Historical Durham Relatives
(Arranged in chronological order)
Brigadier General Francis Marion
(The Swamp
Fox)
(1732- 1795)
Revolutionary War Hero who played a key role in gaining independence
for the United States of America.
He was nicknamed "The Swamp Fox" by British commander Colonel Banastre
(Bannister) Tarleton due to his elusive
fighting tactics in swamplands along the Santee. Marion was a descendant of
French Huguenots who had fled France
and settled along the Santee River. For a more detailed compilation of his
history click the link below.
(Click here)
Family Members who served in Marion's
Brigade during the Revolutionary War:
(There may possibly be more)
(Captain Thomas Woodward)
Hugh Wardlaw
Joseph Wardlaw
William Wardlaw
John Ford?
Barnaby Pope
Vince Tharp (His father and brothers were British loyalists)
Captain Thomas Woodward
(The Regulator)
(1729- 1779)
Officer in the Revolutionary War, South Carolina
Regulator, and member of the 1st Provincial Congress of the United States.
For a more detailed compilation of his history click the link below.
Captain Charnel Hightower
Durham
(1753 - 1836)
Officer in the Revolutionary War and South Carolina
Regulator.
For a more detailed compilation of his history click the link below.
Captain John Buchanan
(1750- 1824)
(City of Winnsboro, Fairfield County, S.C.)
South Carolina Regulator
and Revolutionary War hero “Captain Buchanan was a distinguished soldier of the
Revolution
and a leading citizen of Fairfield. He was one of the first Americans
to greet General de la Fayette when he arrived to assist in the
struggle for American independence. Captain Buchanan and the French general became close
friends, and Buchanan gave him
one of his servants, a man named Fortune, to
serve him during the war. After the Revolution, when la Fayette visited in this
country
he saw the Captain and Fortune again while he was in Columbia. Captain John Buchanan owned much property in the town and
throughout the county.
Among his holdings was a tavern that was located on Congress Street almost
directly behind this (Picture) house.
In 1807 he conveyed the tavern and some lots to his
brother, Creighton Buchanan, but reserved the use of the well that
was located
on one of the lots for his use.”
Source: Fairfield Chamber of Commerce
Note: At one point
during the Revolutionary War Capt. Buchanan was captured by the British and
imprisoned.
Upon learning his imprisonment a Mrs. Mullins of Fairfield, S.C. petitioned Lord
Cornwallis for the release of
Capt. John Buchanan and his brother Lieutenant Robert Buchanan. Lord Cornwallis
granted their release.
John Buchanan accepted and continued fighting against the British, but his
brother Robert did not
and died in a British prison ship in Charleston harbor.
Lieutenant Robert Buchanan
(1748- 1780)
Revolutionary War hero who died on a British Prison ship in Charleston Harbor.
Lt. Buchanan was offered a pardon by Lord Cornwallis at the request of a
Mrs. Mullins of Fairfield, South Carolina. Lt. Buchanan denied the pardon
and died a British prisoner in the Revolutionary War.
Question: How
is the Durham family related to the Buchanan family?
Answer: Hattie McMaster Boulware's great grandmother was Rachael Buchanan
Note: Why did Lord Cornwallis
grant a pardon to the Buchanan brothers?
This was a question I asked myself since Lord Cornwallis must have known that
these brothers were American Revolutionaries. The answer seems to lie in the
Buchanan genealogy. After doing a little more online research I found that
John and Robert Buchanan's mother was Rachael Phillips Buchanan. Rachael
had three brothers who were all British loyalists and officers under Lord
Cornwallis.
It was probably done in appreciation to the Phillips family for their service to
the Crown.
I do not know the prior relationship of Ms. Millins who petitioned for the
release of the
Buchanan brothers, but it is a fact that Capt. John Buchanan married Ms. Millins
sometime
after the incident.
First Sergeant Robert
Winfield Durham
(1784- 1847)
First Sergeant Robert served
in the Palmetto Regiment of South Carolina, Company G, during the Mexican War,
a conflict that began in the last week of April, 1846. He won medals for bravery
in action and died in the Mexican War
on February 18 (or December 13) 1847. His name appears on the Palmetto Monument
located on the State House
Grounds in Columbia, South Carolina.
