Bill Durbin, another researcher of the Durbin line, has donated some of his work for the site. Thank You, Bill! WDurbin217@aol.com
It is to my regret that Mr. Durbin passed away. He was a great man.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary Loher" (mloher@home.com)
To: (DURBIN-L@rootsweb.com)
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2001 10:04 AM
Subject: [DURBIN] MR. WILLIAM (BILL) DURBIN - A TRIBUTE
Dear Cousins,
It is with a very heavy heart that I share with you the news that our treasured cousin,
Mr. illiam (Bill) Durbin has left this earth to reside with our Lord. There are many
researchers on this list who have worked with Bill and benefited from his knowledge,
wisdom and wit throughout the years. In my humble eyes, Bill Durbin was the patriarch
of our vast Durbin family research group and his absence will leave a remarkable
void for many years to come.
One of the reasons I started the Rootsweb DURBIN list was based on a discussion Bill
and I had many years ago. He felt that technology had provided a great tool (the
Internet) that could be used to bring our Durbin cousins and researchers together
to share and teach, to question and celebrate and to ensure that the longevity of all
our research efforts continues for many generations to come.
As I think back over the many long distance snail mail/emails Bill and I have
shared over the years, there was always a very focused concern that we both shared.
It seems appropriate to reiterate that concern in this tribute to Bill
"Information is interesting but until it is proven it is not fact!" Since I have
saved every communication received from Bill over the last fifteen plus years, I bet
I've seen that statement in one form or another literally hundreds of times. It bears
repeating and to that end, I have added this statement as a tagline for our Durbin
list. I pray it serves in some small way as a reminder for us all regarding our research
and a tribute to man who mentored and guided so many of us.
Last year I contacted Bill and asked for his help with the final editing of
the book, "A Durbin Heritage", written by Ross Durbin. We were both concerned that
we had limited time to complete our efforts so that Ross could see his book published
and copyrighted before he left this earth. Because of Bill's help and assistance
we were able to accomplish our mission.
Shortly after Ross died, I asked Bill when he would publish his works in a comprehensive
Durbin publication and offered to help him as I had Ross. Bill expressed concern
over his health and asked for ideas to ensure his work continued, that the information
he had gathered was preserved and added to in the future. I sincerely hope that one
day we see the culmination of Bill's work published. Perhaps one of Bill's children
will accept the challenge and preserve his work for all of our descendants to come.
I would ask a favor of those cousins who worked with Bill over the years. Would you
please email me (at mloher@home.com) with a tribute or words that you'd like
passed on to his wife and children? I'll compile our collective thoughts and forward
them to his immediate family.
In closing, I'll repeat a phrase that I shared with you one month ago in a tribute
to Ross Durbin. It seems to aptly sum up my feelings for my precious cousin, Bill
Durbin. He was my cousin, genealogy mentor & guide - and a very dear friend. He will
live on in our hearts and our work forever!
With love and sympathy,
Cousin Mary
Mary Ferguson Loher
mloher@home.com
DURBIN, Logsdon, Burtle and Gatton Listowner
**************
Following is the announcement received from Bill's son, Ken:
Subject: Announcement of Passing
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 15:59:07 EST
In today's information age, we felt this would be the best way to communicate to
Bill's email community the following unfortunate news. Bill Durbin's Wife and Family
regret to inform you that Bill Durbin died this morning of a heart attack. Although
sudden, he died at home and without suffering. Here are the details as we know them
at this time.
VIEWING:
Sunday, February 11th
2:00-4:00PM and 7:00-9:00PM EST
Collins Funeral Home
500 University Blvd. West
Silver Spring, MD 20901
MASS & FUNERAL:
Monday, February 12th
9:30AM EST
Holy Redeemer Catholic Church
9705 Summit Ave.
Kensington, MD 20895
MEMORIUM:
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you contribute to one of the two
favored charity organizations that meant so much to Bill:
Lithuanian Mercy Lift
14911 - 127th Street
Lemont, Illinois 60439
American Heart Association
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, Texas 75231-4596
http://www.americanheart.org/Support/Making_Contributions/yearend.html
For additional information or to send comments, please email Bill's son, Ken, at
the following:
kdurb1@aol.com
We love and will miss him (Dad, Bill, UNOHOO).
