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Terry Mason's Family History Site59,283 names. Major lines: Allen, Beck, Borden, Buck, Burden, Carpenter, Carper, Cobb, Cook, Cornell, Cowan, Daffron, Davis, Downing, Faubion, Fauntleroy, Fenter, Fishback, Foulks, Gray, Harris, Heimbach, Henn, Holland, Holtzclaw, Jackson, Jameson, Johnson, Jones, King, Lewis, Mason, Massengill, McAnnally, Moore, Morgan, Overstreet, Price, Peck, Rice, Richardson, Rogers, Samuel, Smith, Taylor, Thomas, Wade, Warren, Weeks, Webb, Wodell, Yeiser. |
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RESEARCHER-DEATH: Information sent to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003 by Bradley Canon. "Lexington Gazette March 28, 1814, p. 2, and the Kentucky Reporter, March 26, 1814. (LexLib 7-02). The former says he was "90 odd years old" and later gives his age as 90.
DEATH: [HYPERLINK http://local.lexpublib.org/detail.cfm?counter=60087 ]
Subject Heading: DOWNING, FRANCIS
Source: Kentucky Reporter.
Date: March 26, 1814
Location: p. 2 col. 1.
Abstract: Died Francis Downing at age of 90.NOTE: If one were to calculate Francis' birth date from the 1776 census he would have been born in 1736. That disagrees with the age from the obituary listing from the Lexington Gazette.
RESIDENCE-EMIGRATION: The Downings first lived in Baltimore, but soon moved to Broad Creek Hundred in Harford County, about 30 miles northeast of Baltimore. The family seemed reasonably prosperous by the time of the 1776 census which reported Francis owned eight slaves.
Settled in Harford County, Maryland, near where the Susquehanna River flows into Chesapeake Bay. The family lived there for about 30 years and then in the early 1780s, after his wife died, he moved to Fayette County, Kentucky in 1791.
Ref: Mt. Sterling Advocate article by Harry Mills: Francis, the emigrant, Yorkshire, England to Baltimore, Md. and later to Hartford Co., Md.,1776. Emigrated to Fayette Co.,Ky. md. Susanna
CONFLICT: E-mail from Sue Hodnett to T.Mason; 29 Sep 1998; EXTRACT: "I still haven't resolved the issue of Francis Downing and Henrietta. I really don't know where to look next; the only other piece of information I have found on the Vileys is that Henrietta's father is probably a Capt. William Viley. I haven't really had the time to search for him yet. But almost everyone I talk to about the discrepancy in the dates for the Francis-Henrietta match, tend to ignore it. I also raised the question of Francis Downing being taxed the same year in two different counties; one person told me about Fayette County being split into three different counties but I think that occured before 1800; and the tax records I saw were at least from 1800 or 1810. So I'm not sure that's valid. There were definitely three Francis Downings who were taxed, one was our Francis, and I think the second would be his son, Francis (both of Fayette County) when he came of age; who was the third, (of Scott county) ours, or an entirely different man? No, I haven't resolved it. As I mentioned above, I'm not sure what to try next. Almost everyone else is lumping them together as the same man, with two marriages. As you pointed out, some of their children tend to overlap. That could be because people do consider him one and the same man. I have found no record indicating that Francis divorced Susannah; and her father's will wasn't probated until 1782, and she was mentioned in it."
RESEARCHER: Sue Hodnett wrote T.Mason on 8Apr2002 that "There is another Francis Downing, born before 1600, who sailed out of England aboard the ship "The Returne" in Mar of 1624, to VA, settling in the West and Shirley Hundred, and on the muster roll there in 1624. Where he went from there I don't know! He was probably the son of a John Downing, St. Clements Danes, Middlesex, London, who left a will in 1623 naming sons Francis, Richard, and a daughter,Abigail."
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; NOTES: Francis has eight or nine kids, depending on what researcher you talk to. One researcher thinks that William is not really the son of Francis, but a younger relative, and Rebecca, listed under William is his wife, and they have a son, John. (In the 1776 Maryland census, there are two boys named John in the household of Francis, one six months old and the other about 15. So William could either still be his son, or maybe another relative, and if another relative, then Rebecca might well be his wife, instead of his sister. This is the only researcher that has come up with this.)
Here are possible ancestors for Francis of 1726:
William Downing b. 1702 Bradninch, Eng.
