Durham Family of Orange County NC

Previously I began this page with the marriage of Lindsey Durham and Sylvia Shaw in 1836, and a statement that they were the parents of Robert A. Durham, born in 1843. A boy Robert does appear with them in the 1860 census, age 17. In 1850 they were shown with a 7-year-old son Isaac, and I concluded that this was probably a census taker's error for Robert. It appears I was wrong.

I finally found Robert's death certificate, which Ancestry.com had indexed as Robert Dusham, and it gives his father as Thomas Durham. His mother's maiden name is listed as Thompson; her first name isn't given. He may be the child Robert age 8 in 1850, living with Thomas and Jane Durham in Alamance County NC.

I will post additional information as I find it. For now, I start with Robert's first marriage, in 1867, to Eliza or Elizabeth, whose maiden name is variously given as Manes, Maner, or Maynard.

Robert was born in March 1843 and died on February 19, 1919 in Chatham County. The death certificate says that he had lived in Siler City for 16 years.

First Generation

I think Robert is the Robert A. Durham who died in Chatham County in February, 1919, age 75, and the Robert A. Durham living in Chatham Co. in 1910, a widower, with daughter Mary V. age 29.

Robert's death certificate lists a second wife, Eliza Steel, and William's death certificate says his mother was "? Steele". However, Mary Vennie Durham Hargrave's death certificate gives her mother's name as Nancy Eliz. Maner. Since Robert and Elizabeth Maner married in 1867, and Mary Vennie is the youngest child, I think Elizabeth Maner must be the mother of all of them.

Sources