Southwestern Pennsylvania

This area was purchased from the Indians in 1768. Dunaway in "The Scotch-Irish of Colonial PA." states that settlement in present Washington Co. began about 1756, but it was not until 1769 that the region began to be occupied to any considerable extent; thereafter it proceeded rapidly. Prior to the opening of the Pennsylvania Land Office on 3 April 1769, for the sale of the lands in the New Purchase, there were probably not more than 1200 settlers in all Southwest Pennsylvania.
Creigh in "Washington Co., PA. 1871", states the earliest account of any permanent settlement having been made west of the Allegheny Mountains is spring 1765.
The area was originally part of Cumberland Co. but in 1771 the territory was organized as part of Bedford Co.; in 1773 it was made a part of Westmoreland Co.; in 1781 it became Washington Co.
The first settlers, who were principally English, came from Virginia and Maryland by way of Braddock's Road to Redstone Old Fort on the Monongahela and thence westward into Washington Co. Many stayed, while in later years others pushed on to Kentucky or Ohio.
Southwestern Pennsylvania was claimed by both Pennsylvania and Virginia at the time of the Revolution. In 1776 Virginia had set up three counties, Yohogonia, Monongalia and Ohio (see maps).
Pennsylvania had begun giving land grants in 1769, but this came to an end about 1774, when the dispute with Virginia heightened. By 1780 Virginia had granted nearly 830 land certificates to settlers in the disputed territory. The certificates (mostly for 400 acres) listed the name of the applicant, date of certificate, date of settlement and location (generally by name of stream). After the boundary dispute was settled Pennsylvania resumed land grants about 1784. Two types of grants were made: those based on Virginia Certificates, which were honored if there was no prior claim, and those granted directly based on Pennsylvania claims.
The original list of Virginia Certificates for Yohogonia and Ohio Counties is preserved at Morgantown, West Virginia in the State Collection at the West Virginia University Library. The Monongalia List was apparently destroyed by fire before 1800
but R.M. Bell states copies were saved and are available. The Yohogonia County deeds are in the Washington Co.,PA. Deed Bk. C-1; Yohogonia County inventory and sale papers (no heirs) are in Deed Bk. E-1.

Virginia references to DOWNING & ELLIS:
JAMES DOWNING appears on a list of inhabitants who took the oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia in Ohio Co. dated 7 Oct 1777. (Ref "The Ten Mile Country and Its Pioneer Families"-Leckey).
Court for Ohio Co,VA. 5 June 1780, ordered that ISAAC ELLIS and TIMOTHY DOWNING be recommended as officers in militia. Loveless, Vol III, p69.
Yohogonia Co., VA. land warrants of interest are: (from Va.Gen.-Vol 7,p82&107)
ROBERT DOWNING,settled 1776 on Chartiers Cr.
WILLIAM ELLIS & ISAAC ELLIS, 1774 on Buffalo Cr.

ROBERT DOWNING sold his warrant for the above tract in Cecil Twp to JOHN NEIPER of Lancaster Co,PA. ("tract on Chartiers") 20 Dec 1785, ref: Washington Co. Deed Bk C-11.

Pennsylvania Land Warrants:
On 22 Feb 1786, TIMOTHY DOWNING was a land warrantee for 200 acres. (PA Archives, Series 3, Vol 22,p551 and Vol 3, p67 Horn Papers). This tract "Plenty" actually contained 277 acres, was on Cross Creek, Hopewell Twp. and was Patented 17 Apr 1788. TIMOTHY disposed of this land after he moved to Mason Co, KY. The sale is recorded in Washington Co. Deed Bk 1-I, p608 dated 14 Jun 1793 and Bk 1-O, p413 dated 20 Nov 1798.
JOHN DOWNING received a land warrant dated at Philadelphia, 2 Feb 1787 for 417 acres. A patent was issued 16 April 1788. The land "Discord" adjoined that of TIMOTHY and JAMES DOWNING on Cross Creek. JOHN sold the land after moving to Mason Co, KY. The sales are recorded in Washington Co, PA. Deed Bks 1-I, p610 dated 14 Jun 1793 and 1-R, p86 dated 1 Apr 1802.
JAMES DOWNING had a tract of land surveyed 30 Oct 1800. The tract "Poland" was based on his warrant of 17 Nov 1788 which he sold 26 Jul 1789, however confusion over the title caused the late survey and title being patented in 1801 to William Patterson. (Vol 3, Horn Papers)

Pennsylvania Tax List References:
A 1773 Bedford Co, Springhill Twp, list shows TIMOTHY DOWNING, inmate (boarder of tenant). Springhill Twp was a part of Bedford Co. that later became Washington Co.
Washington County Tax Lists--cys in city library and some in PA Archives: Series 3, Vol 22, p741.
1781--JAMES, TIMOTHY & JOHN DOWNING in Hopewell Twp.
1782--JOHN, JAMES & TIMOTHY DOWNING in Hopewell Twp.
1783--TIMOTHY, JOHN & JAMES DOWNING; ISAAC & WM ELLIS in Hopewell Twp.
1785--JAMES, JOHN & TIMOTHY DOWNING, WILLIAM ELLIS in Hopewell Twp.
1787--JOHN, JAMES & TIMOTHY DOWNING in Hopewell Twp.
1788--JOHN DOWNING, Donegal Twp.
1789--JAMES (escort?) & TIMOTHY DOWNING, also as escort and for an estate, name unreadable, Hopewell Twp.