William Downing b. 1672 Bradninch, D, Eng m. Agnes Savery
Edward Downing b. 1625 m. Elizabeth Salter, Bradninch
John Downing b. 1597 Eng m. Judith Weekes, Bradninch
Thomas Downing b. 1560There is also the possibility that his father is a Jonathan, which goes back, Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan. I believe this line is Yorkshire related.
There is also a chance that Francis has one other son, not listed with the rest of his children. There is a Joseph Downing, b 1748/50. Several researchers put him in Francis' family somewhere, and at least one puts him as a son. If not a son, perhaps he is a brother or nephew. This Joseph married Jemima Woodward. It is very hard to place this Downing family.NOTE-CONFLICT: (COMMENT by T.Mason: The following individual is confused with Francis Downing, b. 1726). On 18May2001 Anne wrote T.Mason. QUOTE: According to the ARW pension - Francis Downing was born 1 Jan 1746 in Yorkshire, England; he died 1834 & is buried in the Downing Family Cemetery where his stone remains. He had ONLY ONE WIFE: Henrietta Viley who he married in Montgomery Co., Md. She is also buried in the Downing Cemetery. Their eldest son, John Downing was born 10 Oct 1775 in Montgomery Co., Md. Further see will and estate records in Scott Co., Ky. for definative records on the children of Francis Downing. Francis & Henrietta (Viley) Downing along with her twin brother, George Viley & his family left Montgomery Co., Maryland arriving in Ky. on Christmas Day 1795.
CONFLICT: The Francis Downing who married to Henrietta Viley, must also have lived in Scott County, KY with her, as a Francis Downing is listed in both counties. This Francis was supposed to have been born in 1746, and died 1834, Scott County, a Rev. War Vet. It is said that Francis came first to Maysville, Ky in 1791, and then on to Fayette County, Ky. I don't believe they are the same man and private researcher, Anne W. Cissel doesn't think so either. I think there were two Francis Downings about 10 years apart, both coming from Yorkshire, England. One moved to Fayette county, the other to Scott county. They are on tax rolls in each county in the same year. He could conceivably be a nephew to Francis of 1726. Henrietta had a twin brother, the only other relative so far that we know of for her. We have reason to believe that Susannah lived at least until 1782. I have a record of George Viley's family and will insert them into my records for safe keeping. He married Martha Ann Janes of MD. A direct descendant of his is Anne Baker of KY. But I don't believe they are part of our line.
It has recently come to my attention (Sue Hodnett) that Francis had a brother, William, born in 1732, I presume, but might be wrong, in Yorkshire, Eng. I do not have his wife's name, but do have some of his children. William died in 1792 in Mercer County, KY. His children are: Jemima, who married Jessie White; Elizabeth, who married Abraham Nossir; James who was born in 1779 and married Martha......; Polly, born in 1780 and who married John Coplan; Martha born in 1800 in Mercer County, KY and married .......Morris. There are probably others too. This information supplied to me by Ruby Waugh of Parnora, Iowa. her e-mail address is: jakec@netins.net. I might add that she thinks Francis and William were born in PA, and that they might have been Dutch.?? and possibly Quakers. But this is the first I have heard of this.
Ruby Waugh has a William Downing ancestor, born 1800-1804 in Kentucky. She is wondering if his father is one of Francis' brothers, William of 1732. But no way to prove it.A list of references for all the Downing ancestors is included here:
*Book "Downings of Europe and America", by Greggath.
*Land, marriage, and will records of Harford-Baltimore County, Maryland; and Fayette County, Ky.
*Census records of Harford County, Maryland, 1766 (Broad Creek One Hundred); tax lists of Fayette County, Ky, and various census records.
*Census of Davies County, MO. 1850 for Morean and Powhatan, Jr.
*1900 census, a third Powhatan was found in Tulare Co., CA, son of Powhatan, Jr.
*Land records, will, marriage records of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri.
I am sorry I didn't get the numbers for all of these; some had no numbers. A lot were sent to me by various researchers, and are in the body of the Downing Genealogy.
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; NOTES: Wells may or may not be the right last name for our Susannah, but due to the fact that the name Susannah Downing was mentioned in the will of one Richard Wells, who has a daughter Susannah, who married a Downing, it seems likely that this is the right last name, and it is referring to our Susannah.
Ref.: Harford County Wills R-189, and also references in "Early Hartford Countians". In that will, Susannah's son Richard is also mentioned. Also, Richard Wells will of 1782 mentions the same land Francis Downing was partially taxed for in 1783, "Arabia Patri". Susannah was alive in 1782.
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; NOTES: We still have no information on her at all.
