Thomas Downing and Thomazin Bear
Husband Thomas Downing
Born: 14 Dec 1691 - Bradninch, Devon, England Christened: Died: 15 Jan 1772 - Chester Co., Pennsylvania Buried:
Father: Thomas Downing ( - ) Mother: Grace ( -1715)
Marriage: 10 Apr 1715 - Silverton, Devonshire, England 1
Other Spouse: Jane Edge ( - ) - 15 Dec 1756 - Chester Co., Pennsylvania
Wife Thomazin Bear
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
Children
1 F Thomazin Downing
Born: 6 Dec 1715 Christened: 16 Dec 1715 - Bradninch, Devon, England 2 Died: Buried:
2 M Thomas Downing
Born: 27 May 1717 Christened: Died: 19 Jan 1737 Buried:
3 M Richard Downing
Born: 27 Apr 1719 Christened: Died: 8 Jul 1804 Buried:
4 M John Downing
Born: 18 Dec 1720 Christened: Died: Buried:
5 M William Downing
Born: 24 May 1722 Christened: Died: 18 Mar 1788 Buried:Spouse: Ellen John (1718- ) Marr: Dec 1741 - Chester Co., PennsylvaniaSpouse: Margaret ( - ) Marr: 19 Dec 1765 - Chester Co., Pennsylvania
6 F Jane Downing
Born: 6 Dec 1723 Christened: Died: 29 Oct 1795 Buried:
7 F Sarah Downing
Born: 13 Oct 1725 Christened: Died: 16 Sep 1745 Buried:
8 F Thomazin Downing
Born: 15 Oct 1727 Christened: Died: Buried:
9 M Samuel Downing
Born: 11 Aug 1729 Christened: Died: Buried:
10 M Joseph Downing
Born: 2 Dec 1731 Christened: Died: Buried:
11 M Joseph Downing
Born: 30 Jun 1734 Christened: Died: 7 Oct 1804 Buried:
General Notes: Husband - Thomas Downing
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:
History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with Genealogical and Biographical Sketches by J. Smith Futhey and Gilbert Cope (Louis H. Everts, Philadelphia, 1881), pg 525:
"DOWNING, Thomas, born in Bradninch, in Devonshire, England, Dec. 14, 1691, married, first, Ellen ----, and, second, Thomazine ----, who was perhaps the mother of all the children, two of whom were born in England. He was a taxable in Concord township from 1718 to 1732. At Concord Monthly Meeting, 6,3,1730, 'Thomas Downing & his wife made application to this meeting to com under the care of friends; they having produced papers from under severall friends hands of their sober and orderly conversations where they have Lived, this meeting receiveth them.' In 1733 they removed to Sadsbury, but in two or three years after settled at the place since known as Downingtown. Thomas married a third wife, Jane Albin, widow of James, and daughter of John and Mary Edge, 12,15,1756. She was a minister, and died 1,23,1759[sic]. He died 1,15,1772. There is reason to think that while in Concord he operated a mill belonging to Nathaniel Newlin, and he and his descendants continued to be mill-owners at Downingtown for several generations."
SECOND MARRIAGE:
Thomas Downing and Thomazin Bear were married in Silverton, Devonshire. Both were said to be of the Parish of Bradninch. Bradninch is about 4 miles east of Silverton, which is about 10 miles north of Exeter.
CHILDREN:
Futhey and Cope list the children of Thomas Downing as follows. The dates prior to 1752 are presumably Old Style. There is no indication as to source. Maybe they came from a Bible. I have added the New Style date in brackets.
1. Thomazine, b. 10,6,1715 [6 Dec 1715]
died young
2. Thomas, b. 3,27,1717 [27 May 1717]
d. 11,19,1736-7 [19 Jan 1737]
3. Richard, b. 2,27,1719 [27 Apr 1719]
d. 7,8,1804 [8 Jul 1804]
m. Mary Edge
4. John, b. 10,18,1720 [18 Dec 1720]
d. -----
m. Elizabeth Hunt
5. William, b. 3,24,1722 [24 May 1722]
d. -----
m. Ellen John
6. Jane, b. 10,6,1723 [6 Dec 1723]
d. 10,29,1795 [29 Oct 1795]
m. John Roberts
7. Sarah, b. 8,13,1725 [13 Oct 1725]
d. 7,16,1745 [16 Sep 1745]
m. Joshua Baldwin
8. Thomazine, b. 8,15,1727 [15 Oct 1727]
d. -----
m. Samuel Bond
9. Samuel, b. 6,11,1729 [11 Aug 1729]
died young
10. Joseph, b. 10,12,1731 [12 Dec 1731]
died young
11. Joseph, b. 4,30,1734 [30 Jun 1734]
d. 10,7,1804 [7 Oct 1804]
m. Mary Trimble
THIRD MARRIAGE:
"U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935" at Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania > Chester > Goshen Monthly Meeting > Men's Minutes, 1747-1762, pg 179, image 85/170:
"At a Monthly Meeting held at Goshen the 18th 10 mo 1756."
