First Generation

1. Thomas DURHAM was born in 1660 in place unknown. He died before 1 Jun 1715 in Richmond County, Virginia.¹ Wills of Richmond County, Virginia (1699 - 1800),
Ancestry.com
Research of Byron K. Durham

page 9
f53v - Elizabeth Grady, will; 10 Mar 1693/94, 4 Nov 1702
Mary Smoot, daughter of William Smoot, all land; ex: William Smoot;
wits: Thomas Durham, Richard Draper, John Rankin

page 26
p. 148 - William Goodridge, NFP, will; 12 May 1713, 2 Sep 1713
wife Tomasin; son William all land in Lanc. Co. which I bought of Richard Alderson and John [Buxton]; other chil. Moses and Elizabeth; desires Mr. Rawleigh CHINN to have the care of the three chil. until age 21; ex: fr. Rawleigh CHINN;
wits: none given, but prov. by the oaths of Dorothy and Thomas Durham.

page 29
p. 210 - Thomas Durham, NFP, will; 4 Aug 1711, 1 June 1715
wife Dorothy the plant (plantation); after her death, to son Thomas and Mary his wife; son John; dau. Mary Dodson; grson. Thomas Dodson; ex: wife, no wits.
[The births of the fol. chil. to Thomas and Dorothy Durham are rec. in the NFPR: Mary (1686), Thomas (1690), John (1698). NFPR, p. 56 Dorothy Durham was probably related to William Smoot Sr; she mar. (2) Jeremiah Greenham, Feb 1714/15. MRC. p. 81.]

page 29
p. 212 - Thomas Durham, inv; 6 July 1715.

page 30
p. 228 - John Simmonds, NFP, will; 27 Aug 1715, 5 Oct 1715
Patience Bryan; Abraham DEAL; Isaac (the son of Abraham Procter); Thomas Dale a set of cooper's tools; Daniel Beacham; Rawleigh Downman tract of land; remaining land to be div.(divided) between Abraham (Dale) and Thomas Young together with the plant (plantation) I now live on, after the death of my wife, Elizabeth; Will Dodson; Thomas Glascock; Capt. Tarpley; Will Jobson; ex: Rawleigh Downman and Thomas Glascock;
wits: Thomas Durham, Thomas Read, Gilbert Lowding.

page 32
p. 270 - William Smoot, NFP, will; 24 Feb 1715, 4 Jun 1716
grchil. Margaret, Joseph, and Sarah Durham; son-in-law Thomas Durham; wife Jane use of plant.(plantation) and lands, after her death, to go to three grchil (grandchildren);
ex: wife;
wits: John Durham, Abraham Dale, Brian Muckleroy. [Mary, the dau. of William and Jane Smoot, mar. Thomas Durham ca. 1710. MRC, p. 250.]

p. 42
p.73 - John Scurlock, St. Mary's White Chapel Par., Lanc. Co., will; 7 Dec 1718, 4 Mar 1718/19
bro. Daniel Scurlock; cousin John Scurlock; Charles Norris; ex bro. Daniel;
wits: Thomas Durham, John Durham.

p. 74
p. 258 - Thomas Durham, Farn. Par., will; 30 Nov 1734, 5 May 1735
wife Mary; Dominick NEWGENT and Margaret his wife; son Joseph; six small chil. Thomas, John, Mary, Susanna, Catherine, and Millicent; dau. Sarah; Jeremiah GREENHAM to have the use of the land and plant.(plantation) whereon he now lives during his natural life; ex: wife and Jeremiah GREENHAM;
wits: Elizabeth HALE, William HUGHS, William WALKER. [Thomas Durham was the son of Thomas and Dorothy Durham; he mar. Mary Smoot ca. 1710. MRC, p. 61. Jeremiah GREENHAM was apparently his step-father. MRC, p. 81.]

p. 74
p. 260 - Thomas Durham, inv; 3 June 1735.

