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Ancestral Durham Research


Contributed by
Harry Muncey
and
Raymond Durham

 

(Also see "The Durhams of Kent County" by Harry Muncey)

 

I have successfully downloaded this pdf for future use. I will be concentrating my efforts in Baltomore Co., MD
where I found John Durham around 1695 and other families more particularly in Gunpowder Hd., Baltimore Co., MD.

Duke of York land records, Delaware

 

The first John Durham Sr
by Harry Muncey
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The Bush Declaration, also known as the Bush River Declaration, the Bush River Resolution, and the Harford Declaration, was a resolution adopted on March 22, 1775, in Harford County, Maryland. Like other similar resolutions in the Thirteen Colonies around this time, the Bush Declaration expressed support for the Patriot cause in the emerging American Revolution.

John Durham [b. 22 Feb 1737/8, Baltimore Co, MD - d. 1801, Harford Co, MD] was a signer.


 

Early Maryland Native Americans

Askiminkonson

by Mercedes Quesada-Embid

Five Hundred Years on Five Thousand Acres: Human Attitudes and Land Use at Nassawango Creek near Snow Hill on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

In summary, the research project consists of three chapters each telling the history of a different era in the life of Nassawango.

This first chapter tells of the "Contact Period" in which the local Native American tribes of the Pocomoke and Assateague were forced on to the Askiminikonson Reservation by the English settlers. The second chapter, "Iron Era," tells how the land served as an iron-making hinterland for the markets of Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore and the third and final chapter, "Preservation Period," tells how after 100 years of abandonment the land, through different local movements, came to be both a site for an idealized and somewhat fictive historical and ecological preservation.

This research was done with the intention of bringing forth a new and accurate history of Nassawango in order for its present-day visitors and scholars to be aware of the previously hidden history of this unique landscape. I hope you enjoy this small piece of a much larger research endeavor.

 

The Indians of the Lower Eastern Shore
by Christine Richardson

Some of the Indian nation names of the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland that appear in the court records during this time are the Wicomisses (Wiccocomicos), Nanticokes, Choptanks, Pocomokes, Manoakins, Yingoteagues, Nasswattexes, Annamessexes, Acquinticas, Morumscos, Chingoteagues, Mathwasses; and nations all under the Emperor of Assateague including Assateagues, Transquakins (Tresqueques), Chopticos, Moteawaughkins, Quequashkecasquicks, Hatsawaps, Wachetaks, Maraughquaicks, Manasksons, and Capomcos. The records state that the nations of Nanticock (Nanticoke), Babcoes (Ababco) and Ahatchwoops (probably Hatsawaps) were in Dorchester County and the nations of Manoakin and Rockawakinmany were in Somerset County.

 

Montserrat

The Arawak and Caribs were here then many Irish slaves by mid 1600's. Slaves included Native American, whites and blacks.

 

I first learned of the Spanish on the Chesapeake Bay when doing some research in Santa Fe, NM. The Jesuits from Florida started a missionary long before the British came. The missionaries were wiped out by the Rappahannocks. The Jesuits always traveled with a contingent of soldiers. The soldiers took the Native American women as consorts.

The fact that the early Spanish maps named the bay St. Marys Bay and St. Marys is the oldest town on the Chesapeake tells me the inhabitants may not know of their real beginnings or want to talk about it. We all know that our Cisco family was originally Francisco. Then in my recently posted paper in response to Lydia Clark's story, I mentioned that there was a Spanish Indian Slave with a white wife in Kent County, Delaware in the late 1600's. When I couple that with the persistant rumors of some kind of Spanish influance on our tribe, I start to wonder. Add to that that the Chincateague / Asseteague ponys were from a sinking Spanish ship near the MD / VA border. I personally went to one of the pony auctions and their were what appeared to be Pintos among the horses. By the way, I just happened to see the town of California on the Chesapeake Bay map today.

Read the attached paper, The Spanish in the Chesapeake Bay. I think you will find it worthwhile.

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Map of St. Mary's County, Maryland

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Durham County, Maryland

Durham County, Maryland was in what is now southern half of Kent County, Delaware, and northern half of Sussex County, Delaware (claimed for a short while by New Netherland, and then by Maryland, and Pennsylvania).

 

 

Contributed by Raymond Durham (plumbroke000@verizon.net), Mar 14, 2009

Durham and Hall Shipping Co. 1702 Philadelphia Colony: the Durham and Hall Shipping Co out of Phadelphia, sailing up and down the eastern seaboard, to England and to the Caribbean. The account of this shipping Company losing a ship in Lynn Heaven Inlet, VA, in 1702, can be read in the book by Don Shomette, called "Pirates on the Chesapeake Bay". My father said back in the 1940's that a log book from this period was found in the attic of his Grandfather, Enoch D. Durham, in Fairton New Jersey, stating how the sun on the deck melted the pitch down upon the crews bunks.

Note the 4th Gen. All other Daniel Durham's I found for this time period were too young to have a Daniel Jr. DNA test please.



Generation No. 1

1. WILLIAM1 DURHAM was born 1558 in Pittington, England. He married GRACE 1577 in Pittington, England.

Child of WILLIAM DURHAM and GRACE is:
2. i. WILLIAM2 DURHAM, b. 1578, Pittington, England.


Generation No. 2


2. WILLIAM2 DURHAM (WILLIAM1) was born 1578 in Pittington, England. He married MARGARET JOHNSON 1603 in England.

Child of WILLIAM DURHAM and MARGARET JOHNSON is:
3. i. THOMAS3 DURHAM, b. 1604, Pittington, Devon, England; d. Bef. December 28, 1653, Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda.


