James Downing Sr (abt. 1721 - abt. 1762)

Born about 1721 in Conococheague Hundred, Prince George's, Province of Maryland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about Jun 1762 at about age 41 in Cumberland, Province of Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Sarah Heiney [send private message], Betty Flood [send private message], Michael Dougherty [send private message], Ann Claire Baber [send private message], and Joe Gibbs [send private message]

Biography

Per researcher Joe Downing with regard to James' son John: "We have more definite dates on John Downing and his family because his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Ellis Downing (wife of son Reason), had a family bible compiled in the mid 1800's. John was born 10 May 1749 probably in Western Maryland near where Conococheague Creek runs into the Potomac River. This is based on information from descendants of his brothers indicating their birthplace as being in that area.However it may have been in the southern area of PA claimed by MD. The family bible states he is the son of James and Susannah Downing. This is the only reference I have ever seen to his parents. John married Susannah Ellis 19 February 1770, probably in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. She was born 8 September 1750 and the Bible shows her as the daughter of Ellis Ellis and his wife Nancy. If so she would have been the sister of Nancy Ellis who married Timothy Downing and brother of Isaac Ellis who married Nancy Downing. The Downing family was in Western Pennsylvania near Redstone Old Fort in the early 1770s. John appears in the Ohio Co., Virginia Court Records for that area on 7 September 1778, he and Isaac Ellis being examined and found not guilty of murder. (See Crumrine's Book, p392 and Loveless, Vol III, p36). This was in an area claimed by both Virginia and Pennsylvania."^[1]

Research Notes

The following was from taken from the web site of Pennie Gilbreath Thompson and posted in 2012 on ancestry^[2]:

We believe that James Downing was born ca 1725 (infered from known 1749 birth date of John, believed to have been his third oldest child) probably in Prince George's., MD. For years, Downing researchers have declared that James was born in 1729 either in PA or Ireland. The only evidence we have found to support that statement is: On Friday, Oct. 18, 1745, Stourton Edwards, in St. Mary's Co., MD, reported a runaway Irish servant named James Downing, ca 20 years of age. That indicates he was born about 1725, about the time our James, the father of John was born in 1725. This may have been origin of the legend, still unproven, of place and year of birth. Most do not believe this is our James.

From his marriage, James and family lived in Conococheague Hundred, Prince Georges Co., MD, near the Potomac, on Conococheague creek. The confluence of those two streams is near the town of Willaimsport in present day Washington Co., MD. In 1750's and for many years after, both MD and PA laid a claim to large areas that ultimately became parts of PA. On Dec. 10, 1748, Frederick Co. was formed from Prince Georges this is the vicinity of the Downing family home. Jan. 25, 1750. Cumberland Co. PA was formed from Lancaster Co. and included the twp. Antrim, Pennsboro.

Mar. 30, 1750, settlers were warned by the secretary of the Province, Mr. Peters, to leave the settlement at Great Cove, in Cumberland Co., as the land still belonged to the Indians. The settlers so warned included John MacClelland, James Downey (Downing) , and several MacConnells. The Great Cove is less than 20 miles north of the Downing Home.

Sept. 27, 1750. A petition to James Hamilton Esq, Gov of PA, from inhabitants of Great Cove, Included the name James Downey. 1751 Many of the settlers turned out of Great Cove appeared in Antrim and Peters townships. James Downing was appointed by the court of Frederick Co., MD as constable for the Salisbury Hundred. We believe that he returned to his earlier residence until such time as residence at the Cove would be legal.

Jan. 22, 1753. Land warrants in Antrim Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania were issued to Robert and James Downing.^[3]

Feb. 5, 1753, one James Downing was given a patent for 175 acres on the headwaters of Smith's Creek, County Augusta, Va. This patent is in Boles book and it is of historical, as well as genealogical, interest because of the unique wording and of the privileges granted.

1754 PA purchase of land from Indians included Great Cove area. July 1761, Cumberland Co. PA Created Ayr twp. On Nov 27, 1761, a Cumberland Co. deed in which John Leard was grantor, mentioned the adjoining lands of John McClellan, James Downing and Adam McConnell in the Grest Cove. In 1771, Bedford Co and Westmoreland Co were created from Cumberland, Ayt then lay in Bedford. James Downing died in Cumberland Co., PA possibly in May or June 1762. The tax list of Aair twp., Cumberland Co., PA for that year included among others: John Downing (brother of James?) 50 acres unseated land, Widow Downing, 200 acres unseated land. James had owned land there in 1761.

The proven sons and the widow of James Downing (ca1721-1762) all lived in the 1780's in that portion of Washington co. overlapped by the three VA countries formed in 1776. All four sons served in the Revolution from the Brownsville area of Washington co., PA. It has been established that John Downing (1749-1826) and his brothers Robert and Timothy moved to Mason co., KY ca1789, from Washington County, PA. James Downing (1750-1822, another known brother, was with the others in Washington County before their move to Kentucky. James died in Stark Co., Ohio;. No record that he ever was in Kentucky has been found to date, but his descendants spread over Ohio and westward.

Children: Joseph, John, James, Robert, William, Timothy, Catherine, Jane, Nancy Ann.

PM Note: All of the above "facts" are presented with no source citations. (This is because they are presented as 'research notes', not facts, for the PMs to review and research and are, as noted, from Pennie Gilbreath Thompson. Hopefully one or more of the profile managers will research.)

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.tbgen.com/downing/james/jdhistory.html
2. ↑ https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/t/h/o/Pennie-L-Thompson/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1483.html
3. ↑ Pennsylvania, U.S., Land Warrants and Applications, 1733-1952 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. - https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/27821923?h=94c6e1&utm_campaign=bandido-webparts&utm_source=post-share-modal&utm_medium=copy-url

• "Maryland Births and Christenings, 1650-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F48H-NCM : 11 February 2018), James Downing in entry for John Downing, 16 Feb 1756; citing SAINT JOHNS PARISH,PRINCE GEORGES,MARYLAND; FHL microfilm 14,303.
• Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania, Land Warrants and Applications, 1733-1952 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Warrant Applications, 1733-1952. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania State Archives.
• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/t/h/o/Pennie-L-Thompson/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1483.html
• http://downingfamilyofkentucky.blogspot.com/
• http://www.whilbr.org/assets/uploads/LandPatentOwnersWashCo1730-1830.pdf
• This was the Life: Excerpts from the Judgment Records of Frederick County, Maryland, 1748-1765, by Millard Milburn Rice, publ. by Genealogical Publishing Company, 1984 - https://books.google.com/books?id=lH_kf4nzy5IC&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=james+downing+constable+for+the+Salisbury+Hundred&source=bl&ots=xu2b79eCT8&sig=3Na5rf1bFz6uI5aeiQwfM1EQxqA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjKk4DL1pHeAhXQMd8KHauCBFoQ6AEwAXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=james%20downing%20constable%20for%20the%20Salisbury%20Hundred&f=false