p. 82
p. 378 - Thomas Dodson, NFP, will; 17 Feb 1739/40, 2 Mar 1740/41
wife Mary; sons, Thomas, George 150 ac. of land whereon he now lives, Greenham the tract of land bought of Lambarth Dodson, Elisha the plant.(plantation) where I now live, Abraham, and Joshua; daus. Alice, Mary Oldham; grdau. [unnamed] the dau. of David Dodson;
ex: wife and son Greenham;
wits: Henry MISKELL, John HIGHTOWER, Charles DODSON. [Thomas Dodson mar. Mary Durham. MRC, p. 57.]

p. 82
p. 380 - Thomas Dodson, inv; 6 April 1741.

p. 108
p. 718 - Jeremiah GREENHAM, will; 28 May 1751, 1 Jan 1753
John Durham my great bible; wife; Christopher HARE (now in England);
ex: William GLASCOCK and his son William;
wits: James Booth, John Williams, Thomas Penly. [Jeremiah GREENHAM mar. (1) Dorothy Durham and (2) Mary ??. MRC, p. 81.]

p. 108
p. 719 - Jeremiah GREENHAM, inv; ord. 1 Jan 1753.

---------------------------------------------------------
Supplement to the History of the Dodson-Dotson Family of Southwest Virginia. Compiled and edited by the Rev. Silas Emmett Lucas, Jr. N.p: the author, 1966., pp. 106-107

26 Apr 1707 Richmond County, Virginia Deed Book 4, 1705-1708. This Indenture made the six and twentieth day of April anno Domini 1707 and in sixth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lady Anne by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, France and Ireland Queene, Defender of the faith Between Mary GILBERT of the parish of North Farnham in the county of Richmond and Dominion of Virginia, Widdow of the one party, and Thomas DURHAM of North Farnham in the county of Richmond and Dominion aforesaid, Planter and Dorothy his wife of the other party. Witnesseth that the said Mary GILBERT for good and valuable consideration in hand payed the receipt whereof the said Mary doth hereby acknowledge and of every part and parcel thereof doth requitt consrate and discharge the said Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy his wife and theire heires by these presents do give grant, bargaine sole alienate entaile and confirme unto the said Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy his wife theire heirs and assignes a certain plantation tract or parcele of land scituate lying and being in the parish of North Ffarnham in the county of Richmond and Dominion of Virginia upon a Branch of Ffarnham in the county of Richmond and Dominion of Virginia upon a Branch of Ffarnham Creeke called and knowne by the name of the Buory Swamp, containing by estimation fifty acres, now in the tenure and occupation of Walter WRIGHT and bounded as followeth: .... the said Mary GILBERT for her self, her heires, Exors. and Admns. doth covenant promise, grant and assign to the said Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy his wife and their heires and assignes In manner and form as followeth, That is to say, that the said Mary GILBERT att the time of the ensealing and delivery hereof hath true title, full power and lawful authority to grant and convey the said bargained land and premisses as aforesaid and allso from time to times and att all times hereafter ...... doth hereby grant unto the said Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy his wife and their heires and assignes with all the rights members and appurtanances thereunto belonging or appurtaining without.....and do Execute and acknowledge any other or further deed or deeds which shall be advised, devised or required by the said Thomas DURHAM, Dorothy his wife or theire Counsel learned in the law or theire heires or assignes for the better and more sure settlement of all and singular of the premisses hereto granted and every part and parcle of the said land unto the said Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy his wife and theire heires and assignes forever, In Witness whereof the said Mary GILBERT have hereunto put her hand and seal the day and month and year above written. Signed, sealde and Delivered in the presence of:
William SMOOT, Mil. WALTERS
Mary M. GILBERT (seal)
Recorded 15 May 1707, Teste: J. SHERLOCK

---------------------------------------------
Thomas Durham's will was dated 4 August 1711 and proved 1 June 1715 in Richmond County, Virginia. (Transcribed by UNKNOWN)

In the name of God Amen, I, Thomas Durham of Northfarnham in the County of Richmond being sick in Body but of sound and perfect Memory. Praise be given unto God therefore calling to Mind His Mortallity of my body and that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my Last Will & Testament. That is to say-- principally & first of all I recommend my soul unto the hands of God that gave it and my body to the Earth to be buried in Christian and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named; nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty Power of God; and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased God to Bless me in this Life-----