Generation No. 3

3. THOMAS3 DURHAM (WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born 1604 in Pittington, Devon, England, and died Bef. December 28, 1653 in Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda. He married ? Abt. 1626 in ?Southampton, Bermuda. She died Aft. 1639 in Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda.

Children of THOMAS DURHAM and ? are:

i. DURHAM b. 1627 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda  
ii. THOMAS DURHAM b. 1630 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda  
iii. HENRY DURHAM b. 1633 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda d. Bef. June 06, 1734, North Farmham, Richmond, VA.
iv. JOSEPH DURHAM b. 1635 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda  
v. MOSES DURHAM b. 1639 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda  



Generation No. 4

4. HENRY4 DURHAM (THOMAS3, WILLIAM2, WILLIAM1) was born 1633 in Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda, and died Bef. June 06, 1734 in North Farmham, Richmond, VA. He married JUDITH HUNT February 14, 1659/60 in Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda, daughter of RICHARD HUNT and FRANCES GRIMSDITCH. She was born Abt. 1639 in of, Bromley, Kent, England.

Children of HENRY DURHAM and JUDITH HUNT are:

i. THOMAS DURHAM b. 1661 Southampton, Bermuda d. May 30, 1715, North Farham, Richmond, VA
ii. FRANCES DURHAM b. 1664 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
iii. RICHARD DURHAM b. 1665 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
iv. HENRY DURHAM b. Sept 21, 1667 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda m. ELIZABETH, Bef. 1688, Bermuda  
v. JOSEPH DURHAM b. 1670 Southampton, Bermuda d. Aft. November 16, 1718, will, Southampton, Bermuda
vi. MOSES DURHAM b. Feb 09, 1671/72 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
vii. JOSHUA DURHAM b. 1675 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
viii. DANIEL DURHAM b. 1677 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
ix. JUDITH DURHAM b. Mar 26, 1679 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda d. January 1681/82, Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda.
x. JOSIAH DURHAM b. Dec 07, 1680 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
xi. JUDITH DURHAM b. Mar 10, 1681/82 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda m. JOHN WILKINSON, Bermuda.  
xii. ANNE DURHAM b. Nov 10, 1684 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
xiii. ELISHA DURHAM b. Sept 11, 1688 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    
xiv. ELIZABETH DURHAM b. Sept 22, 1693 Port Royal, Southampton, Bermuda    

Bermuda is a very small island for a large family. Time period is right for the Durham and Hall Shipping Company sailing the trade triangle to carry them to the colonies...and only 500 miles off Delaware. Note that Richard and Daniel would be the right age (to have founded our Durham family of Kent County, DE).

 

Notes for the Durham family: (Lynn Jackson http://www.lynncjackson.com/family/durham.htm)

Daniel Durham

On October 27, 1739 Daniel Durham requested 150 acres adjoining John Hammits plantation in Mispillion Hundred, Kent Co., DE. The warrant was signed by Tho. Penn Warrant Book A, pg. 64. This Daniel was probably born sometime before 1721.

On May 17, 1744 Daniel Durham purchased 100 acres in the Forest of Little Creek in Kent Co. from Isaac Pounds for 76 pounds N-1-46. This was part of 200 acres known as Littleworth granted by warrant in Philadelphia on November 9, 1734 to Thomas Alstone. In 7 places in this document, Daniel is referred to as "JUNer" implying there was another, older, Daniel Durham also in Kent Co. at this time.

The relationship between these two Daniels in not yet proven. It is pure speculation but I believe that my Daniel Durham may have been the brother of John Durham who was married to Elizabeth Hewes and that both John and Daniel were the sons of the elder Daniel Durham.

On 16 December, 1768, John Durham and Sarah Hanzer (a sister?) were named administrators for the estate of Sarah's late husband, William Hanzer. Signing the papers with them were William Conselar and Daniel Durham who signed with his mark, a "D". This is the first documented connection between John and Daniel. This would also suggest that Daniel was probably born sometime before 1748, possibly before 1739. In 1776 John Durham's son, John Durham Jr., died. Letters of Administration on his estate were granted on 19 June to his father, John Durham. Also signing the papers were Whittington and Daniel Durham. We know that Whittington was John's son.

On 7 December, 1779 Daniel Durham, living in Little Creek Hundred, Kent County, DE wrote his will. In it he refers to his wife, Elenor. Based on this will we know Daniel and Elenor had the following children:

Benjamin Durham (d.c. 1810) married Elizabeth Hansor
Daniel Durham (d.c.1801) married Unity ("Nicey" or "Eunice")
Thomas Durham (d.c. 1795) married Mary Joanah Durham
Hester Durham
Rachel Durham
Mary Durham
Ellinor Durham
Sarah Durham

In 1782 Daniel appeared in the Tax & Levy Lists for Little Creek Hundred. Appearing in the same lists were John Durham and Daniel's son, Benjamin.

In 1783 Daniel sold land to Thomas Butcher.

In 1785 the tax lists show Daniel still living in Little Creek Hundred but his sons, Daniel and Benjamin, are shown now living on their own in St. Jones Hundred. This suggests that his sons were probably born sometime before 1765.

n 1786 Daniel sold more land to Thomas Butcher (Z-1-38).

Daniel's will was probated on 17 August, 1786 so Daniel probably died about that time. His estate was valued at 116 pounds, 19 shillings and 6 pence and included " a boy named George" left to his son, Benjamin, to keep until he reached the age of 21. It is not clear is George was a slave or an indentured servant.

 

 

 

 

 

KUSKARAWOAK & MITSAWOKETT

"The History and Genealogy of the
Native American Isolate Communities
of Kent County, Delaware, and
Surrounding Areas on the Delmarva Peninsula
and Southern New Jersey"

 

 


Copyright 1997-

All rights reserved.
Not to be used for commercial purposes.

 

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