Jonathan Downs (abt. 1738 - 1818)

Born about 1738 in Orange, Virginia

Husband of Sarah (Gary) Downs — married 8 Jul 1772 in South Carolina

Descendants

Died 18 Oct 1818 at about age 80 in Laurens District, South Carolina, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Downs Name Study.

Major Jonathan Downs served with Little River District Regiment, South Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Jonathan Downs is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A034386.

Jonathan Downs was born in 1738 in Orange County, Virginia.^[1]

Johnathan and Sarah Gary were married on 8 July 1772 by John Caldwell Esquire.^[2]

Jonathan made his last will and testament on the 18th August 1818 in Laurens county, South Carolina. Jonathan made his son William F. Downs and wife Sarah Downs the executors of his will.^[3]

Jonathan died 18 October 1818.^[2]

His widow, Sarah, was living in 1831, when she was "pensioned at the rate of $190 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for her husband service for 3 months as a Lieut. and for 6 months as a Major in the South Carolina militia."^[2]

Children

• Jane Downs, born 6 July 1774,^[2] married Benjamin Byrd^[1]
• Milley Downs, born 5 April 1776,^[2] (Mildred) married Lydall Allen^[1]
• Frances Downs, born 10 April 1784,^[2] married
• William Downs, born 10 January 1787,^[2] (William Fayette Downs) married Clarissa Saxon^[1]
• Pheobe Downs, born 7 April 1791^[2]
• Louisa Downs, born 15 May 1790^[2] (also Louise) married John Brewster^[1]

Research Notes

From Sarah Downs' application for her late husband's pension:

On 10 December 1838 "personally appeared before the Judge of the Court of Ordinary for Laurens District, Sarah Downs, a resident of Laurens District & State of South Carolina, aged 82".^[2]

Sarah (Gary) Downs, widow, "declares that she was married to the said Jonathan Downs on the 8th day of July 1772..., that her husband the aforesaid Jonathan Downs died on the 18th day of October 1818".^[2]

The pension application details her husband's service, to include that he was a resident of Ninety-Six District, South Carolina when he entered the service (November 1775), that he was wounded in August 1776 "at the Battle called the Ring Fight in the Cherokee county So. Ca. which he was wounded in the abdomen and in the hands; the ball that entered his body he carried with him to his grave"; and that in 1781 "he was one of the number taken prisoner by Major William Cunningham and his party, at Haye's defeat, a station commanded by Col. Hayes in Ninety-Six District".^[2]

William Downs connection.

Jonathan, son of Henry and Jane (Douglas) Downs, was brother of Joseph Downs ("he and his brother, Joseph, helped make the laws of South Carolina") and Henry Downs ("one of the signers of the Mecklenberg Declaration of Independence"). Joseph and his wife Jane Alexander, and Jonathan's son William, are buried in the Downs Cemetery in Laurens District, which Jonathan named "after his good friend, Gen. Laurens... whom he served under."^[4]

William Downs, born 1730 in Orange County to Henry and Jane (Douglas) Downs, brother of Henry Jr., moved to South Carolina in 1758, where he "served as a Light Dragoon... and was taken prisoner during 1781."^[5]

The preceeding and following passages are said to both be about the same William, but it seems that perhaps they are two different Williams.

William received his commission in 1775 and was in command of the Colonial Army's 2nd South Carolina Regiment from January 1775 to October 1778. "The records of his brother, Joseph, shows that when William Downs resigned his commission it was conferred upon Joseph Downs."^[6]

William Downs, surveyor, is noted (in First Settlers of UPPER GEORGIA, page 144) as "trustee for William Queen, Jonathan and Henry D. Downs" (William was recorded as being in in Wilkes County in November 1773, with his wife and five children aged 8 years to 6 months).^[7]

Tombstones in the Downs Cemetery in Laurens County were recorded in 1954:^[6]

"In Memory of Jane Downs, Concort of Joseph Downs, who died Feb. 7, 1832, 83 yrs."

"Joseph Downs, who died Dec. 21, 1847, age 81 years."

"William F. Downs, who was born 10th of January, 1787, and died the 15th of September, 1847."

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 17 May 2019), "Record of Major Jonathan Downs", Ancestor # A034386.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} Pension application W21000 (pdf) of Sarah Downs, widow of Major Jonathan Downs, transcribed by Will Graves and posted by Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters (accessed 17 May 2019).
3. ↑ "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JXHL-J?cc=1919417&wc=M6NW-VM9%3A210904901%2C211002701 : 21 May 2014), Laurens > Estate records, 1818-1830, Vol. E > image 13 of 284; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia. On-line at: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JXHL-J
4. ↑ DOWNES... GENEALOGY, page 52-53
5. ↑ DOWNES... GENEALOGY, page 43
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} DOWNES... GENEALOGY, page 46
7. ↑ DOWNES... GENEALOGY, page 45

• Revolutionary War Soldiers for NC and SC, Data provided by the website Carolana. (accessed 11 Nov 2022)
• DAR record https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A034386
• The DOWNES or DOWNS FAMILY GENEALOGY (2010, Lulu) comments note contains many inaccuracies and is not sourced

• Jonathan Downs in the U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970

View U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Name: Jonathan Downs Birth Place: Orange, Virginia Death Date: 18 Oct 1818 Death Place: Laurens, South Carolina SAR Membership: 47789 Role: Ancestor Application Date: 12 Jun 1929 Father: Henry Downs Mother: Jane Douglas Spouse: Sarah Gary Children: Louisa Downs

• 1790

Name: Jonathan, esq Downes Esquire [Jonathan Downes Esquire] Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Laurens, South Carolina Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 2 Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 2 Free White Persons - Females: 5 Number of Slaves : 5 Number of Household Members: 14

• 1800

Name: Jonathan Downs Esquire Home in 1800 (City, County, State): Laurens District, South Carolina Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15: 1 Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 2 Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1 Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1 Number of Slaves: 10 Number of Household Members Under 16: 4 Number of Household Members Over 25: 2 Number of Household Members: 16

• 1810

Name: Jnothan Downs Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Laurens, South Carolina Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1 Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1 Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1 Numbers of Slaves: 12 Number of Household Members Under 16: 1 Number of Household Members Over 25: 2 Number of Household Members: 16

• Jonathan Downs in the North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000

View North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000. [1] Name: Jonathan Downs Gender: Male Age: 80 Birth Date: 1738 Birth Place: Orange County, VA First Marriage Date: 1772 Death Date: 1818 Death Place: Laurens, S C Spouse: Sarah Gary Child: Louisa Downs

• Jonathan Downs in the Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots

Name: Jonathan Downs Cemetery: Fam cem Location: Hwy 76, Laurens, Laurens Co SC 77

• Jonathan Downs in the U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current

Name: Jonathan Downs Birth Date: 1738 Birth Place: Orange, Orange County, Virginia, United States of America Death Date: 18 Oct 1818 Death Place: Laurens, Laurens County, South Carolina, United States of America Cemetery: Downs Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Laurens County, South Carolina, United States of America Father: Henry Downs URL: https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?viewrecord=1&r=an&db=FindAGraveUS&indiv=try&h=126125882

Children listed

• Phebe H Brewster
• William Fayette Downs
• Louisa Downs

Note

• DescriptionThe Battle of Lindley's Fort was part of a campaign by Loyalist and Cherokee forces to gain control over the South Carolina backcountry from Patriot forces early in the American Revolutionary War. The Cherokees were involved because ongoing encroachment of their territory in the area had led them to take up arms. Wikipedia