Thomas Duston Sr (1606 - 1662)

Born 1606 in England

Descendants

Died 1 Jul 1662 at about age 56 in Portsmouth, Rockingham, New Hampshire

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Puritan Great Migration Project WikiTree [send private message], Jack Wise [send private message], Linda Franks [send private message], Karen Munro [send private message], and John Roberts [send private message]

Thomas Duston Sr migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 100) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Disputed or discredited origins, parentage, vital data. At least by the 1920s, a notion circulated among family historians that early New England immigrant Thomas Durston/Duston either was or was closely related to a Thomas Durston of Wilton, Somerset, England. The latter was reported baptized at England, 1598. At least in part, the men used the same name, had wives named Elizabeth^[1] and were alive at roughly the same time.^[2]

In the 1930s, the Duston-Dustin Family Association (the "Association") reviewed various materials about the area of Wilton (birth/baptism, marriage, death and estate records) and determined there were records about three generations of men named Thomas Durston at Wilton.^[3] Of these three men,^[4] the younger two were reported baptized in 1627^[5] and 1654.^[6] Just as records of three Durston men Thomas of Wilton were called out in the baptismal records, so were the records of three deaths found, these said in 1678, 1712 and 1724.^[7] Thus, even before records about the New England man were considered, those involved in the work of the Association felt it likely the men of Wilton had remained in England.^[8]

When New England records about the immigrant were considered, it became even more apparent that he was not among those named in Wilton vital records.

• A deposition by the immigrant in 1660^[9] or 1661^[10] provides his age as "about 55," placing his birth at "about 1606."

• He died "before 1 July 1662," when administration on his estate was granted to the widow.^[11] Among other administrative actions as Thomas' widow, on 10 October 1662, "Elizabeth Durston, Widdow of Thomas Durston deceased late of Kittery" sold to John Cutt "the houses & lands on Kittery side all that did belong to my husband deceased …"^[12] As "Elizabeth Duston"^[13] she married again, Haverhill, 9 June 1663, to Matthias Button. ^[14]

• The immigrant's wife was Elizabeth Wheeler. She was baptized 10 January 1618 at St. Edmonds, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England,^[15] daughter of John.^[16] The will of John Wheeler, dated 28 March 1668, calls her Elizabeth Button; her children as just "Thomas," "Mary," and "Elizabeth." (See Essex Probate, John Wheeler.)

On 8 June 1703, long after both Thomas and his widow were deceased, the "Court at York" dealt again with the immigrant's estate, appointing his son Thomas as administrator.^[17]

Countless family files have commingled the various names, dates and places mentioned, so that the immigrant is sometimes seen born 1598, 1606 and 1627. His death is often given as 1703. His children are reported on WikiTree under the surnames Duston, Dustin and Button.

As to both the outdated and updated records and reasoning, the Duston-Dustin Family Association has published notices and engaged in outreach with the online community. As to the latter, see the posting by Chris H. Bailey, then genealogist for the Association,^[18] including these closing remarks (quoting),

We have never been able to prove the parentage of Thomas Durston/Duston (c. 1606-1662) in England and perhaps it will never be proven. Unfortunately, this fictitious lineage has been accepted by many and posted on the Internet as "gospel" and it will probably never go away, but I can assure you it is not correct.

As with all genealogical information, findings such as those mentioned here are subject to review based on the improved discovery of historical records and reasoning.

