I have an Oliver Downing who is my brick wall. He was born in Vermont in 1807 and married Sarah Annis also from VT in 1830 in VT. Sarah's father Solomon was living in Chelsea, Orange C0. in 1800 and both he and his wife died there- one in 1832 and the other 1838. Living near Solomon in the 1800 census were three different Downing families- Rufus Downing, Benjamin Downing and Henry Downing. I have a feeling that Oliver and Sarah were married in Chelsea, and had their first 4 children there as well. I wonder if your Downing and my Downing could be connected and if so if either Rufus or Henry could be their father.