DOWNING, George* ^2906,2907

   Another name for George* was DOWNING, Geo ²⁹¹⁰.^,2911

  Birth Notes:

Note that I have not found any proof yet that this George Downing is the same George Downing who was son of James and lived in Edgecombe Co.

Born 1776 near Snow Hill, on Contentnea River or creek, Greene County, NC. Son of James Downing.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Property: 50 acres, 25 Jan 1808, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹¹² George Downing, 50 acres in Bladen County, entry 636, entered 25 Jan 1808, beginning at a pine, his own line.

2. Appearance in Document, 17 Mar 1808, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. ¹⁹⁶⁴ The will of James Downing, Sr, refers to son George Downing [maybe this one].

3. Property: Bought James Downing property, 1 Jun 1808, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. ¹⁹⁶⁵ Account of sale of part of the property held by James Downing Jr, exr. for estate of James Downing Sr, 1 Jun 1808. Buyers were George Downing [maybe this one], Mary Downing, and James Downing.

4. Census, 1810, Edgecombe County, North Carolina, United States. George Downing [maybe this one] is age 26-45, living with 1 male under 10 and 1 female 16-26 (Edgecombe Co, p740) [the single male child does not match well with the known children in the 1820 Census]

5. Property: Granted 200 acres, 11 Dec 1811, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹¹³ George Downing granted 200 acres in Bladen Country "on S side of Turnbull" (deed book 126, page 243, grant 3402, issued 11 Dec 1811, entry 343, entered 7 Apr 1810).

6. Property: 100 acres, 4 Jul 1814, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ⁷⁵⁴ Wm Davis to Geo Downing - $100 - 100 acres (Bladen Co Deed y, p575).

7. Property: Granted 48 acres, 7 Aug 1815, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ⁷⁵⁴ Grant #3674 to George Downing, 48 acres South of Briery Branch adj lands of Isaac Jones (Bladen Co Deed Book 11, p177).

8. Property: Granted 48 acres, 12 Dec 1816, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. George Downing granted 48 acres in Bladen County "S of Briery Branch" (deed book 130 page 433 grant 3674).

9. Property: Bought 153 acres, 16 Nov 1818, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ⁷⁵⁴ John McGill to George Downing, 153 acres on W side of Turn Bull Swamp adj lands of Ruben Blackwell (Bladen Co Deed Book 11, p209).

10. Census, 1820, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. George Downing is 25-44, living with two M<10 [John, George], one M 10-15 [Valentine], one M 18-25 [Evan], two F<10 [Mary Ann, unknown], one F 10-15 [Sarah], one F 15-25 [Nancy, unless she is already dead], and one F 25-44 [wife Mary Ann] (Bladen Co, p144)

11. Property: Bought 100 acres, 4 Feb 1823, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ⁷⁵⁴ Wm Richardson to Geo Downing, 100 acres on the W side of Turn Bull Creek on the Briery Branch (Bladen Co Deed Book 11, p139).

12. Property: Bought 140 acres, 29 Oct 1823, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ⁷⁵⁴ Isham Davis to Geo Downing, 140 acres on the E side of Panther Branch it being part of a 640 acre tract pat. by John Porter. Witnessed by Evan Downing (Bladen Co Deed Book 11, p231).

13. Property: Granted 25 acres, 21 Nov 1823, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹¹⁴ George Downing granted 25 acres in Bladen County "E side of Singletary's Bay" (deed book 135, page 423, grant 2393 or 3893, issued 21 Nov 1823, entry 1049, entered 28 June 1822).

[There is a Little Singletary Lake in N Bladen Co, near Cumberland Co line]

14. Property: Bought 150 acres, 7 Nov 1825, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ⁷⁵⁴ Wm Richardson and Louis Sheridan of the town of Elizabeth to George Downing ... 150 acres on W side of Turnbull, being the same conveyed by Daniel Williams and his wife as heirs of John Lennon to Wm Richardson (Bladen Co Deed Book 11, p514).

