John DURAND

  General Notes:

Event: Military Military abt. 1775 Essex Co., NJ (?)
spelled Duren (Elijah,John & Briant) 583

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI)
about John Duren Name: John Duren
Birth Date: 1750
Birthplace: New Jersey,
Volume: 47
Page Number: 165
Biographical Info: priv.
Reference: Official reg. Of officers and men of NJ. In the Rev. War. Ed. By Will. S. Stryker. Trenton, NJ. 1872. (878p.):583


Durand, John 42801480
b. unknown d. Jun. 25, 1813 First Presbyterian Church...
Springfield
Union County
New Jersey, USA

John, son of Samuel Durand, was born at New York City, October 16. 1745: died at South Orange, New Jersey, June 25. 1813. He immigrated with his parents to New Jersey, living first at Newark and later going to Jefferson Village, now Maplewood, South Orange, about 1756. His early days were spent at the cooper's trade, but he was an expert mechanic and could make any mechanical device. In those days people helped themselves as well as their neighbors, and an inventive capacity became a great service to the community. He was not merely an adept in mechanics but was skilled more especially in the more delicate branches. Besides being able to make and mend every sort of farm implement, he was skilled in the manufacture of jewelry and silverware, such as spoons, earrings, etc.. and an excellent repairer of watches, clocks, etc. In addition to these valuable and useful achievements he acted as moral counsellor to his neighbors. Temperate in opinion, cool in judgment, and inflexibly honest, they could confidently consult him in all their difficulties. While a plain country farmer and a skilled artisan, he was not indifferent to literature, judging by his books, for he was a subscriber to "Gordon's History of the United States,'' and he also possessed the large folio "Browns Bible," an important publication of the period. His shop, which was on the farm, handy to the traveled road, was the resort of prominent well-to-do men of the vicinity, where they discussed political and social questions, serving as an intellectual exchange, suiting the simple, primitive habits of those colonial days. At the breaking out of the revolution he enlisted in the continental army, with his brothers, Elijah and Bryant, but the authorities, discovering his skill in mechanics, sent him back to make bayonets, the troops being badly deficient in arms. The family possess one of his bayonets stained with blood of British grenadiers. When General Washington had his headquarters at Morristown, he expressed his great regret, to a group of friends, that he had broken or otherwise injured one of the lenses of his field-glass. As it could not be repaired, he believed, without sending it to Philadelphia, he would be deprived of its use for many days. One of the company said that he knew of an ingenious artisan at the foot of Short Hills, which was not an hour's ride from Morristown, who he thought could repair it, and he offered to go and see for the general. The general gladly accepted the proposal and the instrument was taken to John Durand, who was the most ingenious worker on fine brass and iron work thereabouts, and whose skill had made him a necessity among the people uf the mountain in repairing watches, clocks, locks, and doing other work requiring delicate and intelligent skill. The field-glass was placed in his hands with the inquiry whether he could put it in repair. Upon examining it he replied that he thought he could. "How long will you want to make it perfect?" "Not long; you can have it to-morrow." Within a day or two thereafter, Washington rode down with his friend and escort, through the Short Hills, to the artisan's house. He found that the valued instrument had been put in good condition, "better, as he declared, than it ever was before." After the First Presbyterian Church of Orange had received its charter, Rev. Mr. Chapman was requested to prepare a device for a corporate seal. Upon presenting one satisfactory to the trustees they voted Mr. Durand be requested to execute the work. His bill for the same, paid January 23, 1787, was sixteen shillings. The same seal is still in use. His old ancestral homestead was a hundred feet more or less south of the residence of his son, Asher B. Durand, which he, the elder Durand, built for himself and where he spent the last years of his life. This homestead was destroyed by fire about 1844.
He married, November 9,1779, Widow Rachel (Meyer) Post, born June 13, 1758; died April 26, 1832. She was the daughter of Isaac and Lydia (Campbell) Meyer. Children:
1. Henry, born November 2, 1780; mentioned below.
2. Polly (Mary), born October 28, 1782: died November 28, 1860; married Rufus Freeman, and had the following children:
i. William;
ii. Rebecca, married Daniel Crumb;
iii. John Durand, married Julia Tucker;
iv. Mary Adelaide, married Henry McKean ;
v. Henry, married Caroline Crowell;
vi. Lucy, married (first)Cayle; married (second ) Miller;
vii. Isaac, married Lucy Weaver.

S.R. Durand, referencing "Genealogy and Memorial History o f the State of New Jersey," Vol. III, 1910, pg. 1192:

Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey,
By Elmer T. Hutchinson.
Page 119.

1813, Feb 15. Durand, John of Springfield Twsp., Essex Co.; will of.wife , Rachel, all moveable property to be at her disposal; all land below the mountain whereon stand the house, barn and shio, for life. Sons, Henry Cyrus and Elijah, Isaac M., John, Asher B., and Jabez (underage) all mountain land and the homestead after death of wife. To Rebecca (daughter of my wife). $12. Daughter Mary, $15. Daughter, Lydia $15. Daughter, Betsy, $15 when 18. Executors- wife Rachel and Henry Durand. Witness-Enoch Ball, Cyrus Durand, Elijah Durand. Proved July 17m1813. File 10779 G.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Military Service: Lt. under Col. Phillip Van Cortland under Capt. Thomas Williams, 20 Aug 1780, Newark, Essex, New Jersey, USA.

• Signature: Elijah Durands estate, 10 cot 1795, Essex Co., New Jersey.

John married Rachel MEYER on 9 Nov 1779. (Rachel MEYER was born on 13 Jun 1758, died on 26 Apr 1832 in South Orange, Essex, New Jersey, USA and was buried in First Presbyterian Churchyard, Springfield, Union, New Jersey.)