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Second Generation
3. William
Green DURHAM was born about 1782.2,3,4
The death record for Joseph A. Durham, born ca 1820, states that his parents
- William G. Durham and wife Juda, were born in Rockcastle County, Kentucky.
Joseph died 27 December 1874 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky.
In the 1850 Census for Laurel County, Kentucky - William G. Durham, age 68 and
born in "Virginia", is living in the household of Eliza Parker, age
39.
In the 1860 Census for Laurel County, Kentucky - William Durham, age 77, is listed
as "head of household". Eliza, age 52 is living with William Durham.
Also, Thomas Parker, age 16, and Granville Parker, age 10, are living in this
household.
In the 1870 Census for Jackson County, Kentucky - William G. Durham, age 88,
is living in the household of Nathan and Eliza Casteel.
-------------------------------------------------
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY GAIL NERBY via Email (mandgn@gmail.com)
Hi List,
Rather than just sending a family group page regarding my ggg-grandfather John
Newman Durham, I'm sending excerpts of letters written to my grandmother from
her cousins Veva and Ethel.
Veva's and Ethel's grandmother (whom they knew well) was Irene Ethel Durham who
was one of the daughters of John Newman Durham and his wife Mary Ann Melvina
Ford.
These ladies inherited their grandmother's belongings, including a notebook and
some important family pictures, including some tin types that they later took
to a photographer and had made into pictures that they sent my grandmother -
pictures of William Green Durham when he was very old, John Newman Durham, John's
wife and daughter, Mary Ann Melvina Ford and Irene Ethel Durham.
Later, they were in contact with Minnie Ethel Durham (whom they called "Mickey").
Mickey was the daughter of Charles Victor Durham and she had inherited John Newman
Durham's Bible.
As near as I can tell, John Newman Durham and his wife Mary Ann Melvina Ford
owned two Bibles. I have a photocopy of one of them, but it is not as complete
as the one Veva and Ethel tell about in the following correspondence. (I can
send this privately to anyone who wants it.)
There is no reason to think these two ladies are lying.
I also want to point out that when my grandmother received the information from
the Bible, she had already joined the DAR under Samuel Durham of Green County.
My grandmother left boxes of Durham genealogy, including all her notes, and there
is not a shred of evidence that would indicate a connection with the Green County
Durhams.
My grandmother was getting old and she very much wanted to belong to the DAR.
There was a lady in town that helped her do it - and somehow Judith became Mary
(Polly) Shreve. I think my grandmother was convinced by this other lady that
because she couldn't find anything about Judith it was only logical to assume
that Mary (Polly) Shreve must be Mary (Polly) Judith Shreve. Then the information
from the Bible turned up a few years later.
I put a few of my own notes in brackets [ ].
Gail
---------------------
Excerpts From Letters To Ethel M. Graff From Veva Morgan and Ethel Ross Oliver
August 14, 1968 - From Veva Morgan
Eugene, Oregon
I have the information you need and will list it on a separate sheet of paper.
Recently, I came across a small note-book in my Grandmother’s handwriting
(done about 1880).
My Grandmother was Irene Ethel Durham Stuart, for whom you are named. She was
called Ethel, and many little girls in the family were named for her (only Uncle
Tom’s daughter was named Irene). Do you remember her? She died many years
ago.
The following information was taken from Irene Ethel Durham Stuart’s note-book.
John Newman Durham - born March 27, 1820 son of William and Judith Durham (Kentucky)
Mary Ann M. Ford - May 7, 1826 daughter of Martin and Martha Ford (Kentucky)
They were married in Barry, Clay County, Missouri on July 16, 1840
Their children:
The first child - born October 19, 1843, died at birth [The Bible record says
his name was Billy and he died enroute to Oregon. Gail]
Elizabeth Frances - born April 22, 1845 - in Missouri
Martha Lucy - born June 21, 1847 - in Oregon
William Martin - born November 30, 1848
Cordelia Helen - born January 22, 1851
John Henry P. - born September 5, 1853
Charles Victor - born April 22, 1855
Mary Atilia - born April 18, 1857
Irene Ethel - born June 14, 1859
Minnie Bell U. (Union) - born July 21, 1861
Frank G. (Pleasant Tom) - born May 17, 1864
___________________________________________
July 5, 1976 - From Veva Morgan & Ethel Ross Oliver
Eugene, Oregon
We were pleased to have your letter, and to know the negatives and pictures arrived
O. K. Also, that you were pleased to have them.
William Green Durham was "our" great-great-grandfather according to
our grandmother, Irene Ethel Durham Stuart (sister to your grandfather, John
Henry P. Durham). I don’t know that any of us ever knew his birthdate, but
believed the place was Virginia (later Kentucky).
John Newman Durham, our great-grandfather, (so our grandmother told us) had schooling
beyond average in that time and place. I know that the family lived in Jacksonville
[Oregon] for a time when Grandmother (Irene Ethel) was a young girl. John Newman
Durham had a contract to supply the S. P. R. R. with ties for building the track.
