Person:William Downing (14)

"The will of William 'Downinge' was dated 6 April 1650 and proved on 27 May 1658. He called himself gentleman and gave his residence as Spexhall, with request 'to be buryed in the Chauncell of Spexhall under the grave stone of Mary my late wife.' He gave small bequests to the poor of nine parishes. he mentioned 'Sara my late wife' and his sister-in-law Mrs. Joane Hubberd deceased. Among the people he remembered with gifts were: grandchildren George Downing and William Donwinge sons of his son Thomas deceased; brother-in-law George Browne; son-in-law Roger Mighells 'who marryed Mary my daughter'; cousins John Croppe, William Croppe, Martha Croppe, and their sister Anne; 'my twoe daughters'; grandchildren John Pruste and Carnezen [Kenson], and the four other children of daughter Anne, when 21; and cousin George Downing gentleman. Then: 'I have written this will with om owne hand the 6 daye of April beinge that day 85 yeares old."^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Hyde, Myrtle Stevens, “A Study of the Downing Family in England, with Connections in Early New England”, v. 74 [Jul-Oct 1999] : 161-174, 299-308., in The American Genealogist (TAG). (Donald Lines Jacobus, et.al.)
   (at 74:306-308).

   WILLIAM DOWNING was born on 6 April 1565, according to his will. he was buried at Spexhall, co. Suffolk, on 24 March 1657, aged 94 [sic]. He married first at Spexhall on 24 July 1592, MARY BROWNE; she was buried there on 2 January 1602[3]. William married secondly at Spexhall on December 28 1639, SARAH DASSETT; their license calls him a widower and her "Mistress Sarah Dassett, single". Probably her burial is that of Sarah Downing at Spexhall on 30 December 1649.