Another NOTE for Samuel: 
     Kensington, MD  20895-4228 
     January 5, 1994
MEMO FOR FILE
Subject:  Speculative Origin of Samuel Durbin (m. Ann Logsdon)(The following is a transcription of 
a paragraph in a letter I sent to Jim Virden on 7 November 1977 giving a brief description of our family 
history search in England.)...Most vital statistics reside in the individual parishes around 
England; one must know where to look for what he wants or just go from parish to parish and see what you 
can find. We believe though that the records of St. Thomas Parish on St. Thomas Street in Bristol may 
contain valuable information. In fact, although it is pure rationalization, my wife Lorraine uncovered 
a possible reference to Samuel Durbin. Her scenario makes much more sense than trying to tie Samuel to the 
Nevis Thomas, particularly since we have nothing to tie the Nevis Thomas to  "Thomas Derbon, an officer 
of the Province. Here's what she found. In a book entitled "Inhabitants of Bristol 
in 1696" in St. Thomas Parish on St. Thomas St. is listed a Thomas Durbin and his six children: 
Thomas, John, Sammuell, William, Alice and Mary. Lorraine then found the will of Alice filed 
17 October 1726 in which Alice left effects to 'brother Thomas and wife, to their children, and to 
brother John and sister Mary' the two latter being co-executors. What happened to William and 'Sammuell'? 
Any number of things, but what stuck in our minds is the tradition that "two brothers came 
from Wales"  and started to Durbins in America. Also, we know nothing of the birth of Samuel in this 
country, and trying to tie him into Thomas stretches things quite a bit. A separate immigration of 
Samuel to Maryland is certainly very logical. Perhaps the Nevis Thomas was a relative who sent back word 
of encouragement to the Bristol Durbins who were apparently low on the social and economic ladder about 
that time (several were in the almshouse). Also, have you noted the interesting similarity in place 
names between the Bristol area and the Maryland area where Thomas Derbon lived? A major river 
separating Bristol from Wales, a long river going up into England and Wales is the Severn 
River. I believe Thomas Derbon is identified with Severn, an early province of Maryland, 
alongside the Severn River which empties into Chesapeake Bay between Baltimore and Annapolis.  
Coincidence? I think not. I' m willing to wager that a little research will show that the Severn 
province was populated by Welsh and Bristol (Somerset and Gloucestershire) immigrants. Such a 
situation would give greater credence to a  'Sammuell'Durbin immigrating from the Bristol area 
to the Baltimore, Maryland area. Again it is pure speculation, but I believe much more intriguing 
than trying to tie our line to the Nevis Thomas..."(Added this date: About the time of the younger 
Samuel in Baltimore there was a William who is also unattached, a farmer, slaveowner. He lived to 
the east and north of Baltimore but close enough to be part of the Grand Durbin Clan of the 
Baltimore area. Is he the William along with Sammuell not mentioned in the 1726 will?)
(NOTE: Retyped into Word format on 29 Oct 1996 by William Durbin)
Addendum:  Nov 30, 1996
 {Even though there were multiple migrations of Durbins for whichwe have accounts, it would seem that 
most if not all came from the same root stock around Bristol. It would also seem that their personal 
conditions were probably pretty bad which, according to A. E. Smith, "Colonist in Bondage: White 
Servitude and Convict labor in America (1607-1776)", University of North Carolina Press, 1947, was 
a good inducement to emigrate to the colonies. That is another of the reasons why I part company 
with Kerry Bate and others who consider Thomas Durbin/NEVIS as the single origin of the Baltimore 
area Durbins. From what Lorraine and I read while in Bristol (1977), conditions in that area 
during the 17th Century were bad: living conditions, taxes, religious persecutioins, war, 
revolution, etc. The grass looked greener on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, and it certainly 
was if one were willing to work. The lucky ones could pay their own way over and didn\rquote t have 
to indenture themselves. Since indentureship was entered into as early as age 13 (or younger), 
Samuel could very well have come to the colonies at a very early age under just such a condition, 
worked it off, and then became a toll-road watchman around Owings Mill, MD, a significant 
distance from central Baltimore in those days. Of course he may have been able to pay his own 
way. Just speculation.}}