General Thomas Simpson
Woodward
(1794- aft. 1858)
(Direct descendant of Capt. Thomas Woodward)
Gen. Woodward was a commander of U.S. militia and cavalry during the (Creek)
Indian Wars. It is said in some documents that
Gen. T.S. Woodward was a full blooded Indian himself, however this is not true.
Although part of his
bloodline was Indian, his grandfather Capt. Thomas Woodward was Half-Crow
Indian. Capt. Woodward
was also a descendant of the Woodward family of England. Because of Gen. T.S.
Woodward's physical
appearance of a full blooded Indian (Historical documents) and his knowledge of the Indian culture the
U.S. govt.
appointed him to lead large forces
of friendly Indians during the Indian Wars.
He served numerous times under the
direct leadership of General Andrew Jackson.
Gen. Woodward was also the founder of Tuskegee and Montgomery Alabama.
Gen.
Woodward built the first home in Tuskegee.
For more information you can review the letters written by Gen. Woodward online.
They are called
"Thomas Woodward Reminiscences". and are stored in the Alabama historical
archives.
John Woodward Durham Jr.
(Brother of William Strother Durham)
(1827- 1871)
South
Carolina Cavalry Battalion, Hampton Legion, Company B, C.S.A. (Last Muster Call)
(I have seen numerous references on the web that list him
as Major John Woodward Durham Jr.)
Corporal William Shedd Durham
(Son of
Robert Winfield Durham)
(1832- 1862)
South Carolina Cavalry Battalion, Hampton Legion, Company D, C.S.A. (Last Muster Call)
Died on
Malvern Hill Battlefield Virginia
(This is not Major William Strother Durham this is his
first cousin)
Colonel John Jefferson
Woodward
(1808 - 1862)
Talladega City Lawyer and
State Legislator
Commander 10th Alabama Regiment
(Died at Gaine's Mill Battlefield)
Lieutenant Colonel James
Nelson Shedd
"As a young man, James enlisted in the Palmetto Co.,
Regiment G, 3rd Corp.
during the Mexican War, rising the rank of third corporal to
first lieutenant Nov. 13, 1847. Upon returning to the Winnsboro area,
he became a cotton planter and circa 1850 , married. In 1852 he was
elected as a representative from Fairfield District to the South Carolina
General Assembly and served for one term. He was one of four county officers.
His wife Christhan died prior to 1857 leaving him with two daughters.
He remarried in the late 1850's and two more daughters were born to him.....
purchased land from General John Buchanan and eventually purchased
more Buchanan land from Harriet R. Buchanan the General's widow....
built a very large brick home..... On April 10, 1861, Shedd was mustered into
Company D, South Carolina 6th Regiment, Infantry Boyce Guards, at the rank of
Captain.
He participated in the Siege of Petersburg and is mentioned in the Time- Life
books on the Civil War, fighting in the 22nd Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers
in the Battle of the Crater. Near the close of the war, Shedd was promoted
to Major and later Lt. Colonel, 22nd Reg., Co. E and was with General Lee when
he surrendered at Appomattox Court House in Virginia in April, 1865.
Shedd became in great financial difficulty after the war and was force to sell
most of his estate.....
Her house (widow Shedd) was sold at public auction and bought by
Thomas W. Erwin for only $3,000. After various owners, it became the Fairfield
Country Club."
Source:
Durham Family History Compilation
Edward Fant (Bull) Durham
(1907 - 1976)
Nicknamed "Bull", Ed Durham earned a
reputation with his control and his curveball during
his 5-year major league career. In 1933, Durham won a career-high 10 games for
the
White Sox. However, illness ended his career the following season. Following his
career in
baseball, Durham owned and operated a service station in Blackstock, Chester,
S.C. until he retired in 1972.
He began his Major League baseball career on April 19, 1929, with the Boston Red
Sox.
The 22 year-old played for 5 seasons on 2 different teams and ended his big
league playing career in 1933.
Source:
http://www.historicbaseball.com/players/d/durham_ed.html
