It is thought that the DeSpain's originally came from
the Basque Region of Europe. There is some evidence that
some of the DeSpain's were known as DeSpainhower. In
France as DeSpaigne and later as we know them today as
DeSpain. It was not unusual in those days for the eldest
of each generation to alter the spelling of their
surname. There is also belief that they were French
Huguenots and escaped to England to avoid religious
persecution. Samuel DeSpain came to America in the early
1700's. Per
http://dpdon.com/despain/index.htm
This is a very complex family history as there is
so much information that is contradictory on the web
mainly due to the repetition of the same first names
generation after generation. You are likely to
find some errors here too. Please feel free to let
me know so they can be corrected. There are
a lot of family memories for the Despains on the web and
I have included some of the links within the generations
for your enjoyment and genealogy research.
catorfamily@gmail.com Donna Cator
ANCIENTS:
Jean Despaigne born 1526 in Lille,
Nord, France and died 1594 in Canterbury, England.
He married a Jaquesmine _____ who died in 1594 also.
Gervois Despaigne born 1554 in North
Wheatley, Nottinghamshire, England. He died in 1594 in
French Church, England. Gervois married Marquerite
Bousemar, 1557-1629
Jean Despaigne born 1586 in
Canterbury, England. Died in January on the 18th
in 1656 in St. Alphage, Centerbury, Kent, England.
Married Marie Sedt (Six) on Sept 19 1613.
Gedeon Despaigne m. Marie Le Leu.
Gedeon was born on 16 April in 1626 in French Church,
Canterbury, Kent, England. Marie Le Leu was born
in St. Alphage, Canterbury, England, where Gedeon
ultimately died on October 5 1690.
Samuel Despaigne (Sr)
m. Sarah Smith.
 Generation
No. 1
(Early
1700s)
Samuel
Despaigne (IMMIGRANT) and Anna "Ann" Marshall DeSpain
 SAMUEL DESPAIGNE
(IMMIGRANT) was
born in French Church, Canterbury,
Kent, England on October 11, 1692 His father Samuel was 32 and
his mother, Marie, was 34. Samuel was baptised October 16,
days after his birth, at the French Church. Per mjdespai on
Ancestry.com, "FRENCH CHURCH"
refers to the community of
Walloons (Strangers) who came to England from Flanders and France
and were allowed to worship in the Undercroft (crypt) of Canterbury
Cathedral.
Samuel's
ancestral lineage included many skilled silk and wool Canterbury
weavers and other types of trades. In the year 1710, with
massive amounts of imports from China, India and Persia, the weaver
craft slipped into near obscurity.
At age 27,
Samuel married Sarah Smith (25) on June 6, 1720 at St.
Botolphs Bishopsgate, London, Eng., per the parish register, page
181. Samuel and Sarah had four children, but, alas, they all
died young. When he was 29, his mother Marie Six
Despaigne died on January 22, 1722 in Shoreditch, Middlesex,
England. Marie was 64 years old (1658-1723). Four
years later in 1726, his wife Sarah died at age 31 (1695-1726) in
Shoreditch. By 1728 he had lost every family member --
wife, four children (Lewis, Mark, Sarah, Samuel), mother, father,
brother Gideon. He was
the last of this Despain line to be born in England. He
came to America. He was not the first Despaigne (Despain) (DSpain)
(dSpain) (Dispain) (Daspain) in America.
Samuel married Anna "Ann" Marshall who was born about 1712.
This marriage was in a Brunswick County (VA? NC?) in 1730-1733.
Samuel received a land
grant in 1748, about 20 years after he immigrated from England to
the Colonies of America in approximately 1728. His grant was
for 200 acres in Brunswick County, VA on the southern side of the
Meherrin River.
Because
he had a family of four (he, wife, 2 children), Samuel was granted
50 acres per person, or a total of 200 acres of land.
It is possible that he had a will in
1783 that gave a mere 5 shillings to each of his children, while
giving his land (by now he had purchased 280 more acres) to his
grandson Benjamin who was 26 and the rest to his wife Ann.
Samuel died
July 1, 1783 in Warren County, NC. He was 90!
Samuel and Ann Despaigne/Despain
had two known children:
 John
"Dispain" was born (1735-1806) in Virginia.
GGGGGGGGG Aunt
Sarah Despain (1737-1786).
Possible
other children who all died young are: Aurela
(1734-1748) Martha (1737-1748) and Susan (1742-1748).
Why would these young children all have died in 1748?
Could this have been as a result of the 1748 yellow fever
epidemic?
Generation
No. 2 (Mid
1700s)
John
DeSpain (Dispain) and wife Susan Scott DeSpain
VIRGINIA:
John was
born in 1735 at Meherrin River, Brunswick, VA.
Lunenburg, NC:
John
married SUSAN SCOTT around 1756.
Susan was born about 1741 in Lunenburg Co. and died after 1783.
They had a total of eight children. They moved to WV and
ultimately to KY.
Halifax County NC (East Coast):
3 of their 8 children were born here.
Benjamin, Peter, and James
Scott.
