[Bann Valley] Downing family

["Robert Stedall" <robert@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am one of a group of researchers trying the establish the extent and 
antecedents of the Downing family who signed leases on the Vintners' 
Propertion at Bellaghy in 1569.They are probably descended from George 
Downing who held leases at Ballykelly from about 1618, but moved to 
Bellaghy in 1569. We have a Victorian record of uncertain authenticity 
that he had a son George, probably of Rocktown, who was the Comptroller 
of Customs for Co. Londonderry. He seems to have had a brother Nicholas 
of Drumard, whose will was proved in 1698, and there was another brother 
William. It would seem that George Jr. married Jane Montgomery, the 
daughter of Hugh Montgomery of Gransheogh, who held estates at Maghera. 
They had at least five sons of whom the best known was Captain Adam 
Downing (later Lt. Colonel) who fought at the siege of Londonderry and 
married Anne Jackson of the Coleraine Jackson family. There were also 
John, George ,Samuel and Bernard. We have identified a considerable 
number of Downing names in the vicinity of Bellaghy, but apart from 
Adam's and Samuel's descendants, we have not been able to link them into 
the family. The problem is made more complicated, because several Gaelic 
families adopted the name Downing when they anglicised their names, but 
it is likely that several of the later Downing names were kinsmen of 
Adam. For example there are families with the given name Stratford and 
Hertford, and we are aware that an Anglo-Irish family with the the 
surname, Stratford, also lived locally. There is also a grouping at 
Dreenan, who may be of Gaelic origin.

We are at present grasping at every possible straw, and I can provide 
such information as we have unearthed (and its source) to anyone who is 
interested. I would prefer to focus on records or leads that date back 
prior to about 1800.

Robert Stedall