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The Commemorative Quarter for Illinois







Notable Births & Deaths for Downs ...

Below is our list of notable people who were born, died or were buried in the area surrounding Downs. Please note that while we are collecting data on an ongoing basis, it's a big task and it's unlikely that our list will ever be more than a sample.

  • Joe Dowell     (Singer)
  • Frances Louise McDormand     (Oscar nominated actress)
    • Born: Cynthia Ann Smith
    • She was born in Gibson City (IL) on June 23, 1957 (a Sunday)
    • Gibson City is located 27 miles [43.5 km] to the east of Downs.
  • Edward H. Griffith     (Director)
  • George Elmer 'Del' Howard     (Professional baseball)
  • Marie Litta     (Opera singer)
    • She was born in Bloomington (IL) on June 1, 1856 (a Sunday) and died in Bloomington (IL) on July 7, 1883 (a Saturday) at the age of 27. She is buried at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery (McLean County, Illinois).
    • Bloomington is located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest of Downs.
    • Bloomington is located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest of Downs.
    • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Marie Litta<1>
  • Frances Mcdormand     (Oscar winning actress)
    • She was born in Gibson City (IL) on June 23, 1957 (a Sunday)
    • Gibson City is located 27 miles [43.5 km] to the east of Downs.
  • Charles Dean 'Dion' O'Banion     (Crime figure)
  • John Joseph 'Jack' Powell     (Major League Baseball)
  • Charles Gardner 'Old Hoss' Radbourn     (Major League Baseball)
  • Harold Augustus Sinclair     (Author)
  • McLean Stevenson     (Actor, comedian)
  • Forrest Taylor     (Actor)
  • Betty Jane Watson     (Entertainer)
    • Born: Elizabeth Jane Watson
    • She was born in Le Roy (IL) on December 28, 1921 (a Wednesday) and died in Pompano Beach (FL) on February 21, 2016 (a Sunday) at the age of 94.
    • Le Roy is located 7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast of Downs.
    • Find-A-Grave Memorial: Betty Jane Watson<1>

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Downs. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for McLean County: www.mclean.gov/

The official website for State of Illinois: https://illinois.gov

Footnotes ...

<1>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.









 

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This page was last modified/updated: 13 Apr 2025