Virginia:
5 of their 8 children were born in
in the western part of
Virginia (Botetourt County and Montgomery County).
Solomon, John Daniel, Temperance, Charlotte and Marshall. The
family lived in Montgomery County as late as 1787.
Wilderness Road to Kentucky:
John Despain's
family made their way toward the frontier of Ken tucky
(soon to be the new state of Kentucky (1792). They would most likely
travel the WILDERNESS ROAD and settled in what became Green County
(est. 1793), Kentucky and elsewhere (except Benjamin). Only their
1st child, Benjamin, stayed in Virginia and never made the long trip
to Kentucky (over 200 miles by horse and wagon)
The 200 mile Wilderness Road started
in Ft. Chiswell in SW VA, wound through the Cumberland Gap and onto
Central Kentucky. Later it would extend further, but John's
family went only to Kentucky. Originally the road was so rough and
narrow that pioneers could travel by foot or horseback, but not
wagon. After KY became a state in 1792, the road was widened
to accommodate pioneers and families in covered wagons and
carriages. (Wikipedia)
John served in the
Revolutionary War. John died in or around 1806 in Brush Creek
KY.
Children of J OHN
DISPAIN and SUSAN SCOTT
 GGGGGGG
Uncle BENJAMIN DISPAIN, was born in 1757 in
NC; Benjamin died 24 Jun 1838 in Greenville Co, SC.
Ben married twice: 1) Diliah Winningham October
18, 1780, Granville Co, NC. When his grandfather,
Samuel, died in 1783, he inherited Samuel's 180 acre farm on
Horse Creek, Granville Co, NC (purchased and not a land
grant). Benjamin sold the land in 1784. He served as a
Private in the Revolutionary War in NC under Gen.
Rutherford, Captain Daniel Trigg's Company.
His father John also served in this conflict. In his
war pension request Ben listed that he spent most of the
years after the war in Flour Gap VA and married 2) Lucy LNU
there the day after Christmas in 1786. He moved about
then to Greenville County, SC near the Pickens County Border
and lived in Greenville SC until his death 24 Jun 1838.
Ben and Diliah had a son Solomon G. Despain June 22,
1790 (later of Illinois); Solomon died 1856. Lucy
Despain died 22 Mar 1851.
He is buried at Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery in
Simpsonville, Greenville County, SC.
GGGGGGG Uncle
JAMES SCOTT DESPAIN,
b. Halifax Co, NC; d. 1835, Green Co, KY; m. Susan "Sallie"
Peterson about 1787. 10 known children; James
was a farmer.
 PETER
DESPAIN - SEE THE NEXT GENERATION
GGGGGGG Uncle
SOLOMON DESPAIN,
b. 1765 VA; died 1856 IL; m. 1807 Nancy Bell KY 4 Jul
1807 in Green Co, KY ; m. 1828
Celia Griffith in TN. May have had another wife too.
GGGGGGG Uncle
JOHN DANIEL DESPAIN,
b. 1775 in VA., died August 1853 in TN. Married
Charlotte Daniel in 1801 in KY.
GGGGGGG
Aunt TEMPERANCE "Tempy" DESPAIN, b. about 1777
VA; d. 15 Dec 1855 KY; m. Barry Reuben Belcher in 1792
and had 7 children.
GGGGGGG
Aunt CHARLOTTE
DESPAIN, b. 1779 VA; d. about 1835 KY; m. est. 1795, KY
to Reubin Vaughn.
Generation
No. 3
(Late
1700s)
Peter
DeSpain and Nancy Skaggs DeSpain
PETER DeSPAIN,
born January 9th, 1764 in Halifax County, NC but raised in Virginia,
married (1)
NANCY SKAGGS
on December 20,
1791 in Green County, KY. She was born arou nd
1775 in Fincastle
County, VA, and died before 1830. Peter died Mar. 31, 1850 in
Larue County, KY. He was the son of John and Susan Scott
DeSpain. He is buried at Mt. Tabor Cemetery in an unmarked
grave.
KY County Marriage
Records 1797-1954:
 Peter
served in the Revolutionary War when he enlisted in 1780 in
Montgomery County VA as a Private in Capt. Bentley's Company and
Col. Hawes Virginia Regiment. Peter serv ed
in the battles at Camden, Guilford Courthhouse, siege of
Ninety-Six SC and Eutaw Springs SC (the last Carolina battle
Sept 8, 1781.)
Peter
was a Revolutionary War Veteran through his 1780 enlistment in
the Montgomery County, VA
unit as a Private in Capt. Bentley's Company and Colonel Hawes
Virginia Regiment. Peter was 5'5 3/4" tall at that time,
had been farming, had light brown hair, gray eyes and a
"swarthy" complexion. He could not read nor write, having
farmed only during his young life. After serving 18 months
including BATTLES OF CAMDEN, GUILFORD COURTHOUSE, SIEGE
OF NINETY SIX AND EUTAW SPRINGS,
he was discharged in Salisbury, NC.
He would have been 27 years old when he
married Nancy. Nancy
was under age (16?) and had to obtain parental consent to marry;
she was the daughter of Henry and Mary Thompson Skaggs.
