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Messages - dukewm

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28
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Thursday 18 March 21 16:18 GMT (UK)  »
I wondered about that after I posted it, Mike.
I think you’re probably right due to Stafford naming his only son George, after his father.
So, the victim was probably a different Stafford, of which there were many.

29
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Thursday 18 March 21 14:23 GMT (UK)  »
CHAPTER 4:  Tracing Drummard, The Follow Up

Before I get into the specific details of the exercise of tracking the “ownership” of the Drumard lands, first allow me to expound a little on how land rights were handled from the early 17th century.  The reason all the land “transactions” conducted at that time were referred to as “leases” is that  the British government had confiscated the lands of the native Irish in Northern Ireland around 1610 in an effort to control that strategic island in defense of England and prevent it’s use as a military base against attack, explained in great detail by Robert Stedall’s book, Men of Substance.  Within a few years they had organized their plan and subdivided Ulster into twelve relatively equitable segments, assigned to the London Livery Companies.  The area from which our Downing ancestors were concentrated was “owned” and managed by the Vintner’s Proportion, with its center located at Vintnerstown, now known as Bellaghy.  The Livery Companies then appointed a “Chief Tenant” to manage their lands by leasing them back to English settlers and Irish farmers.  Typically, large tracts would be leased to the English settlers, who they hoped would populate the province, eventually convert Northern Ireland into a more anglicized society, and the English settlers could then sublet smaller portions to the native Irish, who were not excluded from larger tracts if they had the means to execute the agreements.  That’s just a generalization, with the purpose being to show that land was not “sold” as we customarily think about it today, until much later.

Before 1870, only about 3% of the land in Ireland was privately “owned” by “freeholders” and 97% was leaseholds.  Between 1870 and 1923 there were a series of parliamentary Acts that were designed to transfer land rights from tenancy to land ownership, so that by 1929 that ratio had reversed and about 97% of the land was then freehold, and “sold” in the way we think of real estate transfers today.

Clotworthy Skeffington, 3rd Viscount Massereene, under whom Capt. Adam Downing served during the Siege of Derry and the Battle of the Boyne, officially took over as Chief Tenant in 1695, when his father, Sir John Skeffington died.  When Clotworthy died in 1714, William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons (1715-1729), became Chief Tenant.
 
(an excerpt from Stedall’s book):  “In 1729, he tried to negotiate the purchase of the estate for 6,000 BPS and a continuing rent of 200 BPS with 2 fat bucks, but he died before these terms could be agreed. . . Conolly’s nephew, also William (William James Conolly, or William Jr.), was obliged to increase the offer to 15,000 BPS.  Although an agreement was signed, completion was delayed until 1737, at which time, Thomas Conolly, William Jr.’s son, obtained the proportion in perpetuity, and the Vintners and their associates ceased to be involved.” 
After 1737, and for quite some time, Thomas Conolly continued to assign leases and along the way, many Lessees were “selling” their property rights.

As for tracking the Drumard lands, there could be two ways to approach this problem.  We could try to trace the ownership of the descendant’s specific real estate in the traditional manner, by consulting a “Recorder of Deeds” and following the path of ownership as far back as possible.  Or we could try to trace the unspecified Drumard lands held by Jackson and Williams as of 1764, by examining their Wills and those of their heirs, searching for transfers in the FamilySearch database, and other sources that may reveal when, and to whom, they transferred those lands.  I have already started that process and can attest that it is not going to be easy.  Perhaps a combination of those efforts will merge at some time, and we can “connect the dots”.  Of course, the present homeowner on Drumard Road doesn’t own 545 acres, so, during the ensuing 254 years, that acreage was subdivided into many smaller tracts, piece by piece.  I’m afraid I don’t have another “lifetime” to fully conclude THAT investigation, so I will terminate the exercise with the knowledge that Nicholas lived somewhere among 545 acres in Drummard, not necessarily on the exact spot occupied by the living descendant, but the living descendant has at LEAST a 55% chance of sitting on part of the original 545 acres, that just happen to be within 800 yards and clear sight of Col. Adam Downing’s “old castle”.

