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Family
Marriage: Children:
  1. James Elbert Downes: Birth: 31 OCT 1845 in Houston County, Texas. Death: 25 JAN 1917 in Dallas, texas

  2. Sarah Isabella Downes: Birth: 14 AUG 1848 in Crockett, Houston County, Texas. Death: 8 MAR 1943 in Crockett, Houston County, Texas

  3. Franklin Edward Downes: Birth: 1851.

  4. John Fletcher Downes: Birth: 14 NOV 1853 in Crockett, Houston County, Texas. Death: 16 DEC 1941 in Charlotte, Atascosa County, Texas

  5. Bathia Elizabeth Downes: Birth: 27 APR 1857 in Crockett, Houston County, Texas. Death: 28 JUL 1943 in Crockett, Houston County, Texas

  6. Charles Williams Downes: Birth: 1858.

  7. Bennett Arrington Downes: Birth: 1861.

  8. Mary Ann Downes: Birth: 1865.

  9. Lula Lee Downes: Birth: 1870 in Houston county Texas. Death: AFT. 1875 in Texas


Sources
1. Title:   Bible, belonging to John Henry Downes
2. Title:   Maryland Deed Records, Queen Anne County, Liber J.T., #5
Page:   Page 308
3. Title:   beasley.ftw
4. Title:   Houston County Cemeteries
Page:   page 12
Author:   Preservation Committee
Publication:   Houston County Historical Commission
5. Title:   Land Grant Records of the Republic of Texas
6. Title:   Houston County Deeds, Volume T
Page:   Page 512

