Durbin Family History: Immigration Claims

Parts of this post are taken from the website found by clicking HERE.
Where items are mentioned as being factual, I've tried to locate the referenced article. If the article was found online, I've linked to the article in the form of a PDF file or snapshot of the page in *.jpg format below.
The PDF files listed below are linked. To view the PDF click on the file name link and scroll to the page listed. ________________________________________________________________
13 Oct 1678

Severn, Anne Arundel County, Maryland - Click HERE for Wikipedia Page.

Thomas Durbin paid 2,500 pounds of tobacco for a land tract named "Johnston". He purchased it from Walter Dickenson.

See msa_sc_5881_1_116.pdf, p. 302

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1 Jul 1679

See msa_sc_5881_1_119.pdf, p. 273

Thomas Durbin listed as a witness to Land Deed for Christopher Tapley.

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23 Nov 1679

See msa_sc_5881_1_119.pdf, p. 274

Confirmation Deed from John Dickenson to Thomas Durbin for a sale covering the 200 acre tract known as "Johnston". See 13 Oct 1678 above.

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4 Sep 1682

See msa_sc_5881_1_123.pdf, p. 246

Thomas Durbin listed as a witness to the Land Deed for Christopher Gift.

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2 Nov 1682

See msa_sc_5881_1_123.pdf, p.246

Thomas Durbin listed as a witness to the Land Deed for John Ardine.

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15 Sep 1686

The Archives of Maryland list a "Mr Tho. Derben" as a Baltemore [sic] County Officer for the "Town in Patapscoe".

To view the Archives of Maryland online, click HERE.

Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1667-1687/8
Volume 5, p. 503

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30 Jun 1688

See msa_sc_5881_1_79.pdf, p. 292

Maryland Rent Rolls - Baltimore County

350 acres "now belonging to the orphants [sic] of the said Durbin [Thomas Durbin]"

William Holland is again mentioned in proximity on p. 291.

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Thomas Durbin, Baltimore County, Habnab-at-a-Venture, 350 acres surveyed for Thomas Durbin, lying on North side of Patapsco River and belonging to "orphants" of said Durbin. Possession 150 acres of said Durbin "orphants", and 200 acres John Eggleston.

Because the record speaks in the plural, "orphants," we can be sure of more than one minor child left at Thomas Durbin's death.

NOTE: Below are more accounts of a Thomas Durbin at later dates which present a problem in trying to determine which Thomas Durbin we're speaking of in any of these events.

If we're to believe they are all of one direct family, then anything below this line would have to be a "Thomas Durbin Jr.".

It should also be considered that the Thomas Durbin below could also be a nephew of Thomas Durbin.

The Thomas Durbin below could also be a distant relative.
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19 May 1696

Thomas Durbin witnessed the will of Jane Long on 19 May 1696. To see the Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume 2, click HERE.

Page 100

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8 May 1699

Thomas Durbin died in the latter part of 1698, or early in 1699, for his inventory was taken 8 May 1699 by Roger Newman, and totaled a substantial 13,158 pounds, with 60-02-8 due to the estate (Accounts, Liber 18, folio 182-83).

Debts were paid out of the estate to Jno Smith, Capt. Deen Cock, Roger Newman, Jno. Thomas, Majr Maxwell, and Jno. Hall. Of particular interest in the inventory is:

"To ye funerall Charges of Thomas Durbin and his wife 2 black walnutt coffins."

This shows that Durbin and his wife died at about the same time. We can't help speculating that death was sudden and unexpected, for no known will was recorded.

"Thomas Durbin left more than one child, and the Durbins who show up in the Patapsco River area from 1699-1721 can reasonably be assumed to be his children, for no other Durbins are known to exist in this area (or even the Continental United States) at this time."

The above quote was taken directly from the website mentioned at the beginning of this post. It is a problem quote as mentioned above in the NOTE of 30 Jun 1688.

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Below is a quote from the website mentioned at the top of this post. I don't understand where the author gets his "degree of certainty" from. To me, his "certainty" can be nothing more than speculation, at this point, without some sort of recorded evidence.

NOTE: I have not been able to locate an online version of the Baltimore County, Maryland Tax Lists 1699-1706. For now, I'll have to assume the below is accurate.

"CHILDREN: Degree of certainty indicated prior to the name. 2. i. certainly, Christopher2 DURBIN, born ca. 1678. ii. certainly, John2 Durbin, in the tax lists 1702-1705 as on North side of the Potapsco, 1706 on Back River Hundred, see Raymond B. Clark, Jr., and Sara S. Clark, Baltimore County, Maryland Tax Lists 1699-1706), from which I estimate his birth as ca. 1681, making him 21, at first mention in the tax records, 1702. He married 20 August 1715, St. George Parish, Baltimore (now Harford) County, Maryland, Aravilla2 Scott, daughter of Daniel1 Scott. A list of his children has been printed in the article by Edwin C. Welch, already referred to. We correct the list slightyl under our account of John3 Durbin (?James2, Thomas1)."

