fayetteville Weekly Observer) Mrs. Tera Downing [sic, should be Butler], who was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Downing, was greatly beloved in this city and section, where she was born and reared, and her death came as a great shock and grief. It had been her lot, during her short life, to suffer much, but these sufferings and trials she bore with a brave spirit and Christian resignation. Her pastor in her Georgia home speaks of her as one constant in well doing and in consecrated church work, and in her daily ministrations she won love an desteem -- golden sheaves which she carried with her to that better land. The community sympathizes deeply with the bereaved ones.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Butler is survived by the following brothers and sisters: Mr. E. M. Downing, Mrs. W. O. Haywood, Mr. D. L. Downing, Mrs. H. C. Atkinson, Mr. Lat Downing, Mrs. L. G. Hair, all of Fayetteville, and Mrs. R. P. Bell, of Jacksonville, Fla.

Tera married John D. BUTLER, son of John A. BUTLER and Mary E. STRICKLAND, on 1 Jan 1908 in Flea Hill Twp, Cumberland Co, NC.¹¹⁹² (John D. BUTLER was born in Apr 1862 in North Carolina ^1036,1037 and died before 1940.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage, 1 Jan 1908, Cumberland Co, NC. ¹¹⁹⁵ Tera Downing and J. D. Butler married 1 Jan 1908 in Cumberland County, NC.

• Marriage, 1 Jan 1908, Flea Hill Twp, Cumberland Co, NC. ¹¹⁹² [From newspaper article about the wedding] [From Thursday's daily, so 2 Jan 1908] A quiet but very pretty wedding took place last night at the resdence of Mr. W. H. Downing, when his daughter, Miss Tera Downing, was united in matrimony to Mr. John D. Butler, of Pavo, Ga. ... After the wedding, refreshments were served, and the happy couple took the south-bound train for Pavo, their future home. ... Mr. Butler, formerly of these parts, is now a successful business man in Pavo.