Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

350 (JKNKALOGICAL NOT?:S OF BAKNSTAHI.E FAMILIES.
whic-h was apprized tit £050. The description of tiie house at
that time shows that the only alteration since made is the "L" on
the east end. Soon after this dale, she married Nathaniel Howes,
of Harwich, who resided near the Herring River, and was an
"inn holder."
The children of Samuel Downs were Nathaniel, Shubael, Baxter,
.Jonathan, Hannah, who married a Gage, Temperance, who
married a Kelley, and Jane who married a Hall ; all living Feb.
24, 1773.
Barnabas Downs, son of William, born in Yarmouth, Aug. 8,
1730, resided in Barnstable. His farm was on the east side of
Dimmock's lane. It was on the south of the great lot of Barnabas
Lumbert. His house, a small one story building, stood near the
woodland. His farm contained about thirty acres of cleared land
and would not now sell for more than $100, yet he kept thereon a
large stock of cattle, one or more horses, and a large flock of
sheep, and raised an abundance of grain and vegetables for the
supply of his large family. His sheep and young cattle ran at
large in the summer, and his hay he procured from the salt meadows
at Sandy Neck. He was one of that class of small farmers
which at that time comprised more than half of
tion of Barnstable—hard working, industrious
the rural popula-
men, who lived
comfortable, and brought up their families respectably, on means
which would now be considered totally inadequate. Barnabas
Downs lived on the produce of his own lands. His clothing was
manufactured in his own house. With the blacksmith, the shoemaker,
and the carpenter, he exchanged labor for labor. The few
groceries he wanted, he obtained by exchanging his surplus produce
with the trader, or by the sale of onions in Boston. He had
very little money, and he needed but little. He was the most independent
of men. Six days he laboi'ed and did all his work, and
the seventh was a day of rest.
He became a member of the East Church in Barnstable, July
4, 1779, and regularly attended all its meetings and ordinances.
As certain as the Sabbath came, Mr. Downs would be seen riding
on horseback to meeting, with his wife seated on a pillion behind
him. Everybody then attended meeting on the Sabbath, and if
they were no better men and women in consequence, they certainly
were no worse.
He married four wives ;
1st, Mercy Lumbert, Sept. 20, 1753,
by whom he had three children; 2d, Mary Cobb, Sept. 23, 1759,
by whom he had eight children, she died April 1780 ; 3d, Elizabeth
Sturgis, who died Feb. 1772 ;
4th, widow Sarah Spencer, Oct.
7, 1792. She was a daughter of Ebenezer Case, and taught a
small school while a widow at her home. Whitney had not then
invented the cotton gin, and cotton was then sold with the seeds,
which iiad to be picked out by hand. Mrs. Spencer, to keep her