- The Durbin Family
==== DURBIN Mailing List ====
Please do not include attachments to your list queries.
Contact those interested privately and transmit your
attachment at that time.
==============================
Migrations
1 Sept 1997
MEMO FOR FILE
By: William P. Durbin, Kensington, Maryland
Subject: Durbins to America and Some Implications
In going through some of the emigrant files I have accumulated, particularly
“The Complete Book of Emigrants (1607-1776)” and “The Complete Book of Emigrants
in Bondage (1614-1775)” I encountered Durbin/Durban names listed below.The word(s)
in the title(s), viz. complete, standing alone, is (are) disingenuous. It is
“complete” only insofar as newly-found records in England have been analyzed and
the names listed herein. Prior to the maintenance of such records, thousands of emigrants
were shipped to America against their will and without any semblance of due process.
In other words they probably were kidnapped. The practice became so bad that the
English authorities required that records be kept of all persons going to the colonies
after the mid-1600s. A great number of children, principally orphans and vagrants,
were transported to relieve the local authorities of their responsibility. Few records
were kept of the children.
The fact that I could find no Logsdons listed and no Honor O’Flynn attests to
the incompleteness of the references.It is hoped that more records will be found
along with a sponsor to publish their contents.
*****
DURBIN/DURBAN
10 Feb 1662
Apprenticed in Bristol: John Harvey to Thomas
Durban. 4 years Barbados17 Mar 1662
Apprenticed in Bristol: Thomas Durbin to Thomas
Covey. 4 years Nevis
16 Aug 1670
Apprenticed in Bristol: William Durbin to Alice
Field, 4 years Nevis by Nevis Adventure
18 Jan 1678
Apprenticed in Bristol: John Durban to John
Collins. 5 years Barbados
18 Dec 1693
Chancery suit of Basilia Durban of St. Clement
Danes, Middlesex, relict and executrix of
Anthony Durbin. (Note: probably included
because records of certain individuals who
were in the colonies were needed to attest if
they were heirs.)
19 Dec 1712 - 3 Jan 1713
Shippers by the Rappahanock Merchant,
Mr. John Derricott bound from Bristol for
Virginia: Thomas Durbin, Edward Hackett,
Edward Peters, Daniel Pill. (PRO: E190/1171/1;
1173/1)25 Feb 1714 - 5 Mar 1714
Shippers by the Rappahanock Merchant,
Mr. John Derricott, bound from Bristol for
Virginia: Henry George, Jeremy Innys for
Thomas Clayburn, John Collier, Thomas Durbin,
Caple Hanbury, John Jelfe, Paul Hill. (PRO:
E190/1175/1)13 Mar 1728 - 11 Apr 1725
Shippers by the Patience Pink, Mr.
Jonathan Rouse, bound from Bristol to Boston:
…… John Durbin (and eight others)(PRO
E190/1201/3)
25 May 1764 - 6 June 1764
Shippers by the Nancy, Mr. Henry
Keene, bound from Bristol to Maryland: Samuel
Spann, Allen Vaughan & Crofts, David
Campbell, John Herbert, John Durbin. (PRO
E190/1225/5)
TRANSPORTED:
March 1748
Hannah Durbin (aka Mary Fifoot/Tifoot) out of
Gloucester
March 1763
Joseph Durbin, Neptune, London(Added 5 Sept 1997)
From Virden
17 Oct 1978:
Transported
Thomas Daborne transferred to MD 1669
Margaret Doubin transferred to MD 1678
Ref: R. Horgreoues-Momdaly “Bristol and America - 1654/1685” 10,000 indentured servants
Bristol to VA, MD, and New England.“Emigrant from Liverpool to VA, MD, PA, New England
1697 - 1707”
*****
NOTES:
1. With these known Durbins coming to the colonies (along with who knows how many
unrecorded Durbins), the question arises: What happened to them? Little doubt that
some did not survive. Little doubt that few, if any, returned to England. The odds
are that some served their time and married. Those in Barbados probably came to America
and could very well have been responsible for Durbins of other than a Maryland origin.
