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| Misc. Notes | ||||||||||||||||||||
| In an introductory note on p 7 by the author, Samuel R Durand: "In April 1970 and again in June 1971, I visited La Rochelle, France, and searched through many volumes of the original handwritten records of the Huguenot Church. These records are in the city record office. In a volume entitled 'Registre des Baptemes fait au Temple de la Ville Neuve depuis l'Janvier 1660 jusqu'au 13 Juin 1666' on page 195, I found what appears to be a record of the baptism and birth of Dr. John Durand. It reads 'Le Dimanche 18 Janvier 1665 on ete Baptiser par Monsieru De Landcharacts, Jean, fils de Jean Durand et d'Anne Morand, - P. Gustave Gombauld, M: Francois Mater. Il es ne le 26 Decembre dernier.' No other record is to be found between the years 1650 and 1675 in the 'Registres de la Religion Pretendre Reformee de cette ville de La Rochelle' of any other baptism of a child by the name Jean Durand." _____________________________________________________________ Dr. John Durand, a French Huguenot, was Derby's first real physician, and was in practice from about 1685 until his death forty years later. He married in Stratford, Elizabeth daughter of Richard Bryan and grand daughter of Alexander Bryan the great Milford merchant and was a wealthy man as figured in the early colonial days. He came to Derby about 1685 (according to Hist. of Derby) his residence being near Edward Wooster's at Derby Village. He possessed considerable property, and his wife inherited quite an estate from her father and grandfather. After the death of Edward Wooster, he purchased his farm and was engaged in considerable litigation with the town over their efforts to build a bridge and highway through it, finally moving to "Brownie Castle" situated on Academy Hill. Dr. Durand served in the French and Indian Wars (Conn. Colonial Records, pp. 99, 1709.) "This assembly do nominate and appoint Dr. Jacob Read of Simsbury, Mr. Duran of Derby and Mr. Wheelar of Stratfield, to be chirurgeons and physitians to go with the army in the expedition against Canada." In "Flower Fables and Fancies" by N. Hudson Moore, it says, "There is a tradition that the lilac was first brought to America by Dr. John Durand, a Huguenot who came to America in 1690 (date incorrect) from La Rochelle, France. With others of his faith he settled first in New Rochelle, N. J. named after his beloved home in France. Afterwards he removed with his family to Derby, Conn. Even in that time of perilous and uncertain traveling, room was found for such small shrubs and plants as they had managed to bring." The Huguenots were famous gardeners and made the wilderness of this country veritably "blossom as the rose." An abstract of Dr. John Durand's will of Derby. (New Haven Probate Records, vol. 5, pp. 393.) "Sept. 4-1727. Elizabeth, widow and John Durand appointed administrators on his estate. Elizabeth appt'd guardian to Elizabeth, Abigail and Mary three minor children daughters of the dec'd, and Samuel Durand another minor child of dec'd, having his desire of Rev. Joseph Moss of Derby should be his guardian. John Durand of Derby is appnt'd guardian of Ebenezer Durand another son of dec'd. The inventory mentions "3 1/2 acres above the Long Lot. 1 cerurgeons knife, Physick and other Cirurgeons and barbers Instruments." "The family were John and Andrew (full age) Noah 20 1/2. Joseph 18. Samuel 15. Ebenezer 3. Abigail 12. Elizabeth 9. Mary 6," as given in the will. 573 _______________________________________________ On October 22, 1685, thinking that the Huguenots were as good as suppressed, Louis KIV revoked the Edict of Nantes. The revocation was the sentence of civil death to all Huguenots. It crushed more than half of the commercial and manufacturing industry of the kingdom. This was the last fatal blow to the Huguenots. Thousands took refuge in foreign countries, large numbers finding their way to America. Among this number was Dr. Jean or John Durand, his Uncle Noah Durand, and two cousins, George and Louis Durand. Their home was in La Rochelle, France, which is 296 miles by rail southwest of Paris. Its fortifications, which were constructed by Vauban, have a circuit of three and one half miles with seven gates. At the Reformation La Rochelle early became one of the chief centers of Calvinism, and during the religious wars, it armed privateers which preyed on Catholic vessels in the Channel and the high seas. Upon arriving in America, Dr. John left his uncle and cousins and went to South Carolina, remaining there, however, but one year. Returning to New York he went to New Rochelle where he remained for several months, and then came to Connecticut, first to East Haven where he applied himself diligently in acquiring a knowledge of the English language. It is said that the accent of the "Mother Tongue" remained throughout his life. Dr. John went to Milford, Conn. near 1696. The date of his marriage to Elizabeth (Bap. Nov 1685) daughter of Richard Bryan, I have not ascertained. On page 56, Derby Records, Alexander Bryan and Samuel Bryan are appointed administrators on the estate of Richard Bryan, deceased, said deed being executed May 24, 1693, showing that Richard Bryan was not living when Dr. John went to Milford, Conn. Conveyance of property to John Durand and Elizabeth, his wife, are recorded March 11, 1699, in which year they came to Derby to reside, and where their first child, John, was born, November 10, 1700. Some of the descendents are of the opinion that the three eldest children were not born in Derby, but were born in Milford. The records, however, show to the contrary. All their children were born in Derby, CT. His field of practice extended to Woodbury and to Wallingford. He was