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Second Generation
3. William Henderson
DURHAM was born in Jan 1814 in place unknown.1,4,11,12,13 He died after 1900 in Jeffersonville, Tazewell County,
Virginia.11 From the research
of Byron K. Durham.......
William H. Durham and wife Phoebe (Lawson) first appear in the 1850 census for
Mount Airy, Surry County, NC. William's occupation is listed as "Honeymaker".
There are two other Durham listings in Mount Airy - the families of Henry Durham
and Nancy Durham. There is an elderly lady living with Nancy Durham, named Sally
(Sarah) Durham, age 64. Sarah "Sally" Durham is listed near Henry Durham
in the 1840 Census for Patrick County, Virginia. I believe this - Sarah "Sally"
Durham to be William H. Durham's mother. William's oldest son, James M. Durham
lists on his marriage record that he was born in Patrick County, VA around 1845/46.
William H. Durham is most likely listed in the household of Sarah Durham in
the 1840 Census for Patrick County, Va along with Nancy Durham and her two children
(James M. Durham and Martha Durham).
William and Phoebe (Phebe) Durham also appear in Mount Airy, Surry County, North
Carolina in the 1860 census, occupation: "Honeymaker". It is said
that William and Pheobe moved from North Carolina to Wythe County, Virginia to
avoid the Civil War. (My father): "My grandfather once said that his father
(William) was afraid to go back to North Carolina because he felt he would be
shot." Since Thomas Jackson Durham list on his marriage license that he
was born in 1862 in Wythe County, VA - then William and Pheobe left North Carolina
sometime around 1861.
The 1870 Census for Grayson County, VA shows William and Phoebe Durham listed
in a separate location than their children. William H. Durham's occupation is
listed as "works on shoes". All of William and Phoebe's children are
listed in the household of their oldest daughter Sarah J. Durham (occupation:
seamstress). There is a baby listed in Sarah's household named "George
W. Hicks" born 1869. Sarah J. Durham and her siblings are located 3 pages
earlier in the same census as William and Phoebe Durham. William and Phoebe's
oldest son - James M. Durham marries Mary Jane Davis, daughter of Church O. and
Mariah Davis, in 1866 in Grayson County, VA. James M. Durham dies before the
1870 census. James' wife Mary Jane would later remarry to Phreling Shupe around
1872.
The 1880 Census for Tazewell County, Virginia shows William and Phoebe Durham
listed with Victoria Durham and Thomas J. Durham, as well as two grandchildren
- George W. (Wiley Hicks) Durham, age 11, and Mag (or May) age 9. William H.
Durham's occupation is listed as "bootmaker" and he is listed as 68
years old. Alexander Durham is listed close by with wife Mary (Wiles).
On September 28, 1891, a "Jane Derham" purchased 86-3/4 acres from
J. W. Maxwell and wife Pamelia for Fifty Dollars. The land was adjacent to Dr.
Gross's land in Tazewell, VA. (NOTE: I believe that "Jane Durham"
is Mary Jane Lawson, daughter of Pleasant Madison & Matilda Lawson, who married
Warren Henderson Durham, son of William H. & Phoebe Durham)
On Octobert 5, 1895, "M. Jane Durham" and W.H. Durham, "her husband"
sells 68-3/4 acres to J. R. Puckett (James Raleigh Puckett) for $50 down and
$150 to be paid monthly in $25 installments. James Raleigh Puckett, in 1900 marries
William H. & Phoebe Durham's daughter, Victoria Durham.
William H. Durham, age 86, last appears in the 1900 Census for Tazewell County,
Virginia as a "widower" - listed with his daughter Victoria and her
two children: Mary Jane Durham and Benjamin Franklin Durham. William H. Durham
is listed in 1900 as "O"- owning his own "H"- house, "F"-
free of mortgage and able to "read" and "write". Victoria
is listed as "single" in this census. The marriage certificates of
both children show Victoria to be their mother. NO FATHER IS LISTED. Victoria
and her children all marry into the Puckett family. Victoria married James Rawley
Puckett on 15 August 1900. Her daughter Mary Jane Durham married Rawley Puckett's
brother John Puckett on 26 June 1904. 14 days after Victoria married James Rawley
Puckett, Benjamin Franklin Durham married Mary Jane Puckett on 29 Aug 1900. Mary
Jane Puckett was James Rawley Puckett's daughter from a previous marriage with
Sally Sawyers. Also, James Rawley Puckett's daughter "Lyda Puckett"
married George Wiley Melvin, a son of Victoria's sister - Susan Elizabeth Durham
who married Andrew Melvin in 1872 - Mercer County, West Virginia.
William H. Durham is believed to be buried in the Greever Cemetery in Tazewell,
Virginia in an unmarked grave. I have not found the paper work to verify this.
William's wife Phoebe (Lawson) Durham is believed to be buried in the Broyles
Cemetery in Monroe County, West Virginia. I have been to the Broyles Cemetery
in Monroe County, outside of Lindside, West Virginia and have not found any evidence
of Pheobe being buried in this cemetery. (NOTE: It is most likely that William
and Phoebe are buried somewhere on the 68-3/4 acres that was purchase by "Jane
Derham" in 1891 and later sold to James Rawley Puckett in 1895. More research
is needed.)
William Henderson DURHAM and Phoebe LAWSON were married about 1844.1 Phoebe's last name "Lawson"
comes from the death certificates of Thomas Jackson Durham, Nancy Ann (Durham)
Catron, and Alexander Durham.
It is also rumored that Phoebe (Lawson) Durham is buried in the Broyles Cemetery
in Lindside, WV (Monroe County). This has not been confirmed. Phoebe
LAWSON1 was born about
1816 in place unknown.4,12,13 Phoebe
Lawson's maiden name comes from the death certificates of her children - Nancy
A. (Durham) Catron, Alexander Durham, and Thomas Jackson Durham. One certificate
states that Phoebe was born in Smyth County, VA, while another says "Surry
County, NC.
Phoebe Lawson's parents may be James and Nancy (Hurt) Lawson who moved his family
from Patrick County, to Tazewell County, Virginia around the 1840s. William
and Phoebe's oldest children are named - James, Sarah, and Nancy.
It is interesting to note: Mary (Durham) Puckett, daughter of Victoria Durham,
is living next door to Wilkerson Lawson in the 1910 census for Tazewell County,
VA. Wilkerson Lawson is a son of Pleasant M. Lawson and Matilda Lawson. Pleasant
M. Lawson is a son of James Lawson and Nancy Hurt. William Henderson DURHAM
and Phoebe LAWSON had the following children:
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