General Notes

SOURCE:  Historical Skatches and Family Histories - Grayson County, Kentucky.             Author:  The Grayson County Historical Society    Pub: 2002    Page: 199-200

"Richard DOWNS is the progenitor of the DOWNS family of Grayson County.  Born about 1765, he was the son of Thomas & Gillialamus DOWNS of Redstone Township, Pennsylvania.

Thomas was of English ancestry and was one of the earliest settlers of Westmoreland County (later FAyette County), Pa., where he owned 321 acres in 1769.

Thomas was the father of 13 children, including a son Jeremiah, a daughter Rachel, and another daughter, who married John JONES.

Richard grew up in Redstone Settlement and married a woman named Rachel (1767 - 1855).  She was born in Maryland.

After his father died (about 1787), Richard moved to Kentucky, where he is listed on the 1790 tithable list of Captain Lincoln's Company in west central Nelson County.

He lived in Nelson County for a decade before moving to Grayson County about 1800, and settling on a 130-acre farm on Nosey Creek, a tributary of Nolin River.

Richard and Rachel's children were:  Sarah (about 1790);  William (about 1793);  Morris (about 1796);  Aaron (1798 - 1846);  Israel (about 1800), who married Catherine;  and Rachel (5 Jun 1812), who married Isham SKAGGS.

Israel is the ancestor of DOWNSES of the Clarkson area.  -   Barry W. DOWNS
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