15. Census, 1830, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. There is an entry for George Downing, but I cannot read it (Bladen Co, p77)

16. Property: Sold 15 acres, 15 Mar 1833, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. George Downing sold 15 acres to Lucy Cain of Bladen Co for $7.50. The land was part of the 4th lot of 100 acres belonging formerly to John Cain deceased and transferred by Arington Cain to George Downing and thus to Lucy Cain. Land lying on Turnbull Swamp. (Bladen Co Deed book 10, p169)

17. Property: Granted 25 acres, 19 Nov 1833, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹¹⁰ Geo Downing, 25 acres, grant 4101, issued 19 Nov 1833, entry 241, entered 15 Oct 1832, between Panther branch and head of River branch.

18. Property: Deeded land: Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. Entries in Bladen County Deed book for George Downing (might not all be this Geo Downing): deed to Valentine Downing (22-228), deed to Meriam Edge (28-53), deed to Evan Downing (30-356), grant from NC (12-323).

19. Occupation: Teacher. ²⁹⁰⁸ Taught school in Columbus, Moore, Cumberland, and Bladen counties before moving to Briar Branch.

20. Residence: Briar Branch Church, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹⁰⁸ Lived near Briar Branch Church.

21. Will, 4 Nov 1837, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. From George Downing will - "I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Ann Downing the plantation and dwelling houses whereon I now live or reside with all my lands which lie between R B Coorly branch and Briary Branch with the exception of one neck of land on the swamp side called the Calf Pasture it containing one hundred acres called the Old Hundred lying on both sides of the Branch and her part contains all on the other side of Briary Branch and is lying above the road one hundred acres whereon the Dwelling House stands. Patented by William Davis and a part of a hundred and fifty acre tract patented by Jesse Davis which lands and tenants she is to possess and enjoy during her natural life and widowhood. At her death said lands and premises to belong to my beloved son George W Downing he taking care to maintain and support his Mother as long as she liveth as comfortable as in his power he also to have the priviledge of the land to cultivate and have all reasonable priviledges to cultivate the land. I also give and bequeath to my son John J Downing one hundred acres of land purchased of Edward Blackwell and called the Blackwell land with the exception of a small piece lying between the Meeting House and Briary Branch and also give him a small piece of the Old Hundred acres which lyeth on the lower side of the road and on the south side of Briary Branch and joins the Blackwell land and forty eight acres forming the Blackwell land patented to me and another piece called the Calf Pasture. My young horse I want left for the use of the family. My riding chair I give to my wife her life time forever and use the other to be sold when convenient. I also give and bequeath to my beloved daughters Sarah Downing Mary Ann Downing & Mary Jane Downing one hundred and fifty dollars to each one to be raised out of my estate and as for my Negro man Tom to be sold or hired out and out of the profits arising therefrom the hire or sale a sufficient sum to purchase a Negro girl ten or twelve years old and given to my wife her life time then to go to the use of the rest of the heirs divided equally among them all and what remains of the price of Tom over buying a girl paying of each daughter their equal part divided among them all. I also appoint my son Valentine Downing Executor of this my last will and testament..." His will was filed in Bladen Co 11/4/1837 in Vol 1, p57.

22. Occupation: Chairman of County Court, 1838, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹⁰⁸ Was Chairman of the County Court of Bladen at his death in 1838.

23. Religion: Baptist.

George* married Mary Ann* HAYS, daughter of Peter* HAYS and Penelope* HAINEY, in 1801 in Nr Sloans Bridge On South River, Bladen or Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. (Mary Ann* HAYS was born in 1777 in Bladen County, North Carolina, United States,²⁹⁰⁹ died on 24 Oct 1861 in Bladen County, North Carolina, United States ²⁹¹¹ and was buried in Nr Briar Branch Church, Bladen County, North Carolina, United States.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. Marriage Notice, 1801, Nr Sloans Bridge On South River, Bladen or Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. ²⁹⁰⁸ George Downing married Mary Ann Hays (daughter of Peter Hays and Penelope Hainey) in 1801 near Sloans Bridge on South River (at her parents home).