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Dear & Loving wife Dorothy Durham the use of my Plantations, together with all my Lands & Tenements with all and Every of their Appurtenances--Proffits and Commoditys ____ belonging or appertaining for & during the __ of her natural Life and after her decease if my Son Thomas Durham and Mary his wife do by some sufficient Instrument in writing under their hands and seals and affording to due forme of Law Release and acquitt all and singular their Right, Title and Interest in and unto Fifty acres of Land being the same Tract & Plantation which we had conveyed us by Mary Gilbert unto my son John Durham and his heirs or pay him the said: John Durham Eight Thousand Pounds of Tobacco in Lieu of His said Land and also pay unto my Daughter Mary Dodson Fifteen hundred pounds of Tobacco that then and upon this consideration-------aforesaid: I do give and bequeath unto my said son Thomas Durham and his heirs Lawfully Begotten and for want of such issue unto my son John Durham and his heirs Lawfully Begotton and in _______ of such issue unto my GrandSon Thomas Dodson and his heirs, But if my said son Thomas Durham doth refuse and will not release the said fifty acres of Land nor pay the Tobacco aforesaid: I do will and Bequeath the said Plantation whereon I now dwell with all my Lands unto my son John Durham and his heirs---

Item. I give and Bequeath unto my Son John Durham Fifty acres of Land more or less being the Plantation with all the Tract and Parcell of Land that was Conveyed us by Mary Gilbert, to have and to hold the said Tract and Parcell of Land with the appurtainances unto my said son John Durham and his heirs Lawfully begotten and for want of such issue unto my GrandSon Thomas Dodson and his heirs---

Item. I give and bequeath unto my Son John Durham one Feather Bed and Furniture, one Cow and calf, one Mare and Iron Pott, Two ____ Dishes and half a dozen Plates

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Dodson Five Thousand Pounds of Tobacco; Fifteen hundred Pounds of the same to be paid by my son Thomas Durham within Nine months after the Decise of my wife and Five hundred the Rest of the said Tobacco to be paid by my Son John Durham at the Decease of my Wife----

Item. I give and Bequeath all the Residue of my Estate, Goods, Cattle and Chattells unto my wife Dorothy Durham for & During her widowhood, but if she doth Marry that _____ off my Personall Estate, Except what is herein given to John Durham shall be Equally Divided between my wife and my three Children, and I do make and Ordain my Dear & well beloved Wife Sole Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament---Rattifying and Confirming this & none other to be my Last Will & Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this Fourth Day of August in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eleven.

Signed, Sealed & Published and Declared in the presence of us--
Joan O Searles her mark, Arthur Kay his mark, Miles Walters
Thomas Durham his mark (seal)

Att. at a Court held for Richmond County ye first Day of June 1715
This Will was approved in open Court by the oaths of Arthur Key & Joan Searles ______ of the Witness or tthereto be on admitted to Recored...Tests M: Beckewith C.C.O."

Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy SMOOT were married in 1685 in place unknown. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 <http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7836&enc=1>
about Thomas Durham

Name: Thomas Durham
Gender: Male
Birth Year: 1660
Spouse Name: Dorothy Smoot
Spouse Birth Place: VI
Spouse Birth Year: 1663
Marriage Year: 1685
Marriage State: VA



Dorothy SMOOT was born about 1663. Thomas DURHAM and Dorothy SMOOT had the following children:

+2	i.	Mary DURHAM.
+3	ii.	Thomas DURHAM II.
4	iii.	John DURHAM was born on 23 Nov 1698 in Virginia.1,2 He died after 1754 in Virginia.2 Information provided by Laurel Durham via Email 2012 - Research of Laurel Durham John, b. 11/23/1698, m. ___, d. aft 1754 poss. in Amelia Co, VA (listed in step-father Jeremiah Greenham's will); he is named in Abraham Marshall's 1708 will as an heir; 05/22/1754 witnessed deed of Greenham Dodson in Amelia Co, VA; inherited 50 acres from his parents (the land was stipulated as the land from Mary Gilbert in his dad's will)