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According to the Society of Genealogy of Durkee,[1] William Durkee (Durgy) was born in Ireland about 1632. He may have been the first Irishman to settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He arrived there on 9 November 1663 as the indentured servant of Thomas Bishop, having been in the Barbadoes, probably as a slave of Cromwells.
His origins in Ireland are not documented. An earlier version of this profile said he was from Drogheda, County Meath, but no evidence for this has been identified. Some other previous versions of the profile said he was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, but there is no evidence of a birth in New England. It is possible that he was inferred to have been born in Ipswich because in later life he was described as "of Ipswich."
Also found listed as Durgy and O'Durgy when first coming to America. (William /O'Durgy/[2][3]) Listed as Turkee when in Ireland.
William Durge (Durkee) was an Irish soldier captured by Cromwell's forces in Ireland c. 1660 and turned over to the Bristol sugar merchants to be a white slave on the sugar plantations in Barbados. One white slave = 1000 Lbs of sugar for the army. Upon restoration of the Stuart Monarchy with the return of Charles II from the Netherlands, it was decreed that slavery of whites would herewith be banned. Thus Durge (Durkee) was freed and stranded with many others in Barbados, called "the Redlegs" by the natives because of their sunburn. A visiting merchant, Thomas Bishop, took a liking to Durge and took him back to Ipswich MA in 1663 to work as his servant. As far as Mr. Butler knows, Durge was the first Irish Catholic immigrant to Massachusetts. A year after his arrival, He married Martha in December 20, 1664 in Ipswich, Martha Cross, b. Feb 14, 1643, d. Jan 11, 1726/7 in Windham County Connecticut.
William Durkee was the very first Irish Catholic to settle in Massachusetts. He was fined for not attending the Protestant church. He was sentenced to receive 25 lashes or pay a fine of 5 pounds for each Sunday he missed church. The fine was paid for by his Owner, Thomas Bishop.
Although he was persecuted by the Puritans for his religious beliefs - his wife however, remained a Protestant and raised their children as Protestants.
Durge's two sons became Congregational ministers. Most, if not all Durkees in North America are likely descended from William Durkee. [4]
William and Martha Crose were married December 20, 1664. [5]
When he married Martha, the Crosses objected bitterly to the marriage. When William was questioned by the court as to his ability to support a wife, he answered he received a salary of 15 meals a week, and was willing to divide them with her.
What became of William is a mystery. He is recorded as being in Dover, New Hampshire in 1684 and his name appears on Essex County land deeds as late as 1713. No cemetery reveals his resting place.
In 1736, the right of land in Ispwich Canada (later, Winchendon, Massachusetts) was granted to the surviving soldiers of the Expedition of Canada in 1690, in the right of his wife's father Durgee, John Martin received the land.[6]
Martha reared her family in the Protestant faith, and their eldest son, John, became a Deacon.
1643 IPSWICH, ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS: Martha Cross B: 15 March 1643
(Martha is daughter of Robert Cross & Anna (Hannah) Jordan) The Cross & Jordan lines are well proven by interesting wills.
“In 1664, a problem came up in Robert Cross’s family. His daughter Martha became pregnant out of wedlock with William Durkee being the father of the expected child. Martha felt that she was cast out of her father’s favor so she moved in with her sister Elizabeth Nelson. Elizabeth went to her parents and found them “in a sad and sorrowful condition, very much harried in spirit, not knowing which way to turn or what to say.” They were advised that a marriage was thought to be the best solution to the sad problem. Robert Cross, however, would not let the situation end and he sued William Durkee for abusing his daughter. William then sued Robert Cross for withdrawing his consent to the marriage after giving his permission. William and Martha were married soon afterwards.” [7]
The original Court records regarding this sad situation is as follows: (I have left the spelling just as it appears in the original court documents.)
Writ dated Feb. 22 1664, signed by Robert Lord for the court, and served by Theophilus Wilson, constable of Ipswich. Margrit Biship testified that being asked by Martha (Cross) whether she should go home to her father, deponent told her that it was best for her to do so, “at that William being discontented, she desired me in the presence of God to beare witnesse that she would have no other man but he furthermore she said why will not you trust me as well as I have trusted you hitherto. And hereupon she went away to her father.” Sworn in Court
Grace Searl testified that she heard Martha Crosse say, when her friends came for her, that she told William that if she went away she would come again and would not forsake him. Sworn in court.