Notes
a. Note:   [beasley.ftw] PROOFS IN POSSESSION: Parentage: Deed in father's estate, administered father's estate, Bible record. Birth: Cemetery Record, Obituary Marriage: Dates can be estimated by Texas Land grant. Md. and Texas deeds Death: Cemetery Record - Obituary Other Proofs: Deposition of son, John Fletcher Downes, Histories of Houston Co. BIRTHDATE PROOF NEEDED: His dad, Hawkins died intestate in QA Co., 1831. Lodowick was 19. We need to try to prove the birthdate by a parish register, or get an explanation as to why he could administer the estate while still a minor. 1847 MARYLAND LAND RECORDS: Liber J.T. #5, pages 308-309 Queen Anne County Deeds Lodowick E. Downes and Harriet Matilda Downes, of Houston County, Texas, to Bennett D. Downes, of QA Co., Maryland, for $300.00, all Lodowick's right and title to the real estate of his father, Hawkins Downes, and title to the real estate of his mother, Sarah Downes, which is in QA's Co., parts of Welch Pool Addition, Coursey's Addition, and Vaughn's Discovery, and contains 200 ac, the farm on which Hawkins and Sarah Downes formerly lived. Excerpt from an old Houston county Newspaper, date unknown--date could be established by the presence of the Eureka Hotel. They evidently had been running a series of articles on some of the old settlers of Houston County. " L.E. Downes, whose full name was Lodowick Elbert Downes, was born in Queen Anne County, Maryland on June 26, 1812 and died at Crockett, Texas on October 17, 1875 and is buried in the Old Glenwood Cemetary, Crockett, where the marker gives us the dates of his birth and death. He came to Houston County in 1839 and lived for a short time at the home of J.J. Hall on Elkhart Creek. He moved to Crockett in 1841, and taught school in the fall of 1841 in a log house located about where the Joe Younas house now stands. He was then engaged in the mercantile business with Col. John Long and the business was conducted under the name Long and Downes. He was elected Districk Clerk in 1842, and served until 1846. His old home stood where the Eureka Hotel now stands and where he raised a large family, three of his children now surviving: Mrs. Bella Romaine and Mrs. H.C. Eichelberger, who still reside in Crockett, and one son, John F. Downes, who resides at Charlotte, in Atascosa County." (Because of the dates, this has to have been written after 1917 and before 1943.) 1st burning of Houston County courthouse: February 2, 1865 2nd burning: 1882. Buried in Old Glenwood cemetary. Appears on 1840 Tax Roll: 1 2tl Crockett 5 sl 1 wood cl Appears on 1846 Poll list of Hous. County Charles and Bella Romaine buried Old Gleenwood. Charles dates: 1846-1893, supposedly born in Toronto, Canada. Bella's dates 1848-March 10, 1943. Parentage proof: Deed in father's estate Birth and Death dates: Tombstone, cemetary records Marriage period can be estimated by Texas land grant records of 1840 (unmarried) and 1843 (married). Death: Tombstone and obituary Instrumental in the founding of the First Methodist church, Crockett. In poss: A resolution regarding the death of Lodowick, by the businessmen of the town of Crockett. Resolving to close the doors of their stores and to appoint from among themselves a suitable number of pallbearers. Oct. 28, 1875 Need to establish the identity of Loretta E.D. Fryer, with whom there was personal correspondence through 1986. Major correspondence and great help from Philip Gladwin Baynard, of New York, now assumed deceased. Makes mention several of a current cousin, HALL DOWNES. Brief on Hall: Retired in Dover, Delaware, fell in love with genealogy, did the work. Graduated from Annapolis- taught bridge on the radio in the 30's - authored a book - Commander in the Navy - executive with Standard Oil in Peru and with Chase in the Caribbean - teacher - principal of Dover Schools, founder and promoter of vocational schools in Delaware. Died suddenly and unexpectedly in 1976. Hall had a son, Hall Jr., lived in Portland, Oregon. Was an M.D., but taught, or teaches. His daughter, Nancy Downes, was in her first year at Bryn Mawr in 1983. According to Philip Baynard, Hall Downes found a cousin in San Diego who actually did the paper work on the family. Philip and Hall located the early lands in Maryland, and did some joy riding finding land and cousins. One of the cousins was a Mrs. Shawn--Mrs. Gordon Shawn (Corrine McCollister Shawn,) at "Bloomingdale," a beautiful 18th centr\ury estate near Queestown, Md.. Another was Wye Mills. Lodowick buried in Old Glenwood Cemetary-Cemetery- Historical Marker ( Torn obituary from undated old Crockett Newspaper, undated article, obtained from Hattie Mangum and Jean Wheeler , who both had original, cut-out copies, during a personal interview, July 27-28, 1982.) L.E. Downes, whose full name was Lodowick Elbert Downes, was born in Queen Anne Co., Maryland, on June 26, 1812, and died at Crockett, Texas, on October 27, 1875, and is buried in Old Glenwood Cemetary. He came to Houston County in 1839-lived for a short timat the home of J.J. Hall, on Elkhart Creek. He then went back to Maryland. He moved back to Crockett in 1841, and taught school in a log house located about where the Joe Younas house now stands. He was then engaged in the Mercantile business with Col. John Long. The business was conducted under the name of Long and Downes. He was elected District Clerk in 1842, and served until 1846. His old home stood where the Eureka Hotel now stands and where he raised a large family. Three of his children now surviving: Mrs. Isabella Romain, Mrs. H.C. Eichelberger, and one son, John F. Downes, who resides at Charlotte, in Atascosa Co. June 11, 1937: CROCKETT COURIER - Letter to the Editor from John F. Downes, son of L.E. Downes - A.A. Aldrich, editor: I was agreeably surprised to receive a letter from you. My father, L.E. Downes, came to the Lone Star State, Texas, in the year 1839. In the fall and winter of 1839, he worked out on Elkhart Creek for Col. Hall, built rail fences, etc., but he went back to his home in Queen Anne Co., Maryland. When he came back to Texas in the spring of 1841, he located in Crockett, taught a log school one session, and then went to work in the mercantile business of Hall and McKeaver. Col. Hall and his friends had a habit of playing cards, principally and especially on Sunday. My father told Hall he could not and would not work in a gambling house. There was an occasion when Hall went to my father for the store key. As by father gave him the key Hall casually remarked he was going to the store to have a little friendly game. My father replied, "Well Colonel, in that event you may keep the key. Hall says," You mean you are going to quit?" "Yes," my father replied. Hall then said,"Well no, then, in that event you may keep the key." My father took the key, but Hall and his friends went to the store, pried open a window and got in and had the game. My father, the next morning, turned in the key. The firm insisted on his staying with them, but Father told them no, that he was interfering with their pleasure and he would leave them friendly and wish them success. So Colonel Long, (John Long) in the mercantile business on the other side of town heard of this little episode and sent for father. Long told father that he was in need of a moral young man and thought that he, Downes, would fill the bill. So Long took an inventory of stock of goods and gave father one half interest in the whole business. When father came to Texas, there was but one traveled road, and that was from the Old Fort at Nacodoches to the Alamo. The Halls and the Leavertons, great friends of my fathers, were also from the Eastern shore of Maryland. There was a curious incident in connection with father's election to the District Clerk's office. He and his opponent ran over the whole county. the election came on, everything OK, every vote was cast at the county seat. The vote was carefully tallied. Father and his opponent had exactly a tie. The Board was ordered to hold the election for District Clerk again. I believe thirty days from the date of the first election the race was up again and I imagine there was some spurring, kicking, and whipping. The polls closed, the votes tallied, and to the surprise of everyone the votes counted to an exact tie again. The presiding officer gave the office to father. Now that tie business could hardly happen this day and time. (From the Courier editor) It is easy to see that the above letter contains valuable historic information whixh would have been lost but for the timely arrival of this letter from an old citizen. Probably he is one of a very few who had knowledge of the facts stated in the letter. I offer this as a contribution to your souvenir edition to be published in connection with our centennial celebration. The rescue of this information just before it was too late indicates the need of having similar information preserved for future use. First contact correspondence with any other Downes descendents came circa Eliza Bishop, Fall, 1981. This was a result of a letter of inquiry from Mrs. Hattie Mangrum. eliza referred the letter to me because I was starting the research. CENSUS RECORDS - HOUSTON COUNTY, TEXAS 1850 37 M Lodowick E. mer Md. 22 F Harriet N.Car. 4 M James Elbert Ho. Co. 2 F Sarah Isabella Ho. Co. 1860 47 M Lodowick E. mer Md. 29 F Harriet N. Car. 14 M James Elbert Tex. 11 F Sarah Isabella Tex. 9 M Frank E. Tex. 7 M John Fletcher Tex. 5 F Bathia Elizabeth Tex. 3 M Charles Williams Tex. 1870 - Last census before death of Lodowick and Matilda 57 M Lodowick E. farmer Md. 43 F H.M. N.C. 24 M James Elbert mer Tex. 18 M Franklin Edwin Tex. 16 M John Fletcher Tex. 13 F Bathia Elizabeth Tex. 9 M Bennett Arrington Tex. 5 F Mary Ann Tex. F Lula Lee Tex. 1880 - Minor children living with Eichelbergers 25 M H.H.C. Eichelberger artist SC SC SC 20 F Bathia Tx. Md. N. Car. 15 F Mary Downes sister-in-law Tx. Md. N.Car. 12 F Lula Downes sister - in-law Tx. Md. N. Car. 19 M Bennet A. Downes brother-in-law Tx. Md. N. Car. RESIDED old Crockett Hotel, later to be Long's Hotel at the time of the birth of daughter Sarah. ( Mrs. Charles Romain).


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