932. Thomas DURFEE
(742) was born in 1643 in England. LDS
Family Search Ancestral File indicates that he was born Oct 1643 in Portsmouth,
RI, where he was also chistened. (AFN: 9M2P-N5 & film # 1760781) Bonnie
Hubbard's material indicates that he was born in England in 1643. He died on
14 Jul 1712 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., RI. He was buried in Portsmouth, Newport
Co., RI. (LDS Family Search Ancestral File, AFN: 9M2P-N5) IMMIGRANT - "The
Durfee article in Boyer, p. 183, says that there were no Durfees in England before
1628 nor after 1723 and that they were probably French Huguenot. The first in
America was Thomas, born in England in 1643. Family tradition (Reed) says he
came to Portsmouth in 1660 and 'The recorded evidence of his appearing at the
session of the Colonial General Assembly of Rhode Island, in October 1664, carries
unmistakable proof of his presence in the Colony many months previous to that
session.' The family wasn't admitting it even as late as 1902 but Boyer describes
the proof: 'In 1664 the 'insoelent carriadge of Thomas Durfee with the sayd [Peter]
Tallmans wife' was brought to the attention of the Rhode Island General Assembly
{RCRI, 2:85], and on 3 May 1665 Peter Tallman was given a divorce from his wife
as she admitted she had had a child 'begotten by another man' [RCRI, 2:123].'
Thomas probably came as a redemptioner. Such a person was one who couldn't
pay his passage and was sold at auction for the lowest term of years for which
anyone would take him. Thomas was admitted a freeman of Portsmouth in 1673 and
served on a petit jury in 1677. He was elected Constable for one year terms
in 1687 and 1690. He was chosen one of the Overseers of the Poor in 1691 and
made a Deputy that same year and again in 1694. He was elected to the town council
in 1692 and again in 1694. It appears that the townspeople had forgiven if not
forgotten his sin. I wonder what Peter Tallman was like -- in 1683 he had moved
to Guilford, near New Haven, Connecticut, and sold eight acres of Portsmouth
land to Thomas Durfee for £12. In 1679 licences were granted to Thomas
and several others to 'sell vituals and drink to travelers, and to afford them
Entertainment as may be needful and convenient; they first giving bond according
to law for the keeping of good order and to also pay into the treasury ten shillings
for each license.' By 1698 he had married Deliverance (Hall) Tripp, a widow,
and they were given permission to run a ferry between Rhode Island and Bristol
until her son came of age seven years later. ... Boyer says that Ann Hill Tallman
was probably Thomas's first wife and it seems likely because the only daughter
born before his second marriage was named Ann. ... When Thomas died his will,
proved 14 July 1712, gave five shillings apiece to his sons noting that he had
already settled property on them. To his wife Deliverance and the two younger
daughters he gave the rest of his estate, including 'a negro called Jock.'"
(Bonnie Hubbard)
He was married to Anne HILL in 1664 in Portsmouth, Newport Co., RI.
933. Anne HILL
(743) was born 1645 ?. LDS Family Search Ancestral File, AFN: B683-00
indicates that she was born in Portsmouth, RI, in 1645. This might not be compatible
with Bonnie Hubbard's data that indicated that her family was living in Barbados
when she met her first husband. IMMIGRANT - Anne, daughter of Philip and Anne
Hill of Barbados, was first married to Peter Tallman, Peter being born in Hamburg,
Germany, and who later emigrated to Barbados and then RI. Anne most likely came
to RI with Peter shortly after their marriage. Bonnie Hubbard quotes Boyer as
follows: "...in 1664 the [Rhode Island] General Assembly took notice of
the `insoelent carriadge of Thomas Durfee with the sayd [Peter] Tallmans wife,'
and on 3 May 1665 he [Peter] was given a divorce from her on charges of adultery
as she admitted she had had a child `begotten by another man,' and she was sentenced
to be `whipt at Portsmouth, receiving fifteene stripes; and after a week respite,
to be whipt at Newport,' and to pay a fine of £10. The sentence was to
have been carried out on 22 and 29 May 1665, but she escaped and was not again
in custody until 1667, when she was captured by Anthony Emery, constable for
Portsmouth, on her return to Rhode Island. On 1 May 1667 the Assembly remitted
the fifteen lashes at Newport upon the discretion of the Governor and Council."
An LDS Family Search Ancestral File indicates that Anne and Thomas had at least
5 more children in addition to William, they being Robert, Ann, Richard, Benjamin
and Thomas. Children were:
466 i.
William DURFEE.