Texas

In Texas the Downing’s and McNinch are believed to have met. The Downing’s came from Illinois and the McNinch from New York. The exact date and location of the meeting is unknown. However I have acquired the idea that their meeting was directly connected to the fact that the McNinch family worked for the King Ranch and that the Downing’s were ranchers.

I also found a record last night stating that a women by the name of C. Adair bought some of the first Hereford cattle in Texas, my third great grandpa Thomas Washington Griggs married an Adair. This leads me to believe that the majority of my family was located in an isolated region of Texas around the same time era.

Later John Henry Downing went to Dell, Montana on a cattle drive with his white faced cows (Herefords). With him was the McNinch family with his soon to be bride Della Rosella McNinch. The Griggs family also followed to Montana!

Next week I will go more in depth to the ranching heritage in my family and where they ranched, why they chose the cattle they did and various aspects of the ranching lifestyle. Thanks for reading and God Bless!