William Durham (abt. 1710 - 1793)

Born about 1710 in Stafford County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Colclough) Durham — married 10 Nov 1727 in St. Pauls, Stafford, Virginia

Descendants

Died 27 May 1793 at about age 83 in Warren County, North Carolina, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kelly Walker [send private message]

Biography

William Durham performed Patriotic Service in North Carolina in the American Revolution.

William Durham is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A064853.

"It is known that he [Samuel Durham, father of William] owned 200 acres of land in Stafford Co., Virginia. It was given to him as a marriage gift by John Wood, from an estate of 2,960 acres, when he married Mary Riggin. In 1775, William Durham his son, of Bute Co., N.C. sold 100 acres of this land to Jesse Ewell, Prince Co., Virginia for 7 shillings. The said land 'consisting of 100 acres for 1 year rent of one pepper corn on Lady Day next'. William, being the oldest son, probably inherited all of his father's land."^[1]

"Deed books in Bute County, North Carolina show that William Durham purchased land in N.C. as early as 1765. In 1769, he purchased a "parcel of land" consisting of 100 acres for 30 pounds. In 1770 he purchased another 100 acres. In July 1786, William sold to his son, William, a plantation of 150 acres for 45 pounds.... William made his will in 1783 from Warren County, North Carolina (Deed Book 6, p. 219). He included all his children in his will by stating: "I will and desire that all of my estate of every kind whatsoever may be equally divided amongst all of my children."^[2] The will was probated in August 1793.

Records posted at Ann Guthrie's family tree]

On 27 April 1752 William purchased 75 acres of land in Prince William County, VA from William Colclough for 22 pounds (Pr Wm Co Deed Book M: 250). Witnesses were George Wallos, Edward Wallos and Thomas Wood. On 1 May 1759 when Fauquier County was formed from Prince William County, this land fell into Fauquier County.

The Coloclough Family history states that William and Margaret moved to Granville County, NC in 1763 and settled in the area which became Bute County and later Warren County. Although the year of 1763 may not be precisely correct, the facts support the belief that the move was made between 1760 and 1765.

Granville County, NC was formed in 1746. In 1764 Bute County was formed from Granville. In 1779 Warren County, NC was formed from Bute County and Bute was then discontinued as a county. The county seat is Warrenton. On 26 October 1765 Wiliam Durham Sr purchased 225 acres of land in Bute County, NC from Henry Foote for 85 pounds Virginia money. The land was identified as on Little Creek to great branch adjoining William Walker, Joseph Riggan and John Riggan. Witnesses were Thomas Bell, Thomas Rice and Samuel Bell. The deed was proved in court by Samuel Bell at the Bute County October Court of 1765 and registered on 8 September 1766 (Bute County. DB-A:359). This 225 acre tract of land had been purchased by Henry Foote on 7 Nov 1763 (Granville Book F:444) from Richardson Riggan and his wife Ann with William Shearin and Edward Durham as witnesses. It should be noted that Henry Foote married Margaret Colclough, William Durham's wife's niece (Colclough Family History).

In general the Durham land was located in the northern portion of the county just south of Roanoke, near the Virginia state line.

A 1766 Bute County tax list contains the following listing for "Crossroads District."

William Colclough, son William & 6 negroes

Edward Durham

Matthew Durham and sons John & Sam

William Durham & son William & 2 negroes

William Shearing, John Colclough and Charles Darnal

It wasn't until 30-31 March 1767 that Wm Durham sold his 75 acre tract in Fauquier County to Caleb Smith of PWC, VA (Fauquier Book 2: 653-5).

On 29 Sept 1769 Wm Durham Sr purchased from Joseph Raggan (Riggin) and Mary his wife, both of St Johns, Bute County for 30 pounds 100 acres of land on ES Little Creek. Witnesses John Raggan, William Durham and William Raggan. The deed was proved in Bute Court in Nov of 1769 and registered 24 Jan 1770. (Bute DB-2:306). The deed immediately following that deed in the deed book (Bute DB-2:308) was written on February 1769, proved in court at the same term and registered 25 Jan 1770. In that deed, Joseph and Mary Riggan of Bute county deeded to Wm Riggan of Surrey County, VA for 10 pounds 100 acres in Bute County on ES Little Creek. Witnesses were William Durham, John Riggan and Samuel Durham. This would be the deeds of parents deeding land to their son and son-in-law or perhaps grandparents to a favored grandson.... William Durham's mother was Mary Riggan....the 2nd tract was on Little Creek where William Durham owned land.