It seems most of ancestry.com entries for John Durbin (mentioned above) follow the facts, mentioned above, without any recorded evidence - at least that I've been able to locate as of yet.

One source has him listed as John Daniel Durbin.

Maryland Marriages, 1634-1777 (Robert William Barnes), p. 55 is shown below and does list the marriage of John & Avarilla (Scott) Durbin as 20 Aug 1715.

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This below is a mess... I'll try to sort it out later.

"This John2 Durbin has actually been guessed to be a son of Thomas3 Durbin (Christopher2, Thomas1), but such is of course a cronological impossibility (nevertheless, see Genealogy and History), 15 March 1944, no. 8747, and 15 May 1944, no. 9029). Apparently he and his )presumed) brother Samuel2 Durbin are the only ones who have descendants surnamed Durbin today. It is generally easy to distinguish between the two families, for John2 Durbin's descendants are usually Methodist and Republican--including the famous Methodist Minister, Rev. Mr. John Price Durbin (Hozier5, Daniel4, John3, John2, Thomas1) for whom see,Dictionary of American Biography, 5 (1930) 544-45; and Samuel2 Durbin's descendants are more often Catholic and Democratic--including Father Elisha John5 Durbin (John4, John3, Samuel2, Thomas1), for whom see Catholic Encyclopedia 5 (1909) 209 and New Catholic Encyclopedia, 4 (1967) 1118."

         iii. certainly, William2 Durbin, witnessed the will of his (presumed) brother (Christopher2 in 1709. He was in the tax lists in 1703, 1705-1706, as on both North and South side of the Potapsco. From this I estimate his birth as ca. 1682.
         iv. possibly, Elizabeth2 Durbin, who married ca. 1710, Samuel3 Chew, according to a sometimes unreliable refference, George N. MacKenzie, Colonial Families of the United States of America, 6 (1966) 363.
         v. probably, James2 Durbin, whose wive Margaret died in November 1720, St. John's Parish, Baltimore (now Harford) County, Maryland. We speculate he may be father of two otherwise placed Durbins. Children:
          1. possibly, John3 Durbin, of St. George's Parish, married Martha ____. His inventory, 25 August 1762 (Original Baltimore County Inventories Box 16, folder 24) lists as nearest of kin, Martha Childs, and was witnessed by George Childs. Very likely his wife remaried George Childs. He had at least two children christened in St. George's Parish, which have been assigned to his uncle, John2, (a) Sarah4, born 15 April 1728, married 11 September 1747, Samuel Howell; (b) William, born 26 January 1730.
          2. possibly, Ann3 Durbin, married 21 February 1731, William Noble.
         vi. just possibly, Samuel2 Durbin, who seems to be hardest to place. He could be a grandson of Thomas1, but the only likely candidate for his father in that case would be James2, and since Samuel names no son James (yet named sons Thomas, Christopher, and John) it seems unlikely. We first hear of him when he witnessed the will of William Holland, 16 June 1721 (Jane Baldwin Cotton, ibid.,6: 39) which will is of some importance to our discussion of Christopher2 (whose children Samuel was sometimes closely associated with). If he were 22 at this date, he would be born ca, 1699, and would have been a newborn at the time his (possible) parents decease. However, he could be a son of Thomas1 by a second and younger wife. He was road overseer in Baltimore county in March 1729/30 Maryland Historical Magazine 16: 137) and married in St. Paul's Church, Baltimore, Ann Logston, daughter of William and Honor (____) Logdson. NOTE:1) see below. He is ancestral to the largest family of Durbins descended from Thomas1 Durbin. He migrated to Frederick County, where his will was dated 19 September 1752 and proved 23 October 1752 (Frederick County Probates, 1: 78) and his widow Ann's will was dated 8 July 1770 and proved 5 October 1770 (Frederick County Probates, 1: 380).
NOTE:1) Christopher, of Samuel and Ann is acknowledged to have had six sons and six daughters. (Webb of Kentucky). No one has listed a Stephen as one of the six. His daughters are unknown. Several have claimed a Nancy and an Honor. But no authority.

     2. Christopher2 Durbin (Thomas1), about whom so many corrections and additions can be made that we must consider his specially. He was taxed as early as 1699, so we estimate his birth as ca. 1678. He was taxed until 1703 as on the south side of the Potagsco, and after that on the south side of Gunpowder and north side of Potapsco (see Clark and Clark, ibid., and "Taxables in Baltimore County, 1699." Maryland and Delaware Genealogist 1 (1959) 32). He witnessed the will of Thomas Eager of Potapsco River, 17 April 1708 (Cotton, ibid., 3: 110). His widow Mary witnessed the will of Edward Jorden 3 Dec. 1709 (ibid.)

