Hello again Paul,
Re: Reply of Aug 9, 2025
The data I have is an UNverified “work-in-progress” regarding these Travers(e)/Spring/Brown(e) relationships, and several sources seem to be partially correct, conflicting, or erroneous.
However, some of the connections are likely accurate. It’s quite complicated.
The Downing family connection to Travers is based on info sourced from Mary Agnes Hickson’s “Selections from Old Kerry Records: Historical and Genealogical: with Introductory Memoir Notes and Appendix”, 1872, Watson & Hazell.
In that reference, Hickson claims Annabella Brown, eldest dau. of John Brown and Katherine O’Ryan, on the death of her 1st husband, William Apsley, married secondly, Capt. Thomas Spring . . . and had issue two sons and five daughters, the third of which was Susanna. She then states that Susanna, 3rd dau. of Capt. Thomas Spring and Annabella Brown, married “Traverse of Killfallyny, Co. Kerry and had issue nine sons and two daughters.
She further states that “Annabella the elder dau. of Traverse and Susanna Spring married Capt. John Downing in the County Cork and Waterford and had issue two sons, viz., Robert Downing a Major in Holland, and John Downing a Captain in King Charles the seconds Guards.
I know for a FACT that Capt. John Downing, estimated DOB c.1608, apparently married Catherine BROWN (not a dau. of Sir Valentine, but another branch), and had by her two sons, Maj. John, and Maj. Robert, who BOTH joined the Horse Guards of King Charles, in 1660 and 1667 respectively.
Capt. John swore in a Deposition dated 30 Jun 1642, that he had suffered unrecoverable debts owed by Edward Spring and Walter Travers, apparent kinsmen.
On Capt. Thomas Spring, it has been determined by examination of his paternal ancestry that was certainly born in 1519 and would have been about 61 years old when he married the widow Annabella Apsley (nee Brown), who was about 30 years younger. One of their aforementioned two sons, was Walter Spring, and Susanna, the 3rd dau. were both born “after 1580” according to an UNverified source, which conflicts with the estimated birth year of her (SUPPOSED) daughter, Catherine (Travers), who I have as born c.1578.
Getting back to Travers as the suspected husband of Susanna Spring, and father of Catherine, remember that Hickson said Travers was of Killfallyny, a nonexistent place name today. Her forename was Catherine, not Annabella, and she married Lt. John Downing, not his son Capt. John.
Also, it’s plausible that “Killfallyny” may have been misinterpreted to refer to a place named Kilfinny, Co. Limerick, which is just 1.1 miles south of the present-day village of Finniterstown, where Lt. John was almost certainly granted a freehold by his former Commander, Capt. Sir Francis Berkeley of Askeaton. Finniterstown was then known as Pobalfentarragh, an estate inherited by Lt. John’s eldest son, Robert, so named in his Will, dated 3 Jun 1629.
So, as you can see, these surnames are certainly linked, and circumstantial evidence from various sources suggest connections. The data DOES need further proof though before definitive conclusions can be “etched in stone”.