In 1783 Francis is taxed for part of "Aribia Patria" which was the same tract mentioned in his father-in-law's will of 1782. (Reference: Hartford Co. Wills R-189)
RESEARCHER: Information from Bradley Canon to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003. "William Downing is named on a plaque attached to the old Fayette County, Kentucky, Courthouse (now a history museum) that lists all Revolutionary War veterans who settled in the Harford County militia company.
Fayette County Will Book M, p. 126 (Fay Cthse). The sale occurred on April 23, 1835. His will named his son William Jr. as executor. His personalty was appraised at $1,235.12, but brought only $1,110.38 when it was sold. After some debts and fees were paid, nine of his children by both marriages received about $73 apiece: Venetia Wingate, Mary Adams, William Jr., Ruth, Samuel, Mariah, Elizabeth, Ann Rice and Priscilla Peel. Three children, Joseph, Richard and Eliza Wymore received only $2.65 apiece. His deceased son John's four children got $9.75 apiece while George and Rebecca Downing, children of his son Francis received $48.96 and $24.25 respectively."
Ref: Mt. Sterling Advocate article indicates he removed from Hartford Co.,Md. to Ky., first at Maysville, and later to Fayette Co.,Ky. around 1787-1790.
His farm was on Todds Rd. about four or five miles east of the center of Lexington. The family probably lived on Hickman (now Nicholasville) Rd., about four miles south of Lexington.
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; NOTES: A researcher named Anne W. Cissel of Historic Research Associates, 117 Sunhigh Drive, Thurmont, Maryland 21788, raised the question as to whether William is the son of or a younger relative such as brother or nephew to Francis. She is going on the fact that Susannah would only be fourteen when she had William if he is her son; but women back then did marry young. Also, there is a leeway of ten years in dates when you use Family Research Centers. She mentions William's Bible records,(I have these now); according to them, the Rebecca listed and the John of six months listed with him on the 1776 Maryland census that lists Francis and family are William's wife and son, John. It could be; I often wondered why there were two Johns listed for Francis, one six months old and the other about 15.
His Bible records are found in "Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records". It lists all his children, also, and has them right.
William had five children by Rebecca; she died and he left Maryland and traveled by river to Kentucky where he married Margaret Schrock and had eleven more children. I can't find anything on Margaret Schrock, but quite a bit is appearing on Rebecca.
William was constable of Broad Creek Hundred in 1788 (Harford County). In Maryland, the family lived in both Broad Creek Hundred and Deer Creek Lower Hundred. (Federal Tax Rosters)
It is possible he also lived for a time in Mercer County, KY, and Madison County, Ohio. His son, Francis, born in 1782, lived both in Mercer County and Madison County.
Add to references:
Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records by MacAdams 1929
Downing Bible Records (William's Bible)
Francis and Rebecca are mentioned in the will of William Dunlap.
RESEARCHER: Information from Bradley Canon to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003. "William Downing is named on a plaque attached to the old Fayette County, Kentucky, Courthouse (now a history museum) that lists all Revolutionary War veterans who settled in the Harford County militia company.
Fayette County Will Book M, p. 126 (Fay Cthse). The sale occurred on April 23, 1835. His will named his son William Jr. as executor. His personalty was appraised at $1,235.12, but brought only $1,110.38 when it was sold. After some debts and fees were paid, nine of his children by both marriages received about $73 apiece: Venetia Wingate, Mary Adams, William Jr., Ruth, Samuel, Mariah, Elizabeth, Ann Rice and Priscilla Peel. Three children, Joseph, Richard and Eliza Wymore received only $2.65 apiece. His deceased son John's four children got $9.75 apiece while George and Rebecca Downing, children of his son Francis received $48.96 and $24.25 respectively."
Ref: Mt. Sterling Advocate article indicates he removed from Hartford Co.,Md. to Ky., first at Maysville, and later to Fayette Co.,Ky. around 1787-1790.
His farm was on Todds Rd. about four or five miles east of the center of Lexington. The family probably lived on Hickman (now Nicholasville) Rd., about four miles south of Lexington.
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; NOTES: A researcher named Anne W. Cissel of Historic Research Associates, 117 Sunhigh Drive, Thurmont, Maryland 21788, raised the question as to whether William is the son of or a younger relative such as brother or nephew to Francis. She is going on the fact that Susannah would only be fourteen when she had William if he is her son; but women back then did marry young. Also, there is a leeway of ten years in dates when you use Family Research Centers. She mentions William's Bible records,(I have these now); according to them, the Rebecca listed and the John of six months listed with him on the 1776 Maryland census that lists Francis and family are William's wife and son, John. It could be; I often wondered why there were two Johns listed for Francis, one six months old and the other about 15.