Sources

1. ↑ The English man's wife is said to have been Elizabeth Burgess; for an indexed account of their marriage, see both
   (a) "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NFSS-7LW : accessed 2014), Thomas Durston and Elizabeth Burges, 30 Sep 1625, citing FHL film 1526792, item 8 ["Parish Resiters for Wilton, 1558-1901"]; and
   (b) "England Marriages, 1538–1973," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NLMV-MYG : accessed 2014), Thomas Durston and Elizabeth Burges, 30 Sep 1626, citing "Saint George, Wilton, Somerset, England, reference; FHL microfilm 496852" (film 496852 reports item 2 as "A copy of the registers of the baptisms, marriages, and burials at the church of St. George in the parish of Wilton : adjoining Taunton, in the county of Somerset from A.D. 1558 to A.D. 1837").
2. ↑ H. D. Kilgore, "The English Durstons," (dated 1936), Harold Dustin Kilgore and The Duston-Dustin Family Association Genealogists, _The Duston-Dustin family genealogy_ (1938-1988?), 7; digital image, _FamilySearch_ (accessed via the Family History Library Catalog, 2014).
3. ↑ H. D. Kilgore, "The English Durstons," (dated 1936), Harold Dustin Kilgore and The Duston-Dustin Family Association Genealogists, _The Duston-Dustin family genealogy_ (1938-1988?), 7-9; digital image, _FamilySearch_ (accessed via the Family History Library Catalog, 2014).
4. ↑ The elder is said baptized 1598, and, according to FamilySearch Historical Collections, more than one man of the name (Thomas Durston or Durstone) was baptized at England in 1598. From the same collections, the records of one Thomas baptism that year at Wilton are included in the index. For the latter indexed accounts, see
   (a) "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NXR7-252 : accessed 2014), Thomas Durstone, 09 Apr 1598; citing Wilton, Somerset, England, reference item 8; FHL microfilm 1526792; and
   (b) "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NGLC-VLF : accessed 2014), Thomas Durstone, 09 Aug 1598; citing SAINT GEORGE, WILTON, SOMERSET, ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 496852.
5. ↑ For an indexed account, see
   (a) "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NTWW-9BH : accessed 2014), Thomas Durston, 28 Oct 1627; citing Wilton, Somerset, England, reference item 8; FHL microfilm 1526792, also as
   (b) "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J3QX-BFC : accessed 2014), Thomas Durston, 28 Oct 1627; citing SAINT GEORGE, WILTON, SOMERSET, ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 496852.
6. ↑ For an indexed account, see "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JWC7-9RC : accessed 2014), Thomas Durston, 06 Jun 1654; citing SAINT GEORGE, WILTON, SOMERSET, ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 496852.
7. ↑ H. D. Kilgore, "The English Durstons," (dated 1936), Harold Dustin Kilgore and The Duston-Dustin Family Association Genealogists, _The Duston-Dustin family genealogy_ (1938-1988?), 7; digital image, _FamilySearch_ (accessed via the Family History Library Catalog, 2014).
8. ↑ H. D. Kilgore, "The English Durstons," (dated 1936), Harold Dustin Kilgore and The Duston-Dustin Family Association Genealogists, _The Duston-Dustin family genealogy_ (1938-1988?), 7-9; digital image, _FamilySearch_ (accessed via the Family History Library Catalog, 2014).
9. ↑ Citing "P. court Files" for deposition "in Walton case 28 (4) 1660," Charles Henry Pope, _The Pioneers of Maine and New Hampshire_ (1908), 60 ("Dunster, Dunstar, Durston, Duston, Dustin?); digital images, _Hathi Trust_ (accessed 2014). http://hdl.handle.net/2027/loc.ark:/13960/t3xs5v93n?urlappend=%3Bseq=76
10. ↑ "In a deposition Made 28 April 1661 …," Everett S. Stackpole, _Old Kittery and her families_ (1903), 79-81; digital images, _Hathi Trust_ (accessed 2014). http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t6833r748?urlappend=%3Bseq=85
11. ↑ "July 1, 1662, [the date on which] his wife being made administratrix of her husband's estate by the Court at York," without further reference in Harold Dustin Kilgore and The Duston-Dustin Family Association Genealogists, _The Duston-Dustin family genealogy_ (1938-1988?), 14, accessible via the Family History Library Catalog.
12. ↑ _York Deeds_, multiple volumes, 3:folio 20-21 for Dunston to Cutt and Widow Dunston to Cutt; digital images, _Internet Archives_ (accessed 2014). Related reference "Elizabeth Relict & administratrix of Thoms Dustine deceased" as _York Deeds_, 2:folio 105-[folio 106 is "missing"] for Cutt to Amerideth.
    Click to review Volume 3:folio 20-21
    Click to review Volume 2:folio 105-[folio 106 is "missing"]
13. ↑ There seems little doubt that the Elizabeth Duston who married Matthias Button in 1663 was the widow of Thomas. Albeit hearsay, two women, Luce Wills and Sarah Lidden, testified 25 June 1678 about statements made by Elizabeth, "ye Relict of Thomas Duston" regarding the Duston's indebtedness to "mr John Cutt, senr of piscattaq." The women further report that Elizabeth's "second husband by Name Button at his decease bequeathed to her selfe one hundred acres of land …" A record of this testimony appears in _Probate Records of the Province of New Hampshire_, volume 1, _New Hampshire State Papers_, volume 31, page 225; cites "Deeds, vol 3, p. 137."
14. ↑ _Vital Records of Haverhill to the end of the year 1849_, 2 vols. (1910-1911), 2:51 for Button-Duston marriage; digital images, _Hathi Trust_ (accessed 2014). http://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.32101073810143?urlappend=%3Bseq=55
15. ↑ Walter Goodwin Davis, _The ancestry of Annis Spear, 1775-1858, of Litchfield, Maine_, 133-135, "Wheeler," for entry John (2) Wheeler and family; digital images, _Hathi Trust_ (accessed 2014). http://hdl.handle.net/2027/wu.89061707279?urlappend=%3Bseq=153
16. ↑ This John Wheeler is sometimes said the "John Wheyler" enrolled for passage at Southampton aboard the Mary & John in 1634. In a study of that passenger, however, Robert Charles Anderson found the claim to be unlikely. Referencing arguments by Walter Goodwin Davis (_The Ancestry of Annis Spear ..._, 1945), see _Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VII, T-Y_ (2011), 324, for entry "John Wheeler." For earlier print claims that he was such passenger, Anderson reports "Savage 4:497," Pope 489-90"; writes "see also GDMNH 743 and Hoyt 353-54."
17. ↑ Citing "Vol. II, p. 106," Everett S. Stackpole, _Old Kittery and her families_ (1903), 80; digital images, _Hathi Trust_ (accessed 2014). http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t6833r748?urlappend=%3Bseq=86
18. ↑ Chris H. Bailey, genealogist for the Duston-Dustin Family Association, "thomasdust.htm," [n.d.]; _Myers Family Tree_ (accessed 2014). http://www.hannahduston.com/thomasdust.htm

• Source: Title: 1992 IGI MA pg 24,986 Lorna Seal.
• Source: Title: Pg 236, New England Marriages Prior to 1700-listed as (1610, 1606?-)
• Source: Title: Child's Genealogy of Henniker, New Hampshire
• Source: Author: Dustin Family Association Genealogists Title: The Duston-Dustin Family