Duryee Ancestry

Sarah Amelia DURYEE

Born: 12 Sep 1845 Florida (now Jefferson) Twp., Hillsdale Co., MI Died: 29 Jul 1933 Rancho Los Amigos, Los Angeles Co., CA Father: George W. DURYEE Mother: Julia HOWELL Married first: 7 Feb 1864 Osseo, Hillsdale Co., MI to Charles CARPENTER Children: Susan CARPENTER, and *Frederick William GRUNDY (né CARPENTER).      When Charles CARPENTER died in 1868, Sarah Amelia DURYEE gave up the two children. Susan was raised by her maternal grandmother, while Fred was adopted by the Rev. & Mrs. Thomas C. GRUNDY. Married second: Jun 1910 Los Angeles Co., CA to James Jacob STUBBLEFIELD.

George W. DURYEE

Born: 22 Jan 1820 Cayuga Co., NY
Died: 3 May 1865 Nashville, Davidson Co., TN
Father: William DURYEE Sr.
Mother: Sarah GROOT

Married: 17 Aug 1842 Florida, Hillsdale Co., MI to Julia HOWELL

Children: James H. DURYEE, *Sarah Amelia DURYEE. Byron William DURYEE, Susan M. DURYEE, George H. DURYEE, and Adoniram Judson DURYEE.

     George W. Duryee's parents removed to Michigan in 1835 to settle on land provided to William by the government for his service in the War of 1812. George remained in New York until 1837 when he came to Florida, Hillsdale Co., MI. Here he joined his father's family, helping with the farming and clearing of the land, until 17 Aug 1842 when he married Julia Howell.

     In the summer of 1851, George W. Duryee, in company with three of his brothers and a nephew, traveled to California in search of gold. They made the overland trip by horse and ox team via the Santa Fe Trail, traveling across the plains and deserts and occupying four months in the journey. They had many adventures of thrilling interest, encounters with Indians and wild beasts, but escaped without more serious mishap than the loss of some of their stock. They mined for two and a half years in El Dorado Co., probably in the area of Uniontown, near Placerville. His efforts proving futile, George and his brother, William H. Duryee, returned to Michigan in Nov 1853, making the trip by the ocean route, crossing the Isthmus of Panama. One brother, Cornelius Groot Duryee, remained in California, married there and raised a family, one of his sons later removing to San Francisco.

     After his return to Hillsdale Co., George Duryee bought 80 acres of his father¹s homestead, the same being kept in the family until 1914. On 9 Feb 1864 George Duryee, along with his sons, James and William B., enlisted in Company A, 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry to serve a term of 3 years.

     A letter contained in George Duryee¹s pension file from one of his commanding officers, R.R. Newkirk, dated at Adrian MI on 10 Oct 1866 states: "...he was under my command from the time he left this place until he died or went to the hospital. His disease came on him while in the service and what finished him he was compelled to march while on our march from Knoxville to Jonesboro he gave out and was sent to Hospital at Bulls Gap, Tennessee and was sent from there to Nashville where he died on the 3rd of May 1865. I tried hard to get him in to the ambulance while on the march but the officer in charge of the ambulance train bluffed him off and made him walk so by the time he got to Bulls Gap he could not stand up. He was a faithful and good man and always done all he was able to. The widow should have something and any further information I can give I will do freely."

     The official records of the unit state that George W. Duryee died on 5 May 1865 in USA General Hospital No 1, Nashville TN of cerebro-spinal meningitis. He was buried in the National Cemetery at Nashville. His widow received a pension for his service until her death on 6 Mar 1899.

CIVIL WAR BIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE W. DURYEE

William DURYEE Sr.

Born: 27 Dec 1784 Schenectady, Albany (now Schenectady) Co., NY
Died: 29 May 1872 Osseo, Hillsdale Co., MI
Father: Frederick DURYEE Sr.
Mother: Geertje "Charity" SUTPHEN

Married: 1805 Schenectady, Albany (now Schenectady) Co., NY to Sarah GROOT

Children: Eliza DURYEE, Rev. Isaac Groot DURYEE, Frederick DURYEE, John M. DURYEE, *George W. DURYEE, Simon DURYEE, William Henry DURYEE, and Cornelius Groot DURYEE.

     In 1835, William Duryee Sr. and his family emigrated by ox teams and wagons from Montgomery Co., NY, crossing over the Detroit River by boat and thence through thick forest to Hillsdale Co., MI where on 23 May 1835 he took up 120 acres in the northwest quarter of section 3 at a place called Florida. This was originally a part of Moscow Twp. in 1835 and of Adams Twp. in 1836. In 1837 the name was changed again to Florida Twp., which it remained until 1849 when it was changed finally to Jefferson Twp. On 26 Dec 1835, William Duryee Sr. took pieces of land, one for 51 acres & one for 84/100 acres, both being in section 3.

     William Duryee Sr. built a large log house from whitewood trees, being the first log house in the township. The family worked faithfully at clearing the land while Mr. Duryee worked at his trade, making boots & shoes.

Military: War of 1812.

Frederick DURYEE Sr.

Born: 8 Apr 1755 Somerset Co., NJ
Died: 15 Sep 1832 Castile, Wyoming Co., NY
Father: Joost "George" DURYEE
Mother: Maritie VAN LIEW

Married: about 1774 Somerset Co., NJ to Geertje "Charity" SUTPHEN

Children: Joris "George" DURYEE, Elizabeth DURYEE, James DURYEE, *William DURYEE Sr., Frederick DURYEE Jr., Abram DURYEE, and Maria "Polly" DURYEE.

     Frederick DURYEE Sr. served as a Private from Middlesex Co., NJ during the American Revolution. He and his family later removed to New York City, Schenectady, Florida [in Orange Co., NY ?], & then to Cayuga Co., NY. He spent his last days with his sons James and George.

Joost "George" DURYEE

Born: about 1729 Bushwick, Kings Co., NY
Died: 2 Oct 1794 Montgomery Twp., Somerset Co., NJ
Father: (see explanation below)
Mother: (see explanation below)

Married first: 7 Jun 1750 Somerset Co., NJ to Maritie VAN LIEW

Children by Maritie VAN LIEW: Magdalena DURYEE, Ante DURYEE, *Frederick DURYEE Sr., Simon DURYEE, and Dinah DURYEE.

Married second: to Magdalena BAIRD

Children by Magdalena BAIRD: Maria "Mary" DURYEE, Wilhelmus "William" DURYEE, Ante "Anne" DURYEE, and Yoris DURYEE.

     In deference to a work in progess by Richard A. McCool of Columbus, OH, information concerning the antecedents on this line will not be displayed here. For further information please contact Mr. McCool directly: E-mail Richard A. McCool