His Bible records are found in "Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records". It lists all his children, also, and has them right.
William had five children by Rebecca; she died and he left Maryland and traveled by river to Kentucky where he married Margaret Schrock and had eleven more children. I can't find anything on Margaret Schrock, but quite a bit is appearing on Rebecca.
William was constable of Broad Creek Hundred in 1788 (Harford County). In Maryland, the family lived in both Broad Creek Hundred and Deer Creek Lower Hundred. (Federal Tax Rosters)
It is possible he also lived for a time in Mercer County, KY, and Madison County, Ohio. His son, Francis, born in 1782, lived both in Mercer County and Madison County.
Add to references:
Kentucky Pioneer and Court Records by MacAdams 1929
Downing Bible Records (William's Bible)
Francis and Rebecca are mentioned in the will of William Dunlap.
RESEARCHER: Information from Bradley Canon to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003. "Many sources give her last name as Shrock. My family tradition is Shryock. (Perhaps my uncle Samuel Russell Canon who did ancestral research got the spelling from University of Kentucky mathematics and astronomy professor Harold H. Downing, a mutual descendant [described briefly in the Eliza Downing file] with whom he visited in the 1940s.) There was both a Shryock and a Shrock in Lexington in the early 19th century: a Matthias Shryock, a house carpenter, is listed in the 1806 and 1818 Lexington city directories and a John Shrock, a bricklayer, in the 1818 one. (LexLib 7-02) The fact that there was not a Shrock in the earlier directory and that Margaret was obviously in Lexington by 1793 (the marriage date) makes me lean to Shryock. However, I have not been able to link Margaret to any other Shryock.)"
He did not marry.
Buried in the Downing-Wymore cemetery.
Died single
Died single
Buried in the Downing-Wymore cemetery.
She left her money to her great niece Ellen Downing Wilson, daughter of Samuel Downing and Margaret Hunt. The will was dated Mar. 9, 1878, and attested on May 7, 1883. It named Ellen's husband Robert as executor.
HYPERTEXT: [ http://bushdeclaration.org/_wsn/page2.html ]
" The following is the language of the Bush Declaration dated March 22, 1775. Quoted from C. Milton Wright's OUR HARFORD HERITAGE on page 355: "We the Committee of Harford County, having most seriously and maturely considered the Resolves and Association of the Continental Congress, and the Resolves of the Provincial Convention, do most heartily approve of the same, and as we esteem ourselves in a more particular manner, intrusted by our constituents to see them carried into execution, we do most solemnly pledge ourselves to each other, and to our Country, and engage ourselves by every tie held sacred among mankind to perform the same at the risque of our lives and fortunes."
!The following explanation by the Genealogist General, Henry C. Peden, Jr. of the Bush Declaration. "The Bush Declaration is a document signed by 34 duly elected citizens in Harford County, Maryland on March 22, 1775. At that time the county seat was Harford Town, or Bush (so named for its location in the "bush country" as compared to most colonial towns on the waterfront, that is, Chesapeake Bay). Harford County had been separated from Baltimore County just a year earlier and in the interim there was considerable patriotic fervor against the British and their blockade of Boston (and other problems, like taxation). This committee in Harford County decided to show their support for Boston and their disdain for King George by signing this document "at the risque of their lives and fortunes." It has been characterized as the first Declaration of Independence and was signed just three weeks prior to the Battles of Lexington and Concord which signaled the beginning of the American Revolution.""
RESEARCHER-DESCENDANTS: Erin Webb Ellis wrote T.Mason on 25Sep2001 identifying Samuel's wife and children. She indicated Samuel was a tanner and owned quite a bit of land in Harford/Baltimore.
Abstract from Ben Franklin's "PA Gazette" 1744, Page 450; "The following privateers have sailed or will soon sail from Phila., the Wilmington, the George, the Tartan and Le Trembleus (28 June). Castolo, John, servant, age c. 22 - runaway from Samuel Webb, tanner, living in Baltimore Co.
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; "The will of one Aquilla Paca left a bequest to Priscilla Webb, daughter of William, and her sister, Margaret, wife of Richard Downing. Are the Pacas related to the Webbs, and thus to the Downings? I find them intertwined in records such as these, and in other records dealing with Norrises, I also find them listed, though not specifically related. The 1787 Harford County will of Samuel Webb mentions Constant Priscilla Webb,"alias Downing," and Margaret Webb, "alias Downing"."
