************************************************************************************************************** SOURCE: Vinton County Newspaper shortly after Nov 4, 1933. "Missionary Dies in East Africa" "Native of Vinton County was One of First White Women to Penetrate Jungles" "Mrs Blanche Hunter Downing, wife of Rev Lee H. Downing died at Nairobi Hospital, Kenya Colony, British East Africa, November 4 of cancer of the liver. She was 61 years of age. In 1901 the Downings with others went to the above part of Africa as missionaries. The women that accompanied Mrs Downing were sid to be the first white women that had penetrated that part of Africa. She was the daughter of the late George Hunter and Marietta Hoffhines Hunter and was born in Clinton township, Vinton county. Surviving are her husband, one daughter Lucille Downing Sawhill, who lives at Carnegie, Pennslyvania, two sons Herbert and Kenneth who are with their father in Lyable, Kenya Colony, British East Africa, two brothers Carl E. of Memphis, Tennessee and Dr. G. Herbert Downing of Frankfort, Ohio, two uncles J.S. (Milt) Hunter and Ed Hunter Sr. of McArthur and numerous cousins including Nira Tucker, John W. Hunter. both of McArthur, Willie Scott of Allensville and Bertha Anderson of Ray."