30
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Thursday 18 March 21 13:40 GMT (UK)  »
William Downing, son of George Downing of Dreenan & Elizabeth, bp 2 Dec 1792
Stafford Downing, son of George Downing of Dreenan & Elizabeth, bp 6 Sep 1794

Could he have "accidently" killed his own brother ?

31
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Thursday 18 March 21 13:32 GMT (UK)  »
Quote from: humph19 on Wednesday 17 March 21 18:49 GMT (UK)
Article in the April 10, 1830 edition of the Londonderry Sentinel:

Wednesday, April 7

William Downing, for the manslaughter of Stafford Downing, Six months to hard labour.

Wonder which 'William' and 'Stafford' THEY were ?  And how they were probably related ? 
Too late for my 4th great grandfather.

I take it that's you, Jim ?

32
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Wednesday 17 March 21 18:54 GMT (UK)  »
In response to M. O'Neill's Replies Nos. 19 & 20

The only source I have for Elinor marrying into the McNally family is the personal notes taken by Stafford Poole in 1979, which his niece forwarded to me.

Yes, I think you are probably right about James Maddigan.  If his birth year was 1790, it's highly possible he could have been inserted into the Stafford Downing Lease in 1796 by the (still then) Lessee, John Downing of Dreenan.

33
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Wednesday 17 March 21 14:55 GMT (UK)  »
Part 8

I’ve actually taken the time to decipher almost all of the pertinent DOWNING deeds of County Derry, from 1708 – 1825 and put together an eBook.  My intention was to distribute the eBook for free, but Amazon does not allow free publication, so I had to price it at the minimum 99 cents.  I’m not hawking or plugging it, but after you try to read a few of the Deeds from the database, you might find it a little easier to read plain text than the original handwritten script, and I’ve added my own analysis to many of the Deeds, cross referencing some of the relationships.  The INDEX at the end helps you find any of the included Deeds quickly. 
The link to the eBook is:

https://www.amazon.com/DOWNING-DEEDS-DERRY-1708-1825-Transcripts-ebook/dp/B085XM4DMF/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=downing+deeds+of+derry%2C+1708-1825&qid=1615734260&sr=8-1

That being said, by the Will, we know that Nicholas left his lands at Drummard to his nephew Adam.  Who did Adam pass those rights to ?  Fortunately, I have a clear copy of the handwritten Will of Adam Downing of Rocktown.  On page 2 he wrote, “I devise unto my son John the lands of Dromard”.

In my eBook, I’ve categorized 15 Deeds regarding John of Rowesgift, arranged chronologically.  The earliest Deed, dated 4 Apr 1734, memorializes the lease granted by William Conolly to John for lands of the “south division of  Killyberry” (present day Townland of Killyberry Downing) “lately poss(ess)ed by Mrs Anne Rowe of Ballydermot”, widow of Rev’d Simon Rowe, John’s mother-in-law.  In naming the parties to the Deed, John is described as “John Downing of Drimard”, even though he had been living at Rowesgift for 7 years.  This also confirms that John was in control of the Drumard lands that were held by Nicholas.

Then, by Deed Vol 228, image 182, dated 31 May 1764 (p. 41 of the eBook), we see that John, his wife, and his heir, Rev’d. Alexander Clotworthy Downing, “did grant bargain sell remise release & confirm unto the said Richard Jackson & Adam Williams & to their heirs all that & those the Towns & Lands of Drimard”.
 
You may notice that these deed descriptions do not include metes and bounds that would specifically describe the exact locations of tracts of land.  They merely refer to the fact that the transfer of what were then leasehold rights, were portions of the named Townland.  However, by another Indenture, I’ve found that Wm. Conolly granted a formal Lease to John Downing of Drimard in 1734 that contained by estimation 545 acres, or what would have been over 55% of the entire Townland.  In the 1764 Deed above, we can see that John “sold” his leasehold of “all that & those the Towns & Lands of Drimard”, indicating that the acreage he inherited from Adam, was transferred in its’ entirety, retaining NO land interests at Drumard.

For a living descendant to “own” real estate on Drumard Road today, and claim he is a 7th generation member of his branch to occupy that site, that obviously means that at least one family member RE-acquired lands on Drumard Road, and knowing that Nicholas once held 55% of Drummard, even without a specific description of his leasehold, it’s a decent bet that the current homeowner is occupying part of the original Nicholas tract.
 