2. Assuming Durbin and Durban to be the same family, note that in 1662 a Thomas
Durbin was indentured and another was indenturing, respectively, in Barbados.
Interesting!
3. The 1670 William indentured to Alice Field. Could he have been the William who
later had a tobacco farm in Harford County, Maryland? How related to the Thomas Durbins?
What happened to him? Family? Descendants? (Or could the William of Harford County
be the William of Bristol in 1696 who along with a Samuel was not listed with the
family some 25 years later and possibly emigrated?)
4. What happened to the Virginia-bound Durbins? William Logsdon was bound for Virginia,
served his indentureship but ended up in the Baltimore area. Or did Thomas Durbin
just book passage to Virginia and start his own line of Durbins? Which ones are in
evidence today?
5. The “Thomas Derbon” of Baltimore. Becomes more of an enigma. Which Thomas was
he? Perhaps there was more than one Thomas out of Barbados in the Baltimore area.
Is it probable, as some believe, that two or more branches of Durbin were in Baltimore
in the early 18th century? That not all Durbins descended from a single Thomas?
6. How probable is it that Samuel of Samuel/Ann, whose parentage is anything but
certain, was descended from William of Harford County? Only rationalization and
circumstantial
statistics tie Samuel into the “Thomas Derbon branch”, nothing approaching hard proof.
Could have been descended from a totally different Durbin, perhaps out of one of
the early emigrants from Bristol? Or immigrated to Maryland on his own?
7. Would seem that there was a potential for many, many Durbins to be along the
Eastern Seaboard in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, an era for which we researchers
have not been able to come across much hard evidence of the name. All of us should
be careful when we list parentage of Samuel and other Durbins in the Maryland area,
should annotate in some fashion the uncertainty of their origins except, of course,
for those where documentation exists.
8. Another difficulty is in the commonality of given names: John, Thomas, James,
David, Daniel, Samuel, William, Christopher et. al. Must be careful before ascribing
relationships based solely on the name of a person who is apparently in the right
place at the right time. With so many names it is easy to see how an individual can
“fit” into a frustrating blank spot. If such a fit is made, then it should be so
annotated, i.e. possible fit, convenient fit, place-holder, circumstantial fit, no
hard evidence, or even “just seems right”, but annotated nonetheless.
9. Perhaps some of the “Durbins of unknown origin” listed in William Jesse’s book,
or suggested by Jim Virden and others, could be descendants of one of the multiple
emigrations out of Bristol. Ditto for some of the southern Durbins? (although the
origins of several of them are fairly well documented or accepted.)
A NARRATIVE
“Not to know what happened before we were born is to remain perpetually a child.
For what is the worth of a human life unless it is woven into the life of our ancestors
by the records of history?” (Cicero)THE DURBIN FAMILY1 (A Narrative)(August 28, 1997).
It was not until my family and I had moved to Maryland from Illinois in 1973
that we discovered how deep were the Durbin roots in Maryland. Our oldest son was
about to be married and one of his brothers wanted to make a simple family tree to
give him as a gift.
We contacted our cousin in St. Louis, Robert Ross Durbin, who had been researching
the family for many years and he gave us enough data to get a good start. We developed
not only the family tree, which now hangs over our son’s fireplace in Arlington Heights,
Illinois, but we also developed a genuine curiosity about the history of the Durbin
Family and wanted to learn more.
We then began our own low-keyed search for “roots” and have perused many records
in the District of Columbia, Annapolis, and around Maryland, including some local
Mormon Church files. We also were rewarded with information on the Durbins from
“cousins” in Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Texas, California, Virginia and
other states.
