Abednego Downing

Abednego Downing

Born 1753

Charles Co., Md.

Died 1833

Overton Co., tn.

Married to

Milicent Waters

30 June 1776

Trinity Parish, Charles Co., Md.

She was born 14 Nov 1755

Charles Co., Md.

Died Feb 1853 Edgar Co., Il.

Buried Sims Cem., Edgar Co., Il.

KNOWN CHILDREN

Eleanor Downing

Born 31 March 1777

Trinity parish, Charles Co., Md.

Ann Downing

Born 24 Jan 1780

Trinity parish, Charles Co., Md.

Lydia Downing

Born 1 Jan 1782

Trinity Parish, Charles Co., Md.

Died 14 Oct 1857 Edgar Co., Il.

Buried Sims cem., edgar co., il.

Married John S. Parrish

About 1800

Georgia

There is a marriage record for Millie Downing in Wayne Co., Ky. She married James Brown 6 Feb. 1819. No proof, but she was probably a daughter.

No doubt, there were more children, but no records have been found.

Abednego Downing and a James Downing were living in Bryan Town Hundred, Charles Co., Md. On the 1776 census.

In 1778, Abednego signed the oath of allegiance in charles co., md.

In 1778 Abednego and James Downing pledged money toward the rectors salary at Trinity Parish church. It appears Abednego did not pay. There is no entry beside his name, but there is by James.

There is still no proof of who the James Downing was. Some think he may have been a brother or cousin of Abednego's. He is apparently the same James Downing that married Asneth Waters (Milicent's sister).

Assessment records

Charles Co., Md.

1783

Abednego Downing

Owned no land

Slaves

Male and female from 8 t0 14

1. value 25

Horses 2

Cattle 5

Value 15-10-

Value of other property 19-10-

Total amount 60- -

Apraisement - 12 -

Ditto in species - 3 -

No. of white inhabitants 7

7 white inhabitants causes confusion. At that time there are only records for Abednego, Milicent and three daughters. Who were the other two??

Next we find abednego in Georgia.

In September 1798, 46 residents of Jackson and Franklin Counties in a letter to Governor James Jackson entreated the Chief Executive to provide relief from indian infringement on lands "which we have honestly paid for."

13^th September 1798

His Excellence James Jackson, Gov. of Georgia.

We are induced from the peculiarity of our situations as Frontier citizens of Jackson and Franklin Counties to address you Excellency and implore your interposition in our favor. We beg leave to represent that we hold titles derived from Grants issued by the State of Georgia for Lands which have proven to lie beyond the temporary boundary line, lately extended under the Superintendence of Colo. Hawkins, Agency of Indian affairs for the United states; that these lands, which we have honestly paid for, which we have been at great Labour and expense to improve and on which (exposed to savage depredations for Several years) we have hazarded the lives of our selves and our families, we are now forbidden to occupy. Thus after exhausting all our resources in the purchase & improvement of Lands, we are now told that we must abandon these homes, destitute (as we are) of the means of providing others for our families.

The lands we hold were granted between the years 1783 & 1788 which we need not remark to your excellency was anterior to the Treaty concluded at New York. We think it proper also to observe that evident inaccuracies have been commited in running of the line from the Currawhee Mountain to the source of the Appalachee, by which that line has been thrown much further in upon the inhabitants than it would have gone if it had been carried direct from one these points to the other.

We pray that your excellency will have the goodness to signify to us by letter addressed to Capt. John Little to the care of Daniel Beall Esp. at Franklin Court House, or in any other way that you Excellency may deem proper and expedient, your opinion.

If you excellency has the power of affording us relief we count with great confidence on receiving it; If you excellency has not that power, we beg that you will represent our situation to the Next Legislature and implore for us that redress which you excellency may think our cases entitled to.

We have the honor to be with profound respect,

Your Excellencies Most Obedt Servts,

Signed: Phillip Thomas, John Thomas, Wm. Thomas, Philip Thomas, Jr, Abednego Downing, George Waters. This continues with a total of 46 names.

What relief the petitioners received is not recorded, but the following deed probably answers the question.