At this point, tracing the Drumard lands becomes a much more difficult investigation and I am going to cut off this thread right here.  I may pursue that investigation and report my findings in a future topic, but for now, it remains a mystery.  If you, or anyone you know, has any piece of information that could help connect the Dreenan branch to the Drumard branch, please chime in.  Even the smallest, seemingly insignificant, piece of evidence could be a breakthrough to solving a long-standing mystery.

                                                              The  END

34
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Wednesday 17 March 21 14:52 GMT (UK)  »
Part 7

In an effort to “tiptoe” around the RootsChat rules against speaking of living persons, I will not reveal any names but I hope the Moderators understand it’s difficult to tell a story about a specific area that is sparsely populated without virtually “spilling the beans”.

While driving on Rocktown Lane we (by the way, I’m travelling with my wife) came upon a farmer who was working on his tractor.  We sat there for over an hour gathering some vital “intel”.  Turns out he was the 7th generation of his family to farm that land, and that he used to play in the ruins of Col. Adam Downing’s “old castle” just around the corner when he was a kid.  He also referred me to another man on Drumard Road who could give me some information on the Downing family.

The next day, we rode down Drumard Road looking for the home of the man I was referred to, and after knocking on one door, got directed to the right place.  The very kind lady who answered the door to a knocking stranger on a “cold call” (imagine THAT), invited us in and I conducted another interview in their living room.  The husband, who I will refer to as Mr. “X”, told me the names of his father, his grandfather and his great grandfather, which was as far back as he knew, and that he was also the 7th generation of his family to occupy that site.  At that point, I realized we were probably sitting on land once farmed by Nicholas.  The real revelation was that Adam’s “old castle” was just 800 yards or so, scaled on Google Maps, from the house on Drumard Road and within view of each other across a rather flat plateau-like array of cultivated fields, if not for a few trees.  Subsequent research confirmed that Mr. “X” was a direct descendant of the Drennan branch through his mother, an apparent link between the two branches.
   
If we “rewind” to the 1698 Will of Nicholas Downinge, we see that he also left: “profits of my leaseholds  . . . and the Townlands of Drummard & Cullier where I live and the islands of Armayhnacurr (sp?) & Killyfall (Sp?)” were left to his wife Mary “so long as she shall continue unmarried and no longer” . . . , “all which are to return to my said nephew Captain Adam Downing & his heirs”.

Again, the spellings as deciphered from the handwritten Will do not match any present-day Townlands other than Drummard (Drumard today), which fortunately, is our only concern here.  This exercise is undertaken to see whether we can trace the Drumard land held by Nicholas to Mr. “X” who may be in possession of it today, and if so, establish a solid connection between the two branches.

A few years ago one of the members of Tim Mansfield’s DOWNING FAMILY Facebook page posted a reference that turned out to be a “gold mine” of valuable info regarding land transfers.  It requires a slight “learning curve”, but once you get used to it, you’ll see it for its’ value.  The main page is:

https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/185720?availability=Family%20History%20Library

This FamilySearch database contains microfilmed copies of the original Indentures taken from Registers that were kept in somewhat of a chronological order, and are basically agreements between LESSORS and LESSEES.  (by the way, on the website above, a GRANTOR Index, alphabetical by the first letter of the LESSOR’s surname, is followed by a Land Index, by County, and then a Place Name Index, by County.  The actual Deed Volumes begin on p.8)

Go to Part 8

35
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Wednesday 17 March 21 14:49 GMT (UK)  »
Part 6

CHAPTER 3: Tracing Lands
 
As you may know, the Plantation of Ulster brought about the confiscation of lands that were then leased out by agents of the respective “proportions”, which divided Northern Ireland into 12 equitable segments.  The Fishmonger’s Proportion controlled Ballykelly and the Vintner’s Proportion controlled Bellaghy, along with the Townlands we have been focusing on herein.  Generally, large tracts were leased to prominent English settlers and they, in turn, sublet smaller tracts to the local Irish farmers.