When we were in England to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in 1977, Lorraine
and I visited various public record repositories in Bristol. We also spent time at
similar record offices in London as well as the Royal Genealogical Society where
we found a veritable treasure trove of information on the Durbin name.
From what we found we are very confident that the Durbins as well as the Logsdons
came from Somersetshire and Gloucestershire in the vicinity of Bristol, Bath, Cheddar,
and Wells. (Nearly sixty Durbin families were listed in the Bristol City Telephone
Directory.) In fact, we found such a large number of references to the Durbins that
we are confident that the Samuel Durbin ancestral line was centered around St. Thomas’
Church in Bristol. (Of course, we have no proof—key records that would have identified
Samuel and the early Durbins were destroyed in an accidental fire in Annapolis in
the early 1700s. But there are some intriguing inferences in wills and census records
of Bristol at the turn of the 17th century.) Here in the United States we found various
Durbin Family researchers who list Samuel (m. Ann Logsdon, July 4 1723), as a son
of Thomas (Durbin) (Derbon), who came to the New World on the ship Nevis, settling
in the Barbados for a while to make his fortune and then emigrating to Baltimore
where he apparently founded an early branch of the Durbins. He was born in 1651 according
to Kerry Bate. The connection between Thomas and Samuel is pure speculation.
No record has been found which supports such a supposition. Those who maintain
that Thomas was a grandfather or father to Samuel seem to be merely matching dates
to fill in blanks.
Moreover, I believe any claim which attempts to connect the earliest American
Durbin (Thomas) with a specific Durbin family in England prior to the late 1600s
is also pure speculation; unfortunately it is rarely so described by the claimant.
That fire in Annapolis in the early 1700s destroyed all records which we who are
tracing our family origins in this part of the country consider indispensable to
good research. In the absence of such records some writers attempt to ationalize
names/families/dates for convenience sake much to the disservice of us relative
amateurs.
An implied conclusion by those who attempt to relate all Durbins of the 1700s
to a single immigrant, such as Thomas of Nevis/Barbados/Baltimore, is that no other
Durbin immigrated to Maryland for practically that entire century. Given the conditions
in Bristol at that time, such a conclusion begs supporting data.We noted in the records
that emigration to the colonies was common-place due to the poverty and poor living
conditions in Bristol. Also, because of inheritance laws involving primogeniture,
many industrious sons not likely to come into an inheritance also emigrated to start
a new life. Thus the assumption that one Durbin, viz. Thomas, started the entire
early Durbin line in America is poorly founded.Some very interesting scenarios –each
highly speculative–have been developed in an attempt to show a father/son relationship.
That Thomas was closely related to the branch of the Baltimore Durbins who were probably
Anglican, apparently educated and well-to-do, (and some of whom may have backed the
wrong side in the Revolutionary War) can be readily accepted. But arguments putting
Samuel with that group can be aintained only with great difficulty and rationalization.
One of our findings in Bristol showed “a”, not necessarily “our”, Samuel leaving
the area perhaps for the Americas with a William Durbin. [See excerpt from letter
to Jim Virden, below] Shortly thereafter one encounters our Samuel and a William
in Baltimore, the latter a tobacco grower with numerous slaves.
I have found no record of Samuel ever being a slave-owner unlike most of the
well-to-do Baltimore Durbins. I think that bears some reflection when associating
Samuel with the other Baltimore Durbins.I am satisfied from our research that there
were at least two Durbin lines in Baltimore at that time. (A case can be made for
three: Thomas, Samuel, and William in Harford County.) They were probably related
somehow back in Bristol, England (probably somewhere in the environs of St. Thomas’
Church) where Durbins abounded. There is much basis for finding distinctions between
the two/three lines in the early 1700s, some anecdotal, some ration-alized, and some
speculative. To this end I herein quote from a letter I sent to the late Jim Virden
on 7 November 1977 giving a brief description of our family history search while
visiting 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, obviously. But what stuck in our minds is the tradition
that I heard many times as a child and have since encountered with various correspondents
that “two brothers came from Wales” and started the Durbins in America.