He and Nancy had at least 14 children.
Per the Kendall DeSpain
web information found on Ancestry.com (Five Generations of
John and Susan Dispain), a Skaggs researcher, Nita Luttrell,
found that Peter had 3 wives, not two, and that Nancy was the
third and last. In total he had 24 children per her
research.
For
$150 Peter and Nancy purchased 200 acres from a Nathaniel Owens
in 1805 in Green County, KY on Little Brush Creek
bordering Francis Howell and Berry Belcher [his brother-in-law].
He lived on this 200 acre farm until his son, Thomas, turned him
out in September 1848. Peter had deeded the 200 acres over
to Thomas in 1840, but Peter claimed that his son, Thomas
DeSpain, obtained his land by fraudulent means (19
Sep 1840 Green Co, KY Deed Book 18, page 134).
Thomas was evidently quite the scoundrel. Peter claimed
that he had not signed the deed over to Thomas and went to court
in 1846 claiming that Thomas and his brother-in-laws who were
witnesses had lied about the deed. In 1846 Thomas spent
considerable time in court and then jail as he served 4 1/2
years with his brother-in-laws ____ Sutton and Joe Beauchamp for
counterfeiting
[Per Louisville Daily Journal, page 1, Col 2, 19 Dec 1846].
Peter's
son Marshall DeSpain sued his brothers, Thomas and
Silas DeSpain on the 18th of March, 1851 (Circuit Case #5430
Green County, KY) stating that his dad, Peter, owned the tract
of land on the waters of Brush Creek valued at $800 which he
conveyed to his son, Thomas, ON THE CONDITION that Thomas
would care for his father in his old age. But, Thomas did
not - he turned his dad out of the house in which he lived and
Peter was forced to go to Marshall's house about 19 months
before his death on March 31, 1850. Marshall also charged
that Silas DeSpain owed Thomas $100 and asked the court to have
that money given to Marshall, not to Thomas, for payment on
their father's upkeep.
Peter died at age 87 at the home of his son,
Marshall, in Larue County, Kentucky
March 31, 1850.
At age
67 when he made his Revolutionary War pension request, only one
daughter was living with Peter and she had been ill for 10
years. Nancy is not mentioned. He stated in his request
papers that his military papers were burned with his home in
Salisbury, NC many years ago. He received a Pension of
$60/year as of March 4, 1831.
From Despain
Stories:
http://dpdon.com/despain/no00004.htm
Submitted by Robert (Bob) De
Spain April 1997
Written by Mrs Charles (Daysie)
DeSpain. September 28 1970.
Peter
DeSpain (b. 1763) of Montgomery County, Virginia
fought in the Revolutionary War. On Sept 11, 1780,
Peter DeSpain and three other men, ranging in age
from 17 to 30 years, appeared before the Recruiting
Officer at Chesterfield Court House, Va. and
enlisted in the Virginia Line. They had traveled
over 80 miles from Montgomery County, Va. to join
the Revolutionary Forces at Chesterfield Court
House, traveling over dim and poorly marked trails
in order to join in the common cause. Peter DeSpain
, age 17, -five feet five and 3/4 inches tall. He
said he was born in North Carolina, but did not say
in which county he was born in. He was then living
in Montgomery County, Va. when he enlisted. The
Enlisting Officer then proceeded to give whatever
type of physical they gave in those days,
pronouncing him fit for service and fighting and
describing Peter DeSpain as follows...."his hair was
light brown, his eyes were gray, and his complexion
was "SWR ATHEY"", (yellowish). He enlisted for 1
year and 6 months. By trade he was a farmer. On his
war records in Washington DC, his name is spelled "d
Espagne". After the War, he moved to Green County
Kentucky. Where he settled on Sand Lick Run and
Brush Creek where he died March 31, 1850. He
was born in 1763 or 1761. He was married twice, his
first wife was Polly House. His 2nd wife was
Nancy Skaggs whom he married December 15,
1791, daughter of Henry Skaggs. James and
Solomon Skaggs, Nancy's brothers were witnesses,
Nelson County Kentucky. William Perry DeSpain,
son of Peter DeSpain and wife Nancy Skaggs, was born
in Green County Kentucky August 2, 1837. He
was a minor when his father died and William D.
Skaggs, who was magistrate of Green County,
Kentucky and the child's uncle, was made his
guardian. The 1810 census of Green County
shows that Peter DeSpain had 9 sons and 4 daughters.
Peter DeSpain had sisters...Temperence and
Charlotte, and a brother James Scott DeSpain.
Peter's wife,
NANCY SKAGGS DESPAIN had an interesting history also.
She was the daughter of Henry Skaggs, a pioneer Long Hunter.
Henry, known as The Long Hunter, was born on January 8th, 1724.
The Long Hunter's father was James Skaggs and his mother was
Rachel Susannah Moredock. His paternal grandparents were Richard
Thomas Skaggs and Mary Thear; his maternal grandfather was
Abraham Moredock. He had nine brothers and four sