Achilles Durham

Male 1741 - 1814  (73 years)


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  • Name Achilles Durham 
    Birth 1741  Commonwealth of Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Residence Haw River, Alamance County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Residence 1783  Rutherford County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Death 1814  Spartanburg County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5
    Burial Buck Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Chesnee, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 5
    Person ID I4252  The Hennessee Family
    Last Modified 17 Aug 2019 

    Father John William 'William' Durham,   b. 1710, (England) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Sarah Elizabeth "Elizabeth" Cate,   b. 1725, Prince County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1783, Shelby, Cleveland County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years) 
    Marriage 1739  (Virginia) Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 7
    Family ID F8947  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Mary Unica 'Unicy' Cate,   b. 1754, Orange County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Nov 1794, Cleveland County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 40 years) 
    Marriage 1771  Orange County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 5
    Children 
     1. Charles Alexander Durham,   b. 5 Jun 1773, Orange County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Mar 1850, Cleveland County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     2. Sarah Durham,   b. ~ 1775, (North Carolina) Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Mary "Polly" Durham,   b. ~1770, Orange County, North Carolina, a British Colony in America Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1840, DeKalb County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 69 years)
     4. Elizabeth Durham,   b. 30 Jan 1779, Orange County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Apr 1846, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 67 years)
     5. John Durham,   b. 1794, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. ~ 1845, DeKalb County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 51 years)
    Family ID F1648  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

    Family 2 Edith LNU,   b. (North Carolina) Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage 21 Mar 1808  Rutherford County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [3, 5, 8
    Count of Children 0   [5
    Family ID F1668  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 1741 - Commonwealth of Virginia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - - Haw River, Alamance County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1771 - Orange County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1783 - Rutherford County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 21 Mar 1808 - Rutherford County, North Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 1814 - Spartanburg County, South Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Buck Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Chesnee, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • According to family tradition, the Durhams were descended from the Durhams who were the Lairds of Grange in Forfarshire, Scotland. The original charter was granted in 1322 by Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, to Sir William Durham, who became the first Laird of Grange.

      Robert Lee Durham said that his great-great-grandfather, Achilles Durham, was born in Virginia. Kate Durham, Achilles' great-granddaughter, said that he was born in England and came to Virginia as an infant with his parents.

      In 1995, Marla Goodrich said she heard Achilles was in Lunenburg County, Virginia, prior to coming to North Carolina.

      Achilles Durham moved from Virginia with his mother, Elizabeth Cates Durham, to the Haw River settlement of Orange County, North Carolina. There he married a widow, Mrs. Mary Cates Hardin, in 1770. In 1783, they moved to what is now Cleveland County, North Carolina, almost exactly on the line between Lincoln and Rutherford Counties.

      Achilles' mother died in Rutherford County and was buried near where the present town of Shelby was later located. After the death of his first wife who was the mother of all his children, Achilles married Edith Hicks on March 21, 1806. They moved to South Carolina and settled in what is now Spartanburg County. Achilles died there and was buried at Buck Creek Baptist Church, which is a few miles north of Spartanburg.

      * [5]
    • 20 Sep 2009:

      http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/burke/census/morgandis.txt

      This census is from Microcopy No. T-498 Roll 2

      "Durhan, Kellis 2,2,5,0,0"

      1790 Census North Carolina
      Rutherford County Morgan District

      2 of 1st # free white males 16 year upwards and head of families
      2 of 2nd # free white males under 16 years
      5 of 3rd # free white females and head of families
      0 of 4th # all other free persons
      0 of 5th # slaves

      21 Apr 2012: Found this interesting research on Achilles' antecedents which runs contrary to current DURHAM ancestry... http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donnykrun/Richard_Durham_Research.htm

      *
    • I have numbered the generations and put a little information about these 11 generations of Durhams.I have siblings for some of these Durhams and more extensive notes, especially about problems resulting from information from different people.I cannot vouch for the accuracy of this information, as I got it from at least four different sources.If you want the complete file, email me at mdr36@gnt.net.Can you give me birth, marriage, and death dates forAchilles and his siblings?I’m hoping to connect Achilles to my DURHAMs.Thanks.