Also, we know nothing of the birth of Samuel in this country, and trying to tie
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 it is much more intriguing than trying to tie our line to the Nevis homas...”
“(Added to the excerpt on Jan 5, 1994) About the time of the younger Samuel in Baltimore
there was a William who is also unattached, a farmer, slave owner. 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?)” “(Addendum: Nov 30, 1996) Even though there were multiple migrations
of Durbins for which we 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 persecutions, 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’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 and worked it off. Of course he may have been able
to pay his own way. Just speculation.)
”I believe that this excerpt of my letter to Jim Virden makes a reasonable case
for not assuming that Samuel is the son of Thomas/NEVIS/Barbados/Baltimore. The best
we can do is recognize that there were several families of Durbins in Maryland in
the early 18th century, and without documentation to the contrary they should remain
unattached and independent.
Most Durbin Family researchers are well aware of the link between the Durbins
and the Logsdons. In fact, the word “link” is inadequate to describe the extensive
intermarriage between the two families. I think the story that Honor O’Flynn was
kidnapped on the shore of Ireland and taken to America in 1674 on the same ship as
William Logsdon—an indentured servant—where they fell in love and were married, is
a great story, accurate or not. Also the corollary legend that she came into Baltimore
or Annapolis on a ship-load of women, some voluntary and some kidnapped, and accepted
William Logsdon for her husband is equally credible. I wouldn’t change or challenge
either legend in the least. William and Honor raised Ann who married Samuel and started
our family line. (It is generally accepted that Honor began the Catholic tradition
in the Logsdon and Durbin lines.) The young Samuel was a toll-road watchman near
Owings Mill, a few miles west of Baltimore. William Logsdon, the former indentured
servant turned successful tobacco grower, lived nearby with his obviously most attractive
daughter Ann. She converted Samuel to Catholicism – his early religious affiliation
is uncertain—which is confused by the fact that they were married in the Anglican
Church in Baltimore on July 4, 1723. By so doing they conformed to the civil law
of that time. Their union probably received the blessing of the Catholic Church from
a priest-in-hiding around Westminister, MD. Freedom of religion in Maryland had long
been suppressed at that time. Samuel and Ann had 13 children, one of whom was Christopher
born 13 July 1741 in Maryland. (The wills of Ann and Samuel, of which we have copies
acquired from the Hall of Records in Annapolis, provide great information on their
immediate family.) Immediately following the American Revolution most of the Maryland
area Durbins descended from Thomas/Nevis/Barbados and Samuel/Ann, respectively, dispersed
to points west and southwest: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, (now)
West Virginia, et. al. (Legend has it that a Durbin/Logsdon was with Daniel Boone
when he explored Kentucky. That means that Dan’l must have had an exploring party
in the thousands to account for all who make such a claim.) It is amazing that the
identity of whom Christopher married is uncertain. Only recently has a general consensus
been noted by this writer that her name was Margaret Brown Parkinson. (However, I
am unaware of documentation to that effect.) There had been speculation that she
was from southern Pennsylvania, possibly Greene County, but that was not verified
to the best of my knowledge. Christopher fathered at least 12 children, six sons
and six daughters; oddly enough the records on the latter have yet to be found. (Some
contend there was a second marriage and more children.) Two of the sons were
John J. (Uncle Blind Johnny) Durbin (from whom I am descended) born in 1769 and Joseph
Durbin born in 1771. They emigrated to Kentucky where some settled around Sunfish,
Edmonson County (John’s family) and the family of Joseph eventually went north to
what is now Sangamon and Christian and other counties in Illinois. After the Revolutionary
War several of Samuel’s children migrated through western Maryland, West Virginia,
southern Pennsylvania and into Ohio. Others remained in the Baltimore/ Westminster
area. Among them were William, Thomas and Benjamin. The latter two are buried in
the Westminster Catholic Cemetery, together with their families and a Logsdon or
two, directly behind the Public Library. I have pictures of their grave sites. William’s
family became solid citizens of Westminster, his children and grandchildren making
their marks in the Methodist Church, in the city government, and in the raising of
civic and private buildings. More about William’s family below. Until very recently
I was unaware of the association of any of the Samuel Durbin descendants with slavery.