"Thomas Downing and Jane Albin declared their intentions of marriage with each other before this meeting which is allowed of for their first appearance. Cadwalader Jones and John Milhous are appointed to enquire into his clearness etc and make report thereof to our next monthly meeting."
On November 15, 1756 they declared their intentions a second time. At the monthly meeting held at Goshen on December 20, 1756 it was reported that the marriage between Thomas Downing and Jane Alvin had taken place.
"U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935" at Ancestry.com, Pennsylvania > Chester > Goshen Monthly Meeting > Register of Marriage Certificates, pg 184, image 89/236:
On the 15th day of the 12th month of 1756 the marriage of Thomas Downing of East Caln in Chester Co. and Jane Albin of the same place took place at the Public Meeting House of the People called Quakers in Uwchlan in Chester County. Among the attendees were Richard Downing, William Downing, Joseph Downing, John Downing, Jane Roberts, John Roberts, Sarah Baldwin, Joshua Baldwin, Samuel Bond, Jacob Edge, Samuel John, Griffith John, Griffith John Jr., Cadwalader Jones, and John Milhaus.
WILL:
The will of Thomas Downing can be seen at Familysearch.org, Probate Records of Chester Co., Pennsylvania, "Wills, 1713-1854; Index to Wills, 1713-1923", "Will Books D-E, v. 4-5 1755-1774", Vol 5, pgs 312-316, images 502-504/586. The will is long and complicated. Parts are here quoted and parts are summarized.
"I Thomas Downing of the Township of East Caln in the County of Chester and Province of Pensylvania Yeoman, being in Good health and of sound and well disposing Mind and Memory (thanks be humbly offered unto God for the same with all other his manifold favours bestowed upon me) and being mindfull of my mortality, and willing to settle that worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me Do make & Ordain this present writing my last Will and Testament in Manner and form following."
"First My Will is that all my Just Debts and Funeral Charges be paid and Discharged as soon as Conveniently may be after my Decease. And I Give and Bequeath unto my loving wife Jane Downing Thirty two Pounds a year to be paid out of my Estate yearly and every Year Dureing her Widdowhood together with Eight Pounds a year which she is Intitled to out of her Former Husband's Estate together with her Mare and the mares Colt a Chaise and the Harness thereunto Belonging and all the Goods and Chattles which she brought to me at the time of our Marriage, to hold to her, her Heirs and Assigns forever. And I Order and it is my Will that my said loving Wife Jane Downing shall have the four Rooms in the West end of my Mansion House two above and two below Stairs, and make use of all my Furniture that is in the said Rooms. and the Appurtenances thereunto belonging together with the use of the Kitchen and Celler and what more may be needfull for her, likewise the use of the Water and a Convenient piece of Ground for a garden near to her dwelling place aforesaid, and to have a good Cow found and kept for her and a Compleat Chair Horse to be kept and Bridled and Sadled or Harnessed as often and when she may desire it, and Cut and bring Firewood for her to the Rooms aforesaid dureing her Widdowhood and Residue with him my Son Joseph Downing and if she should Chuse to live at my Son Richard Downing's she shall have suitable Accommodations as to house Room, and Joseph to allow Richard what may be Reasonable for her Trouble there on his share thereof and my said Wife shall have free Liberty of Ingress Egress and Regress at all times into and from the same, so as not Wilfully to Prejudice either of them."
