Downing Warner (abt. 1741 - 1794)

Born about Oct 1741 in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 16 Oct 1794 at about age 53 in Williamsburg, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Private Downing Warner served with 12th Massachusetts Regiment (1777), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Children: Mark (1762, married Lovice King, moved to Pawlet VT), Rachel (1764), Aaron (1766), Seth (1768, married Lavina), Elisha (died young), Sally (died young), Experience (1774), Saloma (1776, married Stephen Graves).

I could only find 3 people in the history of the United States that had the name Downing Warner. Our Downing was named for his uncle Downing who died 12 years before he was born, at the tender age of 19. This Downing was named after his great-grandmother Abigail Downing who came here from England during the Great Migration. At this point in history giving one of your children one of your ancestors’ surnames as a first name seemed to be a trendy thing to do. The third person was a Downing Warner born in 1831 in England who immigrated in 1851 on the ship Washington and settled in Clarkstown, NY with his wife Elizabeth. He was most likely not related to us.

In 1759, when Downing turned 18, he joined in fighting in the Seven Years' War (The French and Indian War). Downing would have been in one of the 3 armies sent to Canada to defeat Montreal and Quebec. 53 solders from Northampton were in Col. Israel Williams' regiment, 22 of them being placed under Capt. Elijah Smith. They formed part of the army of General Amhers who first marched first to Ticonderoga and Crown Point, which they won. Downing would have fought in the battle on the Plains of Abraham by Quebec City where General Wolfe died. But he likely returned home soon after that. This defeat, along with the defeat of Montreal the next year, put an end to the Indian raids that had killed and made captive of so many settlers in Northampton and the towns around it over the past 100 years. ^[1]

Downing was one of several officers chosen to separate the town of Williamsburg from Hatfield on April 30, 1771. At that time he and Andrew Gates were chosen as Williamsburg’s deer reeves. Most people moved to the Williamsburg area after 1760, so Downing must have too. Downing was taxed in Williamsburg in 1772, so he definitely lived there by then.

Downing Warner was given credit for service in the Revolution from Chesterfield, Hampshire, MA. Downing’s Revolutionary War service: Warner, Downing. Private, Capt. Benjamin Bonney's co., Col. Samuel Brewer's regt.;^[2] pay abstract for travel allowance and mileage, dated Chesterfield, March 13, 1777; 106 miles travel allowed said Warner; company marched to Ticonderoga to reinforce Northern army. We're not sure Downing ever arrived; while it seems several soldiers were sent there (10,000 troops were requested), the history books say the garrison remained at 2,000. The British attacked it; Ticonderoga was abandoned and taken by the British that July. It's possible Downing saw some other fighting elsewhere before heading home, but it isn't listed anywhere.

For a similar account of Downing's military service during the Revolutionary War, please see John Day Curtis and Relatives Soldiers in the Revolutionary War.

Downing’s death date is problematic. Several sources note that he died Oct. 16, 1774. However, many events show he died 20 years later. Several records on Family Search give Downing the death date of Oct 16 2018 - obviously more than 2 centuries off. He is also listed with his son Mark's family in a document where his death is simply given as Oct. 16. The old Warner family book says that: “The records of the town of Williamsburg have been handled so much that the year dates of this period have been worn off from a number of the pages of this record, hence some of the year dates below have been forced.” However, what is legible, states the "16th Oct.". The year is rubbed away. It's probable that the deed mentioned above was recorded in 1795 because of Downings death. Given that the deed was recorded in Sept of 1795, it follows that his death date was the 16th of October, 1794.

Downing is involved in a deed written on March 14 1787, but not recorded until 1st of September, 1795, at Williamsburg, Hampshire, MA. In it, Downing Warner buys land from Daniel Streetor of Plainfield for 27 pounds. It's in the Hatfield sector (which included Williamsburg), lot 72 in Division 1of 27 acres and 38 rods. The land, however, was to remain in Daniel Streeter's inheritance for his children.^[3] This deed is the last one involving Downing & at the bottom of the page the witnesses state: "they saw the within named Downing Warner sign seal and deliver the within Instrument.... but since that time they are informed & believe the said Downing is dead." The 1774 date may have come from a Genealogy.com posting back in 2002 - or a misreading of a 9 for a 7.^[4]

Downing Warner is also in the 1790 MA Census at Williamsburg, living next door to his brother, Paul, & his son in law, John Curtis. Downing had 4 adult men and 3 adult women in his home while John had himself with his wife Rachel Warner and 3 children, and Paul had himself and his wife Louisa King.^[5]

Downing Warner appears in the ledger of Dr. Elijah Paine, a physician and tavern keeper in Williamsburg, that covers his credits and debits from 1785 to 1796. These are the entries for Downing: "Nov 16 1790: These reconed (reckoned) with Downing Warner & due to me: 4 shillings 8 ¼ pence." "June 14 1791: Credit: to boards 110 feet by John Williams – 4 shillings 4 2/4 pence. By after: 4 pence." "Dec 19 1791: Then reconed with Downing Warner & Ballanst (balanced) all accounts." ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654; 1898 by Trumbull, James Russell [1] and [2]
2. ↑ "Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the revolutionary war", Pub. 1907, Vol. 16, pg. 582.
3. ↑ Hamphire County Deeds, Vol. 4, pg. 72, at FamilySearch.org
4. ↑ Website Genealogy.com, post.
5. ↑ Downing Warner, Williamsburgh, Hampshire, Massachusetts; citing "1790 United States Federal Census," Ancestry.com; p. 635, line 30595, NARA microfilm publication M637, roll 4, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 00690.
6. ↑ Paine (Dr. Elijah) Ledger 1785-1798 By Paine, Elijah, physician & tavern keeper, as found at [3]

• "Massachusetts, Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FHYF-MMK : accessed 29 Mar 2014), Downing Warner, ; citing Williamsburg, Hampshire, Massachusetts, reference 25; FHL microfilm 760643. (the source of our problem with Downing's death: death date is given as October 16th; no year is listed)

• "Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F454-FJB : accessed 29 Mar 2014), Downing Warner in entry for Rachel Warner, ; citing Williamsburg, Hampshire, Massachusetts, 25; FHL microfilm 760643. (one of his many records for baptism of his children)

• Paine (Dr. Elijah) Ledger 1785-1798 By Paine, Elijah, physician & tavern keeper, as found at [4]