      1. William DURHAM. Born About 1322.Died during the reign of Prince David Bruce who reigned until 1371.
      2. Michael DURHAM. Born About 1397.
      3. John DURHAM. Born About 1457.
      4. Thomas DURHAM. Born About 1480.
      5. John DURHAM. Born About 1507.
      6. Alexander DURHAM. Born After 1525. Minder of the Royal Mint.Married Janet ERSKINE, daughter of John ERSKINE, Baronof Dun.Living in 1525. 6th Baron of Grange.
      7. William DURHAM. Born About 1554. Ancestor of the DURHAMs of the Grange. 7th Lord of Grange
      8. William DURHAM. Born About 1609. 8th Lord of Grange
      9. William DURHAM. Born After 1609. 9th Laird of Grange (Durham 1990).
      10. William DURHAM. Born Before 1700 in England. Died inVA.He married Elizabeth CATES. Born Before 1710. Died in Cleveland Co., NC.
      11. Achilles DURHAM. Born About 1750 in England?/NC?/VA?. Died About 1810, buried in Buck Creek Ch.Cem., Spartanburg, SC.He first married Mary Unica CATES, 1770 in Orange Co., NC.Born Before 1755 in VA. Died Before 1806 in Cleveland,Rutherford Co., NC.

      1. William DURHAM. Born About 1322.Died during the reign of Prince David Bruce who reigned until 1371.
      2. Michael DURHAM. Born About 1397.
      3. John DURHAM. Born About 1457.
      4. Thomas DURHAM. Born About 1480.
      5. John DURHAM. Born About 1507.
      6. Alexander DURHAM. Born After 1525. Minder of the Royal Mint.Married Janet ERSKINE, daughter of John ERSKINE, Baronof Dun.Living in 1525. 6th Baron of Grange.
      7. William DURHAM. Born About 1554. Ancestor of the DURHAMs of the Grange. 7th Lord of Grange
      8. William DURHAM. Born About 1609. 8th Lord of Grange
      9. William DURHAM. Born After 1609. 9th Laird of Grange (Durham 1990).
      10. William DURHAM. Born Before 1700 in England. Died in VA.He married Elizabeth CATES. Born Before 1710. Died in Cleveland Co., NC.
      11. Achilles DURHAM. Born About 1750 inEngland?/NC?/VA?. Died About 1810, buried in Buck Creek Ch.Cem., Spartanburg, SC.He first married Mary Unica CATES, 1770 in Orange Co., NC.Born Before 1755 in VA. Died Before 1806 in Cleveland,Rutherford Co., NC. His name is spelled Akillis in some NC records (North Carolina Marriages 1717-1868, Hunting for Bears).

      His name is spelled Akillis in some NC records (North Carolina Marriages 1717-1868, Hunting for Bears).

      Shirley CARTER says he was born in VA, and came to the Haw River settlement of Orange Co., NC with his widowed mother, Elizabeth, while in his youth.About 1783, Achilles came to Rutherford Co., NC along with his mother, wife and children; they settled near the Lincoln/Rutherford Co., line where present-day Shelby is. His mother died there. His wife, Mary, died shortly after 1800.

      .
      RockyIII@aol.com. (prob. Rocky Strickland).

      Info from a letter to Melvin DURHAM from Shirley CARTER, Rt. 5, Box 208C, Andalusia, AL 36420.

      * [9]
    • Achilles Durham & Mary Cates

      ACHILLES DURHAM married MARY CATES. He was the son of ELIZABETH CATES and possibly WILLIAM DURHAM.

      Some interesting reading on this family:

      http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/DURHAM/2001-06/0993659926

      From: RockyIII@aol.com
      Subject: Re: Durham family in Rutherford Co., NC
      Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 12:38:46 EDT


      Greg,

      Welcome to the list! The Achilles Durham (1825-1901) you mentioned who was married to Amelia Beam (1823-1900) was the son of Lemuel Newton Durham (1798-1881) and Temperance Scruggs (1802-1887). Lemuel was a son of Charles Alexander Durham (1773-1850) and Patience Davis (1772-1862). Charles was a son of Achilles Durham (ca. 1740 - ca. 1814)

