Samuel Durbin Origin

Author:  William P. Durbin
         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, 1996Even 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 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’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. 

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