Although the London Livery Companies (the “proportions”) technically owned the land, for a period of time, it’s thought that the original owners had some say in who could lease certain tracts and how they might be passed on to future generations.  In the case of George I, we don’t know what, if any, tracts that he may have owned prior to the Fishmonger’s takeover, remained under his (limited) control.

If we fast forward to the 1698 Will of Nicholas Downinge, we see that he left: “my freehold lands of Drumag (sp?) – Drummagh (sp?) & Knockan in the Barony of Konaght & Co aforesaid with all my Leasehold & other rights to any lands unto my nephew Captain Adam Downing . . . “
It’s not clear whether Nicholas was trying to describe ONE Townland with an alternate spelling, or he meant “Drumag” and “Drummagh” were TWO separate Townlands.  My interpretation is that he was referring to ONE Townland.  Investigation of the names of all the Townlands in the Barony of Keenaght reveals there are NO Townlands in existence today by either spelling.  Unfortunately, Knockan is the only Townland given in the Will that matches the present-day spelling.  The 869 acre Townland of Knockan is located SW of the Town of Dungiven and about 10 miles south of Ballykelly.  The photocopies of the handwritten Will that I have are so faint, it’s nearly impossible to decipher the spellings, and I was left to accept the typed version, but the first three letters are definititely “D-r-u” and the last three certainly look like “a-g-h”.  If we presume “Drumag-Drummagh” is meant as ONE Townland, and search for the closest resemblance, the closest present-day spelling is Drumraighland, a 752 acre Townland just about a mile and a half south of Ballykelly.  It’s possible that the “land” was added to the name at a later time and was then called “Drumraigh”.  The only other possibilities appear to be Drummond, a 159 acre Townland that includes a significant part of the village of Ballkelly and is a very short distance east of the old Walworth House where George lived, or Drumavally, which is Druim-a-bhealaig in Gaelic, located on the eastern shore of Lough Foyle, only 6 miles north of Ballykelly, but with either of those spellings, that’s a bit of a stretch in comparison to the handwritten script.  In any case, it’s evident that Nicholas had inherited some land rights very near where his claimed father, George I, lived, and likely part of his 3,000 acre estate before the Fishmonger’s took over.  Adam then inherited those lands from Nicholas.

Before we look at the “Townlands of Drummard”, I’ll relate a little backstory that sets it up, then “rewind” to the Will of Nicholas Downinge and trace his Drumard lands as far forward as we can.
In May 2018, I had the pleasure of spending eight nights at the “Bridge Cottage” right on the banks of the River Moyola just upstream of Dawson’s Bridge (on Bridge Street), literally the namesake of the town founded by Joshua Dawson, now known as Castledawson.  One of John Downing’s daughters married into the Dawson family, but that’s another story.

From our Castledawson base, I was able to “beat the bushes” pretty hard trying to find evidence of my own “broken link” to the DRUMARD branch, which I am certain lurks somewhere just out of sight.  I’m sure there are other discussions here on RootsChat that address my own issue, possibly in one of the links provided above by Aghadowey, but again, that’s yet another story.  This topic is an attempt to find a link between the DREENAN and DRUMARD branches.

As you can see from studying a Google Maps zoom-in of the area, just south of the village of Gulladuff on the A42 road, the Townland of Drumard is bisected by Drumard Road, running from Gulladuff Road westerly to Quarry Road.  The Townland of Rocktown, is basically bisected by Rocktown Road, running from Gulladuff Road, southwesterly to Hillhead Road, and Rocktown Lane forms a “T” intersection with Rocktown Road, runs northwesterly, then bends southwesterly to Hillhead Road near the village of Knockcloghrim.  These Townlands can also be viewed by clicking on the Townland link at:
https://www.townlands.ie/londonderry/maghera2/

Go to Part 7

36
Derry (Londonderry) / Re: All Things DOWNING/DOWNEY in County Derry
« on: Wednesday 17 March 21 14:47 GMT (UK)  »
Part 5

CHAPTER 2: The Crown of the Tree
The first known DOWNING of this branch to emigrate to County Derry was George Downinge, who first appears as Associate Chief Tenant of the Fishmonger's Proportion at Ballykelly, Co. Londonderry, in 1619.  He also appears in a 1622 Muster Roll for the City and Liberties of Londonderry, as Sheriff of Londonderry during several court proceedings in 1624, and as a resident of the Townland of Ballykelly in a 1659 Census.
 
