GRADUATES OF HARVARD ORIGINATING
FROM SALEM
From the NEHGR Vol. 6 page 47
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Image of George Downing from History of Salem Vol. II page 29 |
The reference; to Felt's Annals are always to the original ed. (8 vo). W. W., denotes William Winthrop. J. P. D.
1612-- GEORGE DOWNING Son of Emanuel D., but born in London: he returned to England in 1645; his diversified life successively presenting several phases of a preacher (tho' this was very brief), a Commissary-general (1653), a member of' Parliament from Scotland (1656), and an ambassador from. Cromwell to the, Hague (1657).
Less than four years after, he was sent in the same capacity to the same power by the restored King. He seems to have been not a whit less adroit than his contemporary, South, in suiting his temper to the times, and equalyl far-sighted to see in their shadows, the sign of coming events.
His character low as it stood with English historians, was more infamous yet in the eyes of his New-England countrymen, and it passed into a proverb, to say of one who proved false to his trust, that " he was all arrant George Downing."
His renegade life will be found illustrated in Hutchinson, Anthony Wood, and Pepys,-perhaps in epitome of it in sufficient detail the reader will see in Felt's Annals of Salem, (pp. 160-170), and Fierce's Hist. of Harv. Univ (Appendix, No. 13).
Downing m. Frances Howard of a high family 1654 ; was Knighted by King Charles at the Hague, when just about to set sail for the English shore, May 22, 1660; and created a Baronet (styled in the Act --" of East Hatley in Cambridgeshire") July 1, 1663. he d. in 1684, (59). His sister, Ann, in. Gov. Bradstreet, and survived to April, 1713.
His grandson, G. D., d. without issue April 1747, and from his munificence was created at Cambridge in 1800 " Downing College the youngest foundations of that seat of the Muses. The value of the bequest is now estimated tit more than L150,000.
The parentage of the graduated, from the mistake in the first instance of honest Wood was repeatedly mis-stated, as having been the Son of Calybute D., a Puritan divine.
Also, From History of Salem - page 29
Mr. Downing married Lucy Winthrop April 10, 1622. Their oldest child was George, who was born in 1624, and came to Salem with his parents in the spring of 1638, at the age of fourteen.
He entered Harvard College and ranked second in the first class. He returned to England; lived in Gamlangay, Cambridgeshire; married Frances Howard; and was knighted and made a baronet by Charles II, July 1, 1661, for his good conduct in Holland.
He died in 1684. Downing Street, the financial center of London, was named for him; and his grandson of the same name established by will, in 1800, Downing College, at Cambridge, England, on a more liberal foundation than any other college at that distinguished educational center.
Other children, than George and Ann, were
James, who was the son of Mr. Downing by his first wife, - Ware, and came with Governor Winthrop in the Arbella, in 1630;
Mary, who came to New England in May, 1633, with Governor Coddington in the Mary and Jane, and married Anthony Stoddard of Boston;
Susan, who came with Mary; Lucy; Dorcas, who was baptized in Salem Feb. 7, 1640-1; and
John, who was baptized in Salem March 1, 1640-1 ; merchant; lived at Nevis; and probably died in Boston April 29, 1694.