Posted by Captain Durham, June 10, 2001 (as copied from genforum)

I have been reading the old postings in this forum and I thought that I would share my 20+ years of research into my Durham line and perhaps help some people sort out their lines. I had some advantages in that my Grandmother listened to the old stories when she was young. She may have mixed up the dates, but she was generally right. So, here's what I have:

The most difficult thing is that there are so many Durhams named James L. In my research, I ran into other families in Orange County, NC (descendants of the Matthew Durham who also went to Texas; see book Matthew Durham...NC to Texas (note: this book is by the late Ken Durham) and Surry County NC (descendents of a James Durham who settled from Henry County, VA).

As near as I can tell James Lindsey's line begins with a Thomas Durham. This "Thomas" is listed as owning land in Spottsylvania County in 1740. Why this Thomas? Because this Thomas (like William Lindsey) moved into Brunswick County, Va. after selling land. In the tax polls, a Thomas Durham is listed as living next to William Lindsey until 1749. This Thomas is also listed as a Surveyor in the County records.

Thomas' son was George G. Durham who died in Brunswick County, Virginia in 1766 or 1767. George married Winnifred Lindsey, daughter of William Lindsey (see Lindsey line).

George G. Durham's children were James Lindsey Durham, Sr.; Humphrey Durham [married Ursley ?: children George, Thomas, Humphrey, James, and Peggy], John Durham [married Mary Carlton: nine children]; Clarissa Durham; Margaret Durham; Ruth Durham; and two unnamed daughters.

James Lindsey Durham moved to Surry County, NC prior to 1774 (as did his brothers John and Humphrey). James and Humphrey both served in the Surry County militia in the Revolutionary War (pay records). All records indicate that James married the daughter of either Moses Woodruff or Martha Coffey (daughter of James Coffey. As far as the Woodruff line, the family names match and Woodruffs show up later on Durham land, with there being no transaction noted.

James Lindsey Durham Sr. had the following children: 1) Isaac or Abner, 2) James Lindsey Jr. married Elizabeth Summers, 3) William married Rhoda Sawyers, 4) Micajah married Nancy Sawyers, 5) Elizabeth married Allen Wheelus, 6) Polly married Patrick Ryon, 7) Clarissa married Mark (Marcus) Alexander York, 8) Winnifred married Waitman Summers.

James Lindsey Durham Sr. is recorded in Surry County NC until February 1812, then he moves to Tennessee. One source states he died in Warren County (Tennessee) between 1820 and 1830. Another source states he died in Saline County, Illinois on October 8, 1833.

James Lindsey Durham, Jr. moved to Warren County, Tennessee where he and his wife Elizabeth a both died and are buried in the Durham-Sanders cemetery there (this is verified on the cemetery's website ^cem).

James Lindsey Durham's son Micajah Durham and his wife Nancy Sawyers moved to Guilford County, North Carolina between 1830 and 1833. [One source states that Micajah died in Surry and Nancy is listed there in 1850. However, this is an error, the Surry Nancy is the widow of a James Durham from Henry County, Va.] Micajah and Nancy Durham's Children were: 1) Moses (possibly named for Moses Woodruff), 2) Polly (died 1858), 3) William (married Elizabeth Adams and possibly later Louisa Drawn), 4) Henry Durham, 5) Tyler Durham, 6) Thomas L. Durham (family tradition is that he moved to Texas, however, his signature matches a Thomas L. Durham who was killed in the Civil War at Staunton, Virginia in 1864.), 7) Sally Durham, 8) Robert Durham, 9) Nancy Durham.