In his outstanding history, “Sunfish Edmonson County Kentucky, Oasis of Catholicism”,
James H. Simon gives the following account of John J. Durbin: “John J. Durbin was
a slave owner. He was also blind in his later years. If he wanted to punish one of
his slaves, he would direct the slave be bound to a tree or stake and whipped by
one of the other slaves. Instead of whipping the slave, the other slave would merely
whip a nearby tree, and the slave to be punished would cry out as if he were in reality
being punished. Apparently John J. never knew he was being duped. There is no grave
marker in St. John Cemetery for John J. Durbin, and I have been told that he requested
that he be buried outside the Catholic cemetery with his slaves rather than inside
with his wives.……. (His son) John J. Durbin, Jr. was called “Captain”. John was
Captain in the State Militia, and the primary duty of the militia in his day was
to capture runaway slaves…….William Richard, son of John J. Durbin and Patience Logsdon,
…..was a store keeper, and a magistrate for the community of Sunfish. His sympathies
were with the Confederacy during the Civil War, due to the fact that his father was
a slave owner, I’m sure. Toward the end of the War, a group of Federal troops came
through Sunfish and stopped at Richard’s store asking for supplies. Richard refused
to sell or give the needed supplies, so the soldiers took what they wanted and destroyed
the rest.
Richard never recovered from his loss. ”John J. had a son, Robert A, (my great,
great grandfather), born 1813 in Kentucky and died in Newton, Illinois on January
2, 1892. He was married four times, left his fourth wife, was reported by her in
1870 to the census-takers as dead, but later found to have been quite alive in Clinton
County buying up land for taxes, and being taken care of in his elder years by members
of the Rittmann family to whom he left most of his material possessions. He cut off
all his children with one dollar apiece and most of the remaining cash disbursed
to various priests to say Masses for the repose of his soul. (This information was
discovered by my cousin, Robert Ross Durbin of St. Louis, MO, after years of diligent
research.) Robert A. and his first wife, Elizabeth Ann Hill (1817 - ) had nine children,
among them a son, Pius Anselm Durbin, born 30 Sept 1847 in Kentucky, died 9 Sep 1909
in Dahlgren, Illinois. Pius Anselm was first married to Elizabeth Ellen Burtle of
Sangamon County, Illinois (1848 - 1879) who bore him six children. They moved to
Kansas and took up farming. When she died in Kansas, Pius returned to Illinois and
married her sister, Teresa (1858 - 1938) and returned to Kansas. Teresa eventually
bore him seven children, the first of whom was my grandfather, William Oscar (Jan
26, 1881 - Jan 4, 1950), born in Dickenson County, Kansas. The family eventually
moved to Dahlgren, Illinois about 1884. William Oscar married Margaret Gaul of Monmouth,
Illinois (June 21, 1883 - Nov 25, 1961). My father, William Pius, was born in 1906
in Dahlgren and married Ann Kutkin (1909 - 1997 ), who immigrated from Lithuania
in 1911. Dad died in 1958. I was born in East St. Louis, Illinois in 1929. I am at
least the third “Pius” in my line of Durbins, joining a throng with the name
Pius throughout the Durbin clan. Apparently I was given the name in honor of my great
grandfather, Pius Anselm. I have ten children, nine sons (none a Pius), and fourteen
grandchildren, eleven grandsons and four granddaughters. My branch of the Durbin
line should be around for a while. My two brothers, Bob, who resides in Long Beach,
California and Dick, the United States Senator from Illinois, also assure through
their children the continuation of the “Dahlgren Durbin” line.
