Susannah (Ellis) Downing (1750 - 1815)

Born 3 Sep 1750 in Cumberland, Pennsylvania [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of John Downing — married 19 Feb 1770 in Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 6 Apr 1815 at age 64 in Old Washington, Mason, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

Susanna Ellis was the daughter of Ellis Ellis. She was born in Cumberland, PA or possibly Frederick MD. She married John Downing 19 Feb 1770 in Pennsylvania. John and Susanna Downing lived in Hopewell, Washington, Pennsylvania where their children were born. John served in the Pennsylvania militia during the Revolutionary War. They moved to Mason County, Kentucky in 1790.

When John wrote his will in 1819 they had eight living daughters: Susan, Mary, Sarah, Delilah, Lydia, Catherine, Dorcas, and Elizabeth, and two living sons: Joseph and Reason, but Ellis, Nancy Ann, James, and Rachel had died before that date. Susanna passed away in 1815. John Downing passed away in January 1826.^[1]

Research

ELLIS in the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting Records (Religious Society of Friends, Pennsylvania) https://www.friendsjournal.org/legacy/abington/gwynedd/ellis.html

The above website has information about Ellises mentioned in the Gwynedd MM. Ellis Ellis and Ann Bateman were disowned by the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting. Therefore, it is possible that if they were parents of William and daughter Susannah, they might not have raised them as pacifist Quakers. Therefore the service of brother-in-laws William Ellis and John Downing in the Revolutionary War could be compatible with having parent and father and mother in-law who we’re Quakers when married but were soon disowned from Gwynedd MM. Still, there is no proof that this is the same Ellis Ellis who fathered Susannah and William.

A frequent source cited for Ellis Ellis dying in Washington County in 1776 which places him in the vicinity of John Downing is a probate record showing valuation of property for a person who died intestate. However, the record I saw appears to be for a negro freeman when I looked at the Information tab for the citation. Therefore, I still have no proof that this Ellis Ellis is the correct father for John’s wife Susannah.

I also have no proof that Ellis Ellis who is also said to have died 1776 and Nancy Garner are the correct parents for William Ellis and his sister Susannah Ellis Downing.

Ellis Ellis’s son William was not a pacifist he was born July 1742 and fought in the Revolutionary War militia in Washington County Pennsylvania under the leadership of Timothy Downing.^[2] William’s son Amos married Mary McConnell. Mary McConnell’s brother Thomas married two of John and Susannah Downing’s daughters.

Mary (Polly) Downing and two years after her death Elizabeth Downing married Thomas McConnell who was the youngest child of Arthur McConnell and Elizabeth (Wilson) McConnell from Hopewell, Washington, Pennsylvania where William Ellis settled and where John and Susannah settled for several years and raised their children before moving to Mason County, Kentucky.

Married john Downing 19 Feb 1770.

Children^[3]

• Ellis b 3 Feb 1771
• Nancy b 26 May 1772
• James b 14 Nov 1773
• Susannah b 5 Feb 1776
• Joseph b 4 Oct 1777
• Mary b 7 Oct 1779
• Sarah b 10 Apr 1781
• Delilah b 5 Feb 1783 (twin)
• Dorcas b 5 Feb 1783 (twin)
• Catherine b 29 Jan 1785
• Lydia b 19 Apr 1787
• Rachel b 23 Feb 1789
• Elizabeth b 11 Jan 1792
• Reason b 18 Nov 1793

Sources

1. ↑ "Kentucky Probate Records, 1727-1990," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GP37-YYJ?cc=1875188&wc=37R2-16D%3A173519601%2C173895401 : 20 May 2014), Mason > Will records, Index, 1823-1826, Vol. F > image 183 of 236; county courthouses, Kentucky.
2. ↑ "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:S5M3-SMK : accessed 31 January 2022), entry for William (Rwv) /Ellis/, cites sources; file (2:2:2:MMSB-M3B), submitted 11 May 2011.
3. ↑ Bible record

• Reason Downing bible
• http://www.tbgen.com/downing/james/jamdown.html