Without delving “into the weeds” too much on the history of the Plantation of Ulster, I’ll just say he was claimed to be the son of Lt. John Downinge of Ballymanagh, County Tipperary, who was an adventurer soldier for the Crown of England during numerous campaigns in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, including involvement to squash O’Doherty’s Rebellion of 1608 near Londonderry City.  For his service, it is presumed he was awarded lands in lieu of pay, a common practice for the cash-strapped monarchy, and he was holding about 3,000 acres around Ballykelly, a tract of land he had no intentions of inhabiting himself, so he gave it to George when he came of age.  That was likely about 1617 or 1618 and just before the Fishmonger’s organized their holdings, so as compensation for his lands, the Fishmonger’s offered George the position as Assoc. Chief Tenant under James Higgins, an absentee Landlord who was to remain in London.
 
Alexander George Fullerton (1808-1907), a grandson of Dawson Downing by his first wife, Catherine Fullerton, wrote what we came to call the “Fullerton Memoirs”, a family history narrative that identifies George as the son of Lt. John, his son, George II, and claims George II married Jane Montgomery, daughter of Hugh Montgomery of Maghera, the parents of Col. Adam Downing and his siblings.  This source remains the ONLY source we have found to date that make these connections.  ANY information that supports, or discredits, these findings would be gratefully acknowledged.  The DOWNING family tree I’ve developed is based on the Fullerton Memoirs, subject to verification.
With George I established at Ballykelly, it’s apparent he had at LEAST three sons; George II, as mentioned above; Nicholas Downinge of Drumard, who made his Will on 18 Feb 1698, naming Capt. Adam as his main heir, along with his wife, Mary, nephews John, George, and Samuel Downing (brothers of Adam), nephews Daniel, Abraham, and Bernard Downing (presumably cousins of Adam), nephew Tobias Mulhollan (presumably the son of a sister who married into the MULHOLLAN/MULHOLLAND family), William Downing (brother), Sarah Downing (dau of “my beloved brother William), and “to each of my brother William, his children by his last wife Mary £5”, indicating that Nicholas had at LEAST two brothers, probably more; and William, named in the Will.  George II being the father of Capt. Adam (and his brothers) apparently predeceased Nicholas, and mention of the other three Downing nephews indicates a 4th brother who may have predeceased Nicholas.  The likely 4th unnamed son may have been the father of Daniel, Abraham, and Bernard, or any combination of those three named nephews.  Otherwise, Nicholas probably would have described them as William’s sons.  The possibility that those three were not all brothers, opens the possibility of a 5th son, and even a 6th.  We know Nicholas had no children and we know Adam’s brothers were all confirmed in Adam’s Will.  We have only one named child of William.
 
Whether Nicholas’ brother William was antecedent to Stafford I is not certain, but possible.  If we can establish a connection between Stafford I (b. c.1700-1710) and Nicholas (b. c.1628-1698), we have accomplished our mission.  They appear to be at least two generations apart, making Stafford I a contemporary of John of Rowesgift, a likely 2nd cousin, and “setting the stage” for the sale of his farming rights at Dreenan to John of Rowesgift.  Stafford’s father could have been one of those unnamed children of William “by his last wife Mary”, or a son of one of those other unnamed brothers of Nicholas.  Of course there is always the possibility that Stafford’s branch was no relation at all, but keep in mind, at this early time, the DOWNING family in Derry was scarce.

The only other DOWNING’s of that era were Walter Downing of Loughinsholin who is listed in the 1622 Muster Roll of the Vintner’s Estate, Bellaghy, and James and William Downing of Tirkeeran, who both are listed in the 1630 Muster Roll of County Londonderry.  There are no other ‘Walter’s who appear in the tree and very few ‘James’, who appear much later, making those two candidates more unlikely.  And George’s son William would not have been old enough to muster by 1630.  By all the limited evidence available at this time, it appears that George I was indeed the head of this DOWNING branch and Fullerton was correct.

Go to Part 6

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