     He married Mary (____) Cannon, as will be shown. A clue to her origin may lie in the will of William Holland of Baltimore County (dated 16-Jun.1721, proved 19 September 1727) for Holland's wife Elizabeth witnessed Christopher's will. Holland's own will left legacies, besides to William Andrew, son of his wife's sister, Sarah, and other bequests, a bequest fo Thomas3 Durbin (Christopher2, Thomas1), for which see Cotton, ibid., 6: 39. A witness to Holland's will was Samuel2 Durbin (Thomas1). The will of Holland's widow--made after she had remarried to a Lloyd--calls her Elizabeth Lloyd, with will proved 7 December 1748, bequests to what we assume are nieces and nephews, that is, Dr. Josias Middlemore and his son Francis Middlemore, to Thomas Durbin 60 acres on Bush River (a substantial bequest), to Mary Andrew, wife of William Andrew, to Billy Dure Andrew, daughter of William Andrew (Annie W. Burns, Maryland Will Book 25: 118). This William Andrew was certainly her sister Sarah's child, and I believe another sister was that Mary (____) (Cannon) Durbin whose eldest Durbin son the Hollands provided for.
      Christopher2 Durbin's will was dated 23 October 1709 and proved 28 November 1709 (Cotton, Ibid,, 3: 160) and bequeaths the tract "Johnston" to eldest son Thomas. This tract was originally purchas by Thomas Durbin, as had been shown, His youndest son Christopher got a bequest, his wife Mary, son in law Simon Cannon, daughter in law Cannon, and the will was witnessed by his (presumed) brother William 2 Durbin, and John Downes and Elizaver Holland. All these descendants are improtant to the Durbin discussion, for John Downes subseguently married Christopher's widow, for hiw sill, dated 1 April 1718, proved 2 June 1718 (Cotton ibid., 4: 161) maked her executrix, and gives bequeaths to sons in law. Thomas Durbin and Christopher Durbin "to be at age 18 years," son in law Simon Cannon and daughter in law Elizabeth Cannon, "It they be of age at decease of testator,"," and Downes's daughter Kedimoth. It has been further alledged Christopher2 Durbin had a daughter who married Simon Cannon, but in fact Cannon was a son of Durbin's wife by a previous marriage. These problems all arise from misunderstanding the term, "son in law," which in those times was as likely to mean stepson as its present connotation. Mary ____(Cannon) (Durbin) Downes survived her Downes husband, but what consequently happened to her is unknown. I have found no proved record of any descendants of this couple after 1759.
Children:
         i. Thomas3 Durbin, married Jan. 1737, Ann Cowdry, and had at least four daughters.
         ii. Christopher3 Durbin, about whom I find nothing further.
NOTE: 2) The name of Christopher's wife is unknown. A group in the Northwest claimed they had uncovered evidence (which they did not produce) that her name was Margaret Brown Parkinson. The late Jim Virden who was quite a stickler told me that he trusted their research even though he had not seen the authority.

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1754-1763

William Durbin listed on Captain Thomas Norris Muster Roll

French and Indian War

See msa_sc_5881_1_36.pdf, p. 349

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27 Dec 1775

Committee of Observation of Frederick County

Benjamin Durbin

Christopher Durbin

Thomas Durbin

Samuel Durbin

See msa_sc_5881_1_42.pdf, p. 166

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11 Apr 1776

See msa_sc_5881_1_43.pdf, pp. 248-251

"A List of Non Enrollers Returned and Fined."

William Durbin

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1776 - Colonial Census

Susquehanna Parish
Harford County, Maryland, USA

Lists the following Durbins and approximate birth year:

Daniel Durbin - 1742
Mary Durbin - 1743
Mary Durbin - 1746
Francis Durbin - 1748
Ann Durbin - 1750
Avarilla Durbin 1759
Cassandra Durbin - 1767
Mary Jr. Durbin - 1769
Mary Durbin - 1771
Rebecca Durbin - 1771
Sarah Durbin - 1771
Amos Durbin - 1774
Elizabeth Durbin
John Durbin
Thomas Durben [sic] - 1758
Thomas Durben [sic] - 1760

1699

See msa_sc_5881_1_45.pdf, p. 9

Taxables in Baltimore County anno 1699

Cristipher [sic] Durbin

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March 1729/1730

See msa_sc_5881_1_62.pdf, p. 137

"Samuel Durbin was appointed overseer of the roads..."

This clipping is interesting in that it mentions "Colonel William Holland" in the same paragraph as Samuel Durbin. William Holland left one mare to a Samuel Durbin in his will.