      I believe Elizabeth Durham (1779-1846), wife of Berryman Hicks (1778-1839)and mother of Artimency Hicks Lovelace (1813-1854), was the daughter of Achilles Durham (ca. 1740 - ca. 1814) and Mary Cates. I have the children of Achilles Durham and Mary Cates as follows:

      Charles Alexander Durham (1773-1850)
      Sarah Durham
      Mary "Polly" Durham
      Richard Durham (1777-1844)
      Elizabeth Durham (born 1-31-1779 Orange Co., NC, died 4-24-1846 Spartanburg Co., SC)

      Achilles Durham, supposedly as a youth, moved from Virginia with his mother,Elizabeth Cates, to the Haw River settlement of Orange County, North Carolina. There he married a widow, Mrs. Mary Cates Hardin, in 1770. He was listed in the 1779 Orange County tax roll.

      In 1783, Achilles moved to what is now Cleveland County, North Carolina,almost exactly on the line between Lincoln and Rutherford Counties, bringing his mother, wife, and children.

      Achilles Durham purchased 200 acres of land from Jonathan Davis on December 21, 1791 for 50 pds., and he sold the land to John Lindsey on October 8, 1792, for 60 pds. (Chatham County, NC, deed records).

      There are two Durhams listed as heads of households in the 1790 census of would have included his mother. William Durham was listed in the 14th Company, Morgan District, with himself and one son over 16, and two women in the family.

      Achilles' mother died in Rutherford County and was buried near where the present town of Shelby was later located. After the death of his first wife who was the mother of all his children, Achilles married Edith Hicks on March 21, 1806.

      In "Rutherford County, North Carolina Abstracts of Wills, 1779-1822," p. 52,abstracted and compiled by Carolina Heath Davis, an Edith Durham received 10 shillings as the daughter of Richard Hicks. Two grandchildren with the surname Hicks also inherited.

      On January 23, 1801, Achilles Durham purchased 100 acres of land on both David Forrester for $100. Witnesses were Beryman Hicks and David Cantrell. The witness oath was dated March 4, 1802, and signed by Beryman Hicks. The 330-332).

      On December 9, 1809, Achiles Durham of Rutherford County, North Carolina, sold 100 acres of land on the waters of Buck Creek to Daniel Cantrell of Spartanburg District, South Carolina, for $140. Witnesses were John Martin, John Blackwell, and Dicy Hicks. The witness oath was dated August 18, 1812, and signed by John Blackwell. The deed was recorded on April 6, 1813 (Spartanburg County, SC, Deed Book N, 282-283).

      In the 1810 census of Rutherford County, an "Acles" Durham was listed as head were also three children listed, the youngest under 10.

      Achilles was buried at Buck Creek Baptist Church, which is a few miles north established by 1815, at which time he was not listed as a member. This would put Achilles' death sometime around 1813-1815.

      Robert Lee Durham, a great-great-grandson of Achilles Durham, wrote an Thursday, April 30, 1936. He wrote, "I visited the Buck Creek Baptist Church and cemetery a few years ago; and found there are many unmarked graves in it; of this first Achilles Durham."

      Rocky Strickland
      http://members.aol.com/rockyiii


      http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donnykrun/Richard_Durham_Research.htm

      Here are the two original family accounts. This is the first Durham story.

      Another old original document was written by Robert L. Durham who was a decendent to Achilles Durham. This clipping appeared in the Forrest City, North Carolina Courier Thursday, April 30, 1936. "The first Achilles Durham, who moved into Rutherford County about the year 1783, came from Virginia, bringing with him his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Cates."

      After years of searching for the illusive Elizabeth Cates let me share my findings. Throughout the world in the early 1700s there were only four places to find an Elizabeth Cates. In Norfolk, England, New Hampshire, Virginia with the Robert Cates family, and in Beaufort, North Carolina. If you believe the story that Elizabeth Cates was the mother of Achilles and Matthew Durham then you are looking for a person born between 1700-1715. Keep in mind also, that for practical purposes, Elizabeth Cates would have had been able to have children for a twenty year period. You then have to ask the question where were the other children? There were several women with name Elizabeth Cates, all born in that range between 1700-1715. The only problem, they all married someone other than a Durham and appear to have lived somewhere other than where we find Achilles and Matthew lived. A similar analysis was done with the names Margaret, Betty, and Rachel Cates. None of these names matched the Durham family story but were used with a high degree of frequency during this time. With all the information that has been gathered on the Robert Cates, Sr. family, there seems to be no child by that name either. Later generations give us several Elizabeth Cates, but none that could be the mother of Achilles or Matthew Durham.