Thomas Biship testified that Martha Crosse desired him several times to speak to her father that she and William Durgy might be married. Sworn in court.
Mary Biship testified that Martha said it was her greatest comfort that her father had given his consent to her marriage, which was to take place on the nineteenth of the present month. Sworn in court. “Honored Sier you may Esilie understand how the Case stands conserne my daufter: & I give them leve to marie. Yor Seruant Rob. Crosse.” “Naybor Booship: to you & your wife this is to let you understand our mindes is so the Case standing as it dous: wee leue your seruants to your dis----and for the-----you may poot it to ana period as soone as you please: we shall no ways hinder it: ----hates are sore oprest: wee ar as full of sorro the----ous & goyd you in the thing: Yours: Robert Cross; “The 12 of the 7th month 64” On the reverse of the foregoing paper: “For heer muche respected frende Mr. Robert Crosse att Ipswich in newe Ingland. These present with Care.”
Writ dated, Sept 22, 1664, signed by Daniel Denison for the court, and served by Theophilus Wilson, constable of Ipswich. Goodman Storie deposed that “Martha Crosse being at her Sister Nellsonnes house neere to Goodman Storie, Martha being in sore destresse of mind in the Considoration as shee Conseued she had binn cast out of her fathers favor: & familie: was so haried & distressed in mind; that her Sistor Nellsonn came downe to mee much affected lamenten with tears yet much affected my hart to heare her, who sayd I thought my Sistor would haue died to night but shee thought shee could not live another in that Condition; I being much affected with her Condition sayd: Why doe you not goe to your father & make your condition knowen unto him; to which shee answered Oh I dayer not goe to speack a word in her behalfe then I sayd: will you goe if I goe downe with you? Then Goodey Nelson sayd I, with all my hart; So wee went downe to Goodman Cross and there wee found them in a sad & sorrofull Condition verie much harried in there sperite not knowing which way to turen or what to say; & as my aprehenson then lead mee did treat with them about the sufferen them to marey the which hee did agree that was the way then we thought to bee the best.” Sworn in Court;
March 1664: Martha Dirky, for fornication, was ordered to be whipped unless she bring a note from the treasurer, of three pounds paid to him.
September 1664: Robert Cross Verses William Dirkey. For abusing his daughter. Verdict for plaintiff: “William Nelson deposed that William Dorkei said, at deponent’s house, after Goodman Stories had been at his father’s that he wished he had never spoken as he had, owning the child to be his, but he had eighteen meals a week and would spare six of them to keep the child.”
“Joseph Biship deposed that he heard William Durgee say that he had rather keep the child than keep her, but he presently said if he kept one he would keep the other, and they agreed to be married the next day.”
“October 1664: William Dirkey, presented for fornication, was ordered to be whipped not exceeding twenty stripes, and to put in security of 201i. to save the town of Ipswich harmless from the charges of keeping the child, or else go to prison. Thomas Biship, surety.”[8]
Despite the difficult situation between my Grandfather William Durkee & Robert Cross, the marriage took place;
Children of William Durkee & Martha Cross:
Note: Thomas Cross was a Doctor and removed to Connecticut after his 2nd marriage.
Uncertain
Reportedly was an Irish chieftain who was captured by Oliver Cromwell, enslaved and sent to Barbados. When freed there, he indentured himself to a sea captain for passage to New York.
Not the son of John Turk and Sarah Batham who were married on 4 Jun 1750 at Peasmarsh, Sussex, England.[21]
This week's connection theme is Monsters! William is 16 degrees from Lon Chaney, 20 degrees from James Aurness, 14 degrees from Ricou Browning, 21 degrees from Warwick Davis, 23 degrees from Michael J. Fox, 19 degrees from Kevin Hall, 19 degrees from William Pratt, 17 degrees from Elsa Lanchester, 13 degrees from Bela Lugosi, 19 degrees from Maila Nurmi, 12 degrees from Vincent Price and 22 degrees from Claude Rains on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Categories: Ipswich, Massachusetts | Massachusetts Project-Managed
But the death information for ODurgy-1 is all wrong. That's the date of his marriage (not a date of death), and it's way too early for anyone to have died in Windham, Connecticut.