RESEARCHER-DESCENDANTS: Erin Webb Ellis wrote T.Mason on 25Sep2001 indicates surname of "Wyer" on marriage from Pennsylvania Marriages Prior to 1810.
RESEARCHER-DESCENDANTS: Erin Webb Ellis [artworks@san.rr.com] wrote T.Mason on 25Sep2001 states name comes from Family Archive #224 Marriage Index Maryland 1655-1850.
DEATH: [HYPERLINK http://local.lexpublib.org/detail.cfm?counter=60402 ]
Subject Heading: DOWNING, MARCUS
Source: Daily Press.
Date: March 29, 1881
Location: p. 1 col. 4.
Abstract: Marcus Downing died, age 69, at home on Harrodsburg Pike.BURIAL: Disposition # 7623. Section F, Lot 34. Part S.
RESEARCHER: Information sent to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003 by Bradley Canon. "He was a horse dealer on E. Main St. according to the 1838 city directory. He and Ann were members of the South Elkhorn Christian Church. He was living on Harrodsburg Rd., three and a half miles from town, when he died."
Marriage Notes for Marquis Richardson Downing and Ann Eliza Allen-6018
MARRIAGE: [HYPERLINK http://local.lexpublib.org/detail.cfm?counter=60410
Subject Heading: DOWNING, MARCUS
Source: Observer and Reporter.
Date: June 8, 1836
Location: p. 1 col. 5.
Abstract: On 1st Marcus Downing weds Ann Eliza Allen
RESEARCHER-CONFLICT: Information sent to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003 by Bradley Canon [poll40@uky.edu]. "This birth date is obviously impossible if Lydia's is correct. She may have been born in 1840, or Lydia in 1838."
Death date is from microfiche abstracts of Kentucky death certificates, 1911-1995 (LexLib), which gives her age as 79. No relatives are named, so in this and all other such citations, the death date is probable rather than certain.
BURIAL: Disposition # 241
Possible birth was 10 Mar 1854 and death was 4 Mar 1898.
GEDCOM from Sue Hodnett, Caldwell, ID in Aug1998 to T. Mason; NOTES: He was a Scotchman.
RESEARCHER: Bradley Cannon sent information to T.Mason on 3 Oct 2003. "Information on the children is from The Downing Family of England, Maryland and Virginia. Brand's death from cholera in 1833 and his father's death date come from The Book of Downing by Harold Downing; p. 12. It also reports that the father immigrated from Scotland around 1802 and with John W. Hunt owned Kentucky's first hemp factory in Lexington. He became one of Lexington's wealthier citizens. It also reports that the father married Elizabeth Hay in Scotland but that she died there; it does not give the name of his second wife who would be the mother of the three children. Miller lists Hay as the mother of the children. (BOD gives more information about him, but p. 11 is too faded to read clearly.)"
Marriage Notes for John B. Brand Jr and Priscilla Webb Downing-331
MARRIAGE: Lexington Public Library; [HYPERLINK http://local.lexpublib.org/detail.cfm?counter=61312:
Subject Heading: BRAND, JOHN JR.
Source: Kentucky Reporter.
Date: November 26, 1828
Location: p. 2 col. 2
Abstract: On 19th John Brand Jr. of Lexington weds Priscilla W. Downing of County.
OBITUARY: In file of Joseph Lee Downing: On Monday last, at the residence of her brother-in-law, Richard Higgins Jr. Esq. near Helena, Arkansas, Miss MARY DOWNING BRAND, daughter of the late John Brand Jr. Esq, of this county, aged 21. The remains are on their way to Kentucky. ... She had gone with her widowed mother, a few weeks ago, on a visit to her sister in Arkansas, and full of hope, bouyancy of spirit and bright anticipations, doubtless was looking forward with anxious solicitude to the time when she should again be reunited with the extended and devoted circle of relatives and friends which she had left in the place of her nativity... .
Was a Baptist preacher who lived on Curds Road.
Appears in the 1850 Fayette County Census with wife Henrietta, and children Dudley, Elizabeth, MaryAnn, Richard, Elijah, and 58 year old Elizabeth Downing.
Kathryn Salyers records give children as Downing, James, Eliz. Lee, Molly Ann, Elijah Wisdom, Dudley M., and Richard D. Craig.
DESCENDANTS: [HYPERLINK http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=wmadavis&id=I10622 ]
BURIAL: Disposition # 12252
DEATH: Lexington Press, Jan. 25, 1876, p. 1.