Hello Rick,
The 1st part of this email is in reply to yours dated Friday 12 March 2010. I can only give answers down to Clotworthy Downing son of John Downing, and I will attempt to keep in the order of your email. If you have BMD dates and I don't, I will say.
The Downings certainly owned a house and land which they named Rowesgift.
John Downing b.1700 d.1785 the son of Adam Downing was given the house by his father-in-law the Rev. Simon Rowe on his marriage to Simon's daughter Anne. The house stands just outside Bellaghy on the road to Castledawson. It no longer belongs to the Downings.
As you may know fire destroyed many archives in 1922 so research is a little tricky. But in the churchyard of St Tida's stands the Downing family vault in which are buried 9 members of the Downing family - from Adam in 1719 to John Downing Nesbitt in 1847. On 2 memorial stones on the vault sides their names, births, marriages, deaths and relationships to other Downings are etched.
Col. Adam Downing -
I have no day of month date for is birth. He was 23 years old during the Siege of Londonderry so I doubt he would have been a colonel. He could not have arrived in Ireland in 1690 as he was named on the list of those who held the city and who signed the letter dated 29 July 1689 to King William and Queen Mary.
Adam married Ann nee Jackson [Adam's will] I have no marriage date for them.
His 1st son was Henry, no birth date, but he couldn't have died in 1712 as he was named in Adams will.
His 2nd son was John b.1700, who became Adam's heir after Henry's death.
He had 3 more known sons - Jackson, William and Adam [Adam's will]. No daughters have come to light.
John Downing - son of Adam.
Born 1700, no day or month date. Died 1785 10 Nov. [Irish Newspaper deaths]
Married Anne nee Rowe, no date. Born 1711 died 1776 2 Feb, buried in vault.
Daughters - Margaret wife of Capt. James Hand. No BMD dates. Buried in vault.
Sarah wife of Charles Dawson . No BMD dates.
Jane no BMD dates.
Sons - Clotworthy born 1727 died 1812. Buried in vault. Married .
Rowe no BMD dates. Died aged 19 of smallpox according to family letter.
Dawson born 1739 died 1807. Buried in vault. Married twice.
John no BMD dates. Said to have served in the Seven Year War in
Germany. A deed for Rowesgift signed by John and his brother Dawson
dated 10 Oct. 1788 mentions 'John Downing & his present wife' so
because of the wording he possibly had more than one wife.
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In answer to your email dated 27 March 2010.
The names mentioned above are your ancestors. I have seen your family book online.
If you have referenced BMD dates for those I don't have I would be most interested please.
I would also like to know about the Captain Adam Downing you came across in you searches as opposed to Adam Downing who fought at the Seige of Londonderry and the Battle of the Boyne.
Hope the above is helpful. Jill.