"And Whereas my Son in law Joshua Baldwin did Request of me a piece of Ground adjoining his House and lott of Ground the north side of Conestogo Road therefore I Give and Devise to the said Joshua Baldwin and to his Heirs and Assigns forever all that piece of Ground lying adjoining the north side of Conestogoe Road in East Caln aforesaid, bounded Easterly by the aforesaid Lott of Joshua Baldwin and to Extend to my West line and to Run Parallell with the north side of the said Joshua Baldwin's Dwelling House at the Distance of Twenty one Feet and one half be the same more or less Provided he the said Joshua Baldwin pay to my Executors Twenty five Pounds and will at all times hereafter keep and maintain a Sufficient Fence along the north side of said piece of Ground."
"And whereas I have already Conveyed unto my Son William Downing the dwelling House where he now liveth with the Water Corn or Grist Mill and one Hundred and Fifty Acres of Land in the Township of Bart in the County of Lancaster, and took a Bond of Fifty Pounds from him which Bond I Order my Executors to Deliver to my said Son William without money."
"And whereas I have already by Deeds of Lease and Release bearing Date the Twentieth Day of the Fourth Month One Thousand Seven Hundred & Fifty six Conveyed unto my Son John Downing a Messuage Tenement and Tract of land thereunto belonging Containing Three Hundred and Twenty six Acres of Land more or less being part of the land which I Purchased from John Taylor lying in East Caln aforesaid Excepting the Mill Race a Cross the Same with a Conveniency of Land on each side thereof to Answer all Advantages for the Bringing of the Water to my Grist Mill which is more Particularly Specified in the Deed aforesaid) All which Previledges therein Reserved I now Give & Devise unto my said Son Richard Downing his Heirs and Assigns forever"
To my son Joseph Downing my plantation in East Caln containing 492 acres (except the small part given to Joshua Baldwin), the remaining part of 80 acres in East Caln purchased from Noble Butler and containing between 50 and 60 acres, and a tract of land in the Township of Uwchland. Also to my son Joseph my implements of husbandry and all my household furniture, but reserving such goods for the use of my loving wife Jane, as before mentioned, during her widowhood and then to descend to said Joseph at her marriage or death.
To my son-in-law Samuel Bond a tract of land in the Township of Whiteland adjoining land of Samuel Bond.
To my son Richard Downing my water corn or grist mill and fulling mill situated in East Caln and the tract of land around it containing 230 acres, more or less. And also my saw mill tract containing about 2 acres and 40 perches.
To each of my sons Richard Downing, Joseph Downing, and John Downing and to my son-in-law Samuel Bond an undivided fourth part of my saw mill and hemp mill in East Caln.
Having already advanced many donations to my daughter Jane, the wife of John Roberts, to her 50 pounds to be paid by my executors within 5 years of my death.
Having already advanced many donations to my daughter Thomzin Bond, deceased, late the wife of Samuel Bond, to Samuel Bond 50 pounds to be paid by my executors within 5 years of my death.
Having already advanced many donations to my daughter Sarah Baldwin, deceased, formerly the wife of Joshua Baldwin and also to Joshua Baldwin, to my granddaughter Sarah Baldwin 50 pounds to be paid by my executors within 5 years of my death.
To Mary, daughter of Thomas Alcott, late of East Caln, deceased, the sum of 20 pounds when she shall arrive at the age of 21 years.
To Andrew Knox the use of ten acres of cleared land and the adjoining woodland during his natural life if he continues to dwell in the place where he now dwells.
"And as many poor People have foremerly Purchased of me, and were become Debtors my intent & Meaning is that I do hereby forgive the said Poor People all the Book Debts that may stand in my Book against them at the time of my Decease and I Do hereby frankly acquit and Discharge them from paying the same And I do hereby Declare that whatsoever I have herein before given or Devised unto my loving Wife Jane Downing is and shall be taken to be in lieu, Recompence and Satisfaction of and for all her Dower."
Executors: sons Richard and Joseph Downing.
Signed the 9th day of the 9th month (called September) of 1769 in the presence of Robt. Valentine, Joshua Way, Isaac Jacobs, and Thos. Pimm.
The will was proved by the oaths of Joshua Way and Thomas Pimm February 28, 1772, and letters testamentary were issued to Richard and Joseph Downing.
1 "Familysearch.org," "England, Devon, Silverton, bishop's transcripts, 1620-1838", "Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1620-1812", DGS 5748934, image 87/352.
2
"Familysearch.org," image 54/104.
Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List
This website was created 3 Oct 2022 with Legacy 9.0, a division of MyHeritage.com; content copyrighted and maintained by nparker41@att.net