called and known as "The Little French Doctor." He regarded punctuality as the soul of business and never violated the most trivial engagement. In all his personal intercourse - in every relation of life - he exhibited n an eminent degree the qualities of the gentleman. It is told of him, that upon every call for his services, day or night, he was never know to refuse when it was in his power to comply - riding many hours in the cold and storms, knowing that it was doubtful if he received compensation. His kindness of heart would not allow him to refuse. On page 801, Derby history, Noah Durand, son of Dr. John Durand, is said to have been a physician in Derby. This is an error. The eldest son John was a physician, the only one of Dr. John's chldren. The Noah Durand referred to here, is the son of Noah, uncle to Dr. John, who came with him to America. In 1740 there were three Noah Durands who were living in the town of Derby, making it easy to account for the error. Much has been lost that would throw light upon Dr. John's habits, upon his ways of thinking, and upon his observations of things. The relentless paper mills that devoured so many papers and books, with records of untold value, during the war of 1861-65, has much to answer for as a history destroyer. The Bassett Paper Mill at Seymore, Conn. tore into shreds a book belonging to Dr. John Durand that I should have highly prized could I have secured it. It was the diary of Dr. John giving a description of the army and what they encountered in the expedition against Canada, 1707, which he accompanied. Mr. Sylvester Smith, one of the proprietors of the mill, informed Mr. Frederick Durand, my uncle, that he had rescued from a pile of refuse a very old and quaint diary book belonging to a Dr. John Durand which was written in the early part of 1700. That he had brought the book into his office, and that if Mr. Durand would call for the same, he might have the book. My uncle, not knowing at the time that the book belonged to his great-great-grandfather, and not being interested in antiquities, neglected to call for the same. Consequently the book is lost. In the early settlement of the country there were several families by the name of Durand, and their descendants are to be found in various sections of the United States. But I have simply confined myself to the one family, namely, Dr. John Durand and his descendants. Assiduously I have followed the traditions of the different branches of the family. Many were found that were erroneous, particularly the one "that there were two brothers of Dr. John who came with him to America." The two brothers - George and Louis - were cousins of Dr. John, sons of his uncle, Charles Durand. Dr. John was the only member of his father's family who came to America. Dr. John's father was Philip Durand who had two brothers, Noah and Charles. We have no record of Philip's family, but from tradition and reports, we assume to say there were Jean, or John, Joseph, and Maria. Jean (or John) waseducated as a physician in the schools of France. Dr. John maintained a correspondence with his La Rochelle relatives for many years, and letters belonging to him from them were to be found as late as the year 1861. The grave of Dr. John Durand is in the Colonial Cemetery at Derby, Conn., which cemetery is well taken care of by the Sarah Riggs Humphrey Chapter, D.A.R. The grave is marked by a rough blue stone, the inscription on the same being nearly obliterated. The name at the top, however, is quite plain "Dr. John Durand", while the rest of the inscription one was not able to decipher. There was no record as to the exact date of his death, although from the probate records his estate was inventoried in the early part of the year 1727. I secured permission to excavate about the stone, and if necessary I might remove the same to the granite stone yrd for recutting, I lifted the stone, and upon laying it down upon the ground where the rays of the sun shone directly upon the same, and by turning the stone in various angles, the inscription became very plain, so that a child could trace the lettering of the same. The stone contains a great deal of Mica and the stone cutter advised me not to try to recut the letters on account of the stone being liable to break and ruin the same. The inscription reads HERE LYES YE BODY OF DOCTOR JOHN DURAND DIED MARCH YE 29TH IN YE YEAR 1727 AGED 60 He was recognized as a man of marked ability, and the energy and nobility of character which he possessed was transmitted to each and every one of his children. Not that I would infer that they were distinguished by remarkable wit, brilliancy, or genius, but that they possessed in a high degree the more solid traits of character. There is little to be said of this family, which cannot with equal truth be said of most of the good and early families of New England. The sons of Dr. John devoted their lives to agriculture, with the exception of John, the eldest son, who was a physician, while the family have produced clergyment, professors, artists, lawyers, merchants and manufacturers. I have not the record of the deaths of the daughters of Dr. John's family, but the sons attained an age greater than that of their father. Ebenezer, the youngest son, died at the age of 85. John, the eldest son, was 73. Samuel died at the age of 74, Joseph was 83 years of age. Noah died in his 85th year, Andrew lived to be 89 years of age. NOTE: The above is copied from the manuscript of Frederick Durand Beach, which is in the possession of Dr. William Frederick Durand, of Stanford University, California. http://members.tripod.com/~durand_e/huguenot.html | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Last Modified 17 May 2001 | Created 26 Jun 2001 by Reunion for Macintosh |