State of Georgia

This indenture made tne first day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred in the twenty fourth year of the Independence of the United States of America between George Sibbald, Esquire in the City of augusta in the County of Richmon and in the State aforesaid on the one part and Abednego Downing of Franklin County in the State aforesaid of the other part witnesseth that the said George Sibbald for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and two dollars lawfull money of the said state to him,

This deed becomes very difficult to read, but it does not include a description of the land. It is noted that Abednego Downing signed this deed, so he could write.

A mortgage dated 25 Feb 1801 from Abednego Downing to William Thomas "to better secure two notes dated Nov 14, 1799 given by Downing to Levin Warles, who transferred them to Thomas, mortgages 102 acres in Franklin Co., on Silver Creek, being part of land whereon said Downing now lives, which he purchased 1 July 1800. Also mortgages horse, three feather beds and furniture."

Records show Abednego paid taxes on the 102 acres through 1810. Sometime before 12 Oct 1811, he sold the 102 acres to Wm. Thomas, holder of the mortgage.

Abednego Downing drew a "prize" in the 1807 Land Lottery. 202 acres in Wilkerson Co., Ga., Militia district, Henry's, Lot #335 District #10. No record has been found as to whether he ever improved this land. A lot of the land in the lottery was not tillable and was not claimed.

In 1813 he was listed as a non-resident and paid taxes on the 202 acres in Wilkerson Co.

Sometime after 12 Oct 1811, Abednego and his family moved to Wayne Co., Ky. He is listed there on the 1820 census. During his years in Wayne Co., Ky. he did a very strange thing. I have found no explanation for the following:

BILL OF SALE

Know all men by these presents that Abednego Downing of Wayne County and State of Kentucky for and in consideration of the sum of Fifty dollars that he hath received of John Parrish of the County and State aforesaid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged hath bargained and sold and by these presents doth make over and confirm unto the said Parrish his heirs and assigns the following property to wit: two beds and furniture, one chest, one iron kettle, one pot, one oven, all the pewter and earthenware, knives and forks. Two horses, three head of cattle, seventy head of hogs with every other specie of property that the said Downing is now in possession of at this time to him the said Parrish his heirs and assigns forever.

In witness where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of May one thousand eight hundred fourteen.

Signed Abednego Downing

Signed, sealed and delivered

In presence of

James (x) Butler

John (x) ___________

I can find no answers as to why Downing sold all this to his son-in-law. Abednego Downing lived about 19 more years. Wish we could find the rest of the story.

Date is unknown, but Abednego and Milicent moved to Jackson co., Tn. They were living in Overton Co. (present day Clay Co.) when Abednego died in 1833.

There is no record of where Abednego was buried. In the early 1940's TVA put in Dale Hallow Dam. At that time he had been dead over a hundred years. The law says that graves 100 years or less, have to be moved. From that we can think that Abednego's remains are at the bottom of Dale Hallow dam.

His widow, Milicent Waters Downing, made her home with her daughter, Lydia Parrish. She is on the 1850 Overton Co., Tn. census with Lydia.

About 1852 Lydia Downing Parrish, Milicent Waters Downing and Isaac Newton Parrish moved to Edgar Co., Illinois where several of Lydia's children were living. Milicent died soon after she came to Illinois and is buried beside her daughter in Sims Cem. In Edgar Co., Il.

So, Abednego Downing lived through the Revolution and Indian Wars. He broke new frontiers in Kentucky and Tennessee. His wife lived on to 97 and died in Illinois.

I"ll always remember a comment by Lester Parrish. "Milicent traveled a thousand miles and probably never went over 5 miles an hour."

Pictures of Trinity parish church taken June 1998. This church was built in 1780 and is still used today. Many area people marry in this church because they want to have their wedding in this old, old church. Lydia Downing was born in 1782 and may have been baptized here.

The map outlines the area where Abednego Downing and John S. Parrish lived in Georgia. At that time it was Jackson and Franklin Counties. Homer, ga. is located in present day Banks Co.

Bryan Town Hundred, 1998. Wonder what it looked like in 1770's?