Chinese coolie labor did the actual work. I think she (our grandmother) was 8
or 9 years old then
[The pictures and negatives they mention were taken off tin types - one of William
Green Durham, one of his son, John Newman Durham, and one of Mary Ann Melvina
(Ford) Durham with her daughter Irene Ethel Gail]
_________________________________________________
September 8, 1976 - From Ethel Ross Oliver
Springfield, Oregon
Veva and I want to share the information with Ethel Fisher (Great-Uncle Charlie’s
daughter) in Yakima, whom we plan to see the last of this
month....
___________________________________________________________
February 22, 1977 - From Ethel Ross Oliver
Springfield, Oregon
The Genealogical Library here is a joint project of the Mormon Community and
the Oregon Genealogical Society. I became a member of that last month.
Veva and I want our information because in the next few years we want to place
items of historic interest in the Oregon Historic Museum (Durham items) and in
the Washington Historic Museum (Allen and Chinn). Neither of us have grandchildren
to treasure them....
We took the charts and pictures up to Yakima last fall for Ethel Fisher, Uncle
Charlie’s youngest daughter, whom we visit 2 times a year. She’s now
in her upper 80s....
________________________________________________________
June 11, 1977 - From Veva Morgan and Ethel Ross Oliver
Eugene, Oregon
I’ve been slow about writing to you since our trip to the Bethel Cemetery
on May 29th, partly because I wanted to send you some of the pictures we took.
But here at last: enclosures from Ethel which will be of interest to you, as
well as the snapshots.... [If I have these snapshots, I
haven’t found them yet. Gail]
The trip to Yakima was very pleasant. We got to meet Mickey's (Ethel Fisher’s)
two granddaughters....
Ethel got some material from Mickey’s (Ethel Fisher's) Bible, which is inclosed....
__________________________________________________________
INFORMATION FROM JOHN NEWMAN DURHAM’S FAMILY BIBLE
OWNED BY ETHEL FISHER (MICKEY)
(Later marriages and deaths were recorded by others.)
[Sent to Ethel M. Graff from Veva Morgan and Ethel Ross Oliver in June of 1977
Gail]
John Newman Durham - born March 27, 1820
Father’s Name - William Greene Durham
Mother’s Name - Judith Ann Hardin
Married on July 16, 1840 in Barry, Clay County, Missouri To
Mary Ann Melvina Ford
Father’s Name - Martin Ford
Mother’s Name - Martha
John Newman Durham died June 26, 1889. Buried at the Bethel Cemetery
(near McCoy, Oregon)
Mary Ann Melvina (Ford) Durham died June 24, 1889. Buried at the Bethel
Cemetery (near McCoy, Oregon)
THEIR CHILDREN
"Billy" - born October 19, 1843 in Clay County, Missouri
died - enroute to Oregon
Elizabeth Francis - born April 22, 1845 in Missouri
Martha Lucy - born June 21, 1847 in Oregon Territory
William Martin - born November 30, 1848 at 4:15 A. M.
in Yamhill County, Oregon Territory
Cordelia Helen - born January 22, 1851 in Polk County, Oregon Territory
[My line below - Gail]
John Henry Peter - born Monday, September 5, 1853 at 4:55 A. M.
in Polk County, Oregon Territory
John died - February 14, 1927
[Ethel "Mickey" Fisher’s line below]
Charles Victor - born Sunday, April 22, 1855 at 3:15 A. M.
in Polk County, Oregon Territory
married - Amanda Chastain
Charles died - December 5, 1946
Mary Atelia - born April 18, 1857 at 6:55 P. M.
in Polk County, Oregon Territory
[Veva Morgan’s & Ethel Ross Oliver’s line below]
Irene Ethel - born Tuesday, June 14, 1859 at 2:32 A. M.
in Jackson County, Oregon
married - Frank Volney Allen [later, her last name was Stuart]
Irene Ethel died - May 31, 1931
Minnie Belle Union - born July 21, 1861 at 2:35 A. M.
at the Willow Spring in Jackson County, Oregon
married George Mans
Minnie died - April 28, 1925
Frank Goff Pleasant Tom - born Tuesday, May 17, 1964 at 9:53 A. M.
in Linn County, Oregon
married - Lena St. Johns
Frank died - July 21, 1926
William Greene Durham address - Machoons Cross Road, Kentucky
[There is more on the family of Charles Victor Durham
and his wife, Amanda Jane Chastain who were the parents of:]
Minnie Ethel Durham [their youngest child] born May 2, 1891
in Independence, Polk County, Oregon
Minnie Ethel Durham married William Andrew Fisher
on March 23, 1911 in Yakima, Washington
Regarding:
Hello list, While going through my Rockcastle County,
Kentucky marriage book I found the following. I will
type it as it is written in the book.
William G. Durham md Julia A./July Ballinger 1/4 Jan 1877
witnesses: S. Johnson
William Ballinger
J. Ballinger
location: S. Johnson
surety: S.K. Ramsey
note: it says William G. Durham, is this our 1809 William?
Cindy
William Green DURHAM and Judith Ann "Juda" HARDIN were married.
Judith Ann "Juda" HARDIN was born between 1770 and
1797 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky.5
William Green DURHAM and Judith Ann "Juda" HARDIN had the following
children:
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