In 1771 the following names were found on the tax list in Bute County, Eaton's District:

William Colclough Sr & 5 slaves

John Colclough & 5 slaves

William Shearin, Alexander Colclough, William Durham & 5 slaves

Henry Foote & William Colclough & 4 slaves

William Durham Sr

John Durham & Samuel Durham

In February 1778 the following persons in Bute County took an oath of allegiance to the State of North Carolina against George King of England and were shown in Capt Colclough's district - Edward Durham, John Durham, William Durham and William Durham Sr along with 4 Bell families, 2 Colcloughs, 5 Riggans and 3 Shearins (Bute Co. Committee of Safety Minutes 1775-1776).

In 1779 Warren County was formed from Bute and the Durham land fell into the new county. The 1781 tax list for John Colclough district in Warren County lists two Durham families, Edward and John. The 1790 census of Warren County, NC reveals the presence of only one Durham family, that of John Durham who had 2 males over 16, 1 male under 16, 7 females and 4 slaves in his household. William Durham is not found on the 1781 tax list of Warren County nor was he located in the census of 1790. However, he was apparently living there because he was "of Warren County" on 1 August 1783 when he wrote his will.

Will

The will of William Durham is copied from Ann Guthrie's Genealogy website.

The Will of William Durham

Warren County Wills, 1780-1825. Volume II, Page 35, Folio 2. Department of Archives and History, Raleigh. State of North Carolina

In the name of God Amen. This first day of August one thousand seven hundred & eighty three, I, William Durham, of the County of Warren, being at this time weak of body, but of sound mind and disposing memory. Thanks be to the Almighty God for the same, but call to mind it beign appointed for man to die to ordain this my last will and testament, first resigning Soul to him who first gave it to me and as for my mortal body I desire may be committed to the Earth and beuired in a christian like manner at the descretion of my Executors here after mentioned as to my wordly estate the blessed Lord has been please to bestow upon me. I give and desire in manner and form following fist that all my just debts be honorably paid and my funeral expenses discharged.

I will and desire that all my estate of every kind whatsoever may be equally divided amongst all my children.

I desire that my two negroes Harrah and Sarah be appraised by three good respectable freeholders at 12 months credit to be chosen by my Executors for that purpose upon the same being appraised that the said negroes may choose their master or mistress of any of children upon such one they make choice to pay unto each of my other children their proportion with them or give bond of security to them for their proportion payable in 12 months.

Having sold Ezekal Marshall one certain tract or parcel of land adjoining the land of my son William Durham; Mollham Merrick and having not conveyed the same to him. The said Marshall having not paid up the purchase money and in order to do equal right and justice to him the said Marshall that upon him the said Marshall paying up the purchase money or given his bond to my executors according to our said contract that is to pay L6 s3, Virginia money next Christmas & L6 Virginia money the Christmas following. Then in that case I do authorize my executors to execute a deed for the conveyance of the same in fee simple to him the said Ezekal Marshall.

I do nominate and appoint my son William Durham and son in law, Dudley Hale my whole and sole Executors of this my last will and testament utterly disannulling all other wills made by me.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered In Presence of - William Durham (Seal) Sterling Harwell Jural

her Frankey X Durham mark

Warren County August Court 1793

This last will and testament of William Durham deceased was proved by the oaths of Sterling Harwell and ordered to be recorded and the above named executors qualified.

W. Duke Johnson, Clerk

William Durham's Will

1 August 1793

The problem here is that William didn't mention the names of his children. (The complete text of William's will is given at Ann Guthrie's Genealogy website.) The 1786 land record shows that he had a son William. The Durham genealogy (p. 5 as above) gives the following children:

1. Jane, b. 2 Oct. 1739.
2. John, b. 2 Oct. 1742 [and apparently stayed in Virginia].
3. William, b. 1750.
4. Samuel, b. 6 May 1752 (whose descendant has an exact Y-DNA match to a descendant of William, per FTDNA's Durham family DNA project).

Ann Guthrie's family tree, citing sources, lists additional children:

1. daughter, m. Dudley Hale (a son-in-law named as William's executor)
2. James
3. Mary, married William Kelly. Was this the same Kelly family as that of Mathew Kelly of Green County, husband of Mary's niece Lousanna Durham (daughter of Samuel)?
4. Edward

William was born in 1715. William Durham ... He passed away in 1793.

Sources

1. ↑ Lettie Durham Moore and Beulah Catherine Campbell, The Durhams: Before 1776-1976 (1976), p. 5.
2. ↑ Lettie Durham Moore and Beulah Catherine Campbell, The Durhams: Before 1776-1976 (1976), p. 5.

• https://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A064853
• Ann Guthrie's family tree
• "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VH6X-GSB : 20 November 2015), William Durham, 1793; citing Warren, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 2,294,831.