      "They came from the Haw River Settlement in Orange County, North Carolina where Achilles married Mrs. Mary Hardin, and their son, Charles Alexander Durham and presumably their oldest son, Richard Durham was born. To them was born a daughter, Elizabeth whether in Orange County or after they moved to what is now Cleveland County, but were at that time almost exactly near the line between Lincoln and Rutherford Counties. In this Lincoln--Rutherford home Elizabeth Cates Durham, mother of Achilles died and was buried in about a mile and one half of where Shelby was afterwards located."

      Keep in mind that Elizabeth Cates died around 1783. This is important because it fits with our timeline for her birth and child bearing years. "After the death of his first wife (Mrs. Mary Hardin) who was the mother of his children, Achilles Durham married another widow, Mrs. Edith Hicks, on 21 March, 1808; after which they moved to South Carolina and settled in what is now Spartanburg County. Then Achilles died and was buried at Buck Creek Baptist Church which is eight miles north of Spartanburg."

      A note on Achilles and the Buck Creek Baptist Church. Achilles died in about 1813 and there are land transactions showing that he donated land to the Church. Actual Church records and the formation of the Church took place in 1715. This has been confirmed by my visiting Buck Creek Baptist Church on several occasions.

      Let's look at what can be gleaned from this story. A women named Elizabeth Cates existed. There are no birth records, and no account of who Matthew and Achilles' father was in this account. So what can we deduce? Elizabeth was not really the mother of Achilles and Matthew, or she was some other relationship to them. Keep that idea in the back of your mind.

      Here is the second Durham story. The earliest known reference to the Durhams of Scotland can be found in a manuscript entitled, History of Nathaniel Evans of Cat Fish Creek and his Decedents, by James Daniel Evans in 1905. It appears that Cicero A. or C.A. Durham provided the original information. (He would be almost five generations separated from the first Achilles Durham.) Durham Excursus.*

      Major Solon A. Durham was the oldest son of Charles Crawford and Eunice Jane (Evans) Durham of Shelby, N.C. Charles Crawford Durham was born 20th February, 1820, and died 1st August, 1897. He saw service through the Civil War for the South. He was the son of Charles Alexander Durham, born 5th June, 1773; died 13th March, 1853; married 31st January, 1793. Patience, daughter of Capt. Benjamin Davis, who was born 24th December, 1731; married Rebecca ___________, born 25th October, 1741. Capt. Davis was prominent in the forces of the Revolution. The father of Charles A. Durham was Achilles Durham, Esquire, of Haw River, North Carolina, and was born about 1720. He was brought as an infant by his father, William, from England. He married Mrs. Catharine Hardin. His father, William, was lineally descended from William, 9th Laird of Grange. ( Since I Was Born, written by a descendent of Achilles Durham, Robert L. Durham very clearly states that his ancestor came from Forfar, Dundee Scotland).

      This story is more appealing to me than the first. It has more truth, and yet makes less sense. I'll explain this as we go along. Many researchers have pointed to a Thomas Durham as a potential father to the boys. And then there is the Thomas Durham who married Margaret Peggy Lindsey. Let me stop and review what we have on him. Thomas is thought to be born in Durham, England in 1695-96. The problem I have on him is that we have birth records dating back to the 1200s in England, and yet there is no specific date for his birth. This is the same problem I have with the 1720 date associated with the second story of Achilles Durham's birth. And if by some chance Thomas and Achilles, and Matthew were Scottish, then we should see them also with a real month, day, year date in the very good Scottish Records. Another point that makes Durham research difficult in Scotland are the many variations of the spelling Durham: Durham, Dirram, Dorham, Dunholme, Durame, Dureame, Dureham, Duren, Dirom, Dyrham, Durhame, and Durrame. I have encountered each during my research with the Scottish Records Office.