In February 1782, Indian depredations had once again commenced in the Southwestern Pennsylvania settlements. Frustration and anger of white settlers reached such a point that a single act of Indian savagery ignited already overheated passions in the border settlements. Such an event caused the Gnadenhutten massacre of the Christian Moravian Indians. Most whites overlooked the militia's savagery, regarding them as heroes.
In May, 1782, flushed with the "victory" at Gnadenhuttten, another expedition of 480 men under Colonel William Crawford, set off for the Sandusky Plain to engage the western tribes. Indians attacked Crawford's troops on June 6, 1782, bringing them to a halt. A retreat was called after the Indians had been reinforced. The Crawford Party became divided, and Crawford and some of his men were captured and tortured to death. Survivors struggled back to Washington County. Timothy Downing was one of the captains on this expedition and his brother-in-law, Thomas Ellis, was killed.
The Indians becoming emboldened by the victory over Crawford attacked and burned the county seat of Westmoreland Co., on July 13, 1782. Throughout the remainder of the Revolution, alarms were caused by Indian forays and incursions in both Washington and Westmoreland Counties. After October 30, 1782 no further actions were to taken against the Indians because peace had been proclaimed. Indian depredations generally ceased in Southwestern Pennsylvania by January, 1783.
JOHN, JAMES, ROBERT, & TIMOTHY all served in the 3rd Battalion, Washington Co. Militia during the Revolutionary period of 1781-83. Ref. PA Archives.
Other Washington Co. references to TIMOTHY & JOHN DOWNING are contained in the Orphan's Court Records pertaining to the estate of THOMAS ELLIS who was killed during Crawford's Sandusky Expedition. The papers are filed in envelope #1E-1792 in the courthouse vault and contain misc receipts dated 1782 to 1790 showing the names of JOHN & TIMOTHY and ISAAC ELLIS. THOMAS ELLIS left a widow, ANNE, and children, SARAH ANNE & THOMAS. THOMAS ELLIS was the brother in law of TIMOTHY & JOHN DOWNING.
By 1790 our DOWNING/ELLIS family was no longer in Washington County, PA., having moved westward to Kentucky and West Virginia.

Other DOWNING references in Pennsylvania which are of interest but have not been connected to our family are:
A Cumberland Co. land warrant dated 20 Jan 1753 was issued to JAMES & ROBERT DOWNING for 50 acres each. Ref Series 3, Vol 24, p661-PA Archives. This was in Antrim Twp, now in Franklin Co. The warrants #14 & 15 were surveyed 2 April 1754 for 295 acres and patented 30 Oct 1765 to JAMES DOWNING. But this is the DOWNEY family from Frederick Co, MD. I have examined the warrant and ROBERT'S will and although the name DOWNING is used in the body, they are signed DOWNEY. This JAMES died in 1784 in Frederick Co, MD.

Early Pennsylvania Settlement Chronology

1738--Upper W. Conococheague Presb Church formed (now Franklin Co)

1743-1748--First settlers in Great Cove (James Downey & Adam McConnell.(History of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams and Perry Counties--Rupp--1846) (Most of historical data cited is from Colonial Archives of PA. Series I)

27 Jan 1750--Cumberland Co. formed from Lancaster Co.(Hopewell, Antrim, E.&W. Pennsboro Twps).

30 Mar 1750--Settlers warned to leave Great Cove.(ibid)

27 Sep 1750--Petition from Great Cove Settlers (James Downey)(ibid)

1754--Ayr Twp created by Cumberland Co.

1755--Pennsylvania purchased land in Great Cove area from Indians. (see Bell's-Mother Cumberland- for maps.)

1 Nov 1755--Indians attack Great Cove (F-I War).(see Rupp)

Nov 1761--Cumberland Deed, 2A125-26 cites James Downing and McConnell and McLellan.

Aug 1762--James Downing estate ref in Cumberland Co. Liber A, Folio 46, 13 Aug 1762. Joseph & Susanna Wells, admin.

1762--Air Twp, Tax List, Cumberland Co. (Widow Downing, John Downing, McConnell & McClellan).

1766--Great Cove Presby Cong formed, Ayr Twp., now Fulton Co. (see Bell)

1767--Mason Dixon Line Survey completed, establishes boundary between PA & MD.

1769--41 residents of the Cove send a petition to "the Revd Presbitery of Donigall", at Rock Spring Church to supply a minister--John Black.

1771--Bedford Co. created from Cumberland. Includes Ayr Twp.
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