      One conclusion is that the Durhams came from Ireland where records were lost. Another conclusion is that these individuals were born in wilderness areas of America where just no records existed. In Thomas case, I believe he was born in England around 1700-1705. With Achilles being born in 1720 and we know he died in 1813, well you do the math, 93 years. Possible, not likely. From 1740 to 1770 what was Achilles doing, and where were all the children he might have had during this time? In the years 1720-1722 there are no know records of William Durham on a ship manifest.

      … It is my firm belief that Matthew and Achilles were also orphaned. They were raised by the Cates family in Virginia and later North Carolina. This is evidenced by the name "Richard" Durham taken from the Robert Cates', Sr. family. Later, we see that Achilles marries a Cates.

      Elizabeth Pugh, wife of Robert Cates, Sr. helped to raise the boys. They did farm work, then learned surveying skills (Chain Carriers) as evidenced by land transactions uncovered by Dr. Banks Cates. In 1770 Achilles is still surveying and searching for iron ore on the Yadkin River. (Quaker Meeting House near) Elizabeth Pugh also outlived Robert Cates and probably died around 1783.

      And it is from this Cates-Durham relationship born out of hardship and survival that we see how they call Elizabeth Cates their mother, which is a connection that no one could prove. Look at the tons of Cates notes provided by Dr. Banks Cates which show the Cates family migration from Virginia to Orange County, North Carolina. It is clear that Durham and Cates became interconnected through their Quaker faith. And if you follow the locations where you find the Durham and Cates families you will see the southern migration patterns of the Quakers. Researchers will note that the Cheek family who intermarry with the Durhams were also Quakers that migrated to Orange County, North Carolina. And the very first time we see Achilles Durham as an adult, he is surveying near the Yadkin River, home to many of the Quakers who migrated from Pennsylvania.

      http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/durham/699/
      His name is spelled Akillis in some NC records (North Carolina Marriages 1717-1868, Hunting for Bears).

      His name is spelled Akillis in some NC records (North Carolina Marriages 1717-1868, Hunting for Bears).

      Shirley CARTER says he was born in VA, and came to the Haw River settlement of Orange Co., NC with his widowed mother, Elizabeth, while in his youth. About 1783, Achilles came to Rutherford Co., NC along with his mother, wife and children; they settled near the Lincoln/Rutherford Co., line where present-day Shelby is. His mother died there. His wife, Mary, died shortly after 1800.

      Shirley CARTER says he was born in VA, and came to the Haw River settlement of Orange Co., NC with his widowed mother, Elizabeth, while in his youth. About 1783, Achilles came to Rutherford Co., NC along with his mother, wife and children; they settled near the Lincoln/Rutherford Co., line where present-day Shelby is. His mother died there. His wife, Mary, died shortly after 1800. Research: Kenneth L. Durham 1990.

      end of biography [10]

  • Sources 
    1. [S4788] Webb,Thomas;835 South College Street,Smithville,TN 37166. Teacher,.

    2. [S4614] Owens,Jean Hicks;Pedigree, 5 Jan 98,.

    3. [S90] http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~donnykrun/Richard_Durham_Research.htm.

    4. [S806] Thomas G. Webb | DeKalb County, TN Historian | 835 South College Street, Smithville, TN 37166 | Abstracted from his boo.

    5. [S10324] "Rocky Strickland's Genealogy: Durham", pedigree for Roscoe Lee Strickland, III, abstracted, downloaded and published We.

    6. [S34503] Owens,Jean Hicks;Pedigree, 5 Jan 98,.

    7. [S89] http://genforum.genealogy.com/cates/messages/654.html.

    8. [S38592] Webb,Thomas;835 South College Street,Smithville,TN 37166. Teacher,.

    9. [S10299] "Ancestors of Achilles Durham", By Marian D. Roberts, October 14, 1999 at 03:57:24, In reply to: Re: Descendants of Matt.

    10. [S11246] "Achilles Durham & Mary Cates", Biography, by Rocky Strickland, RockyIII@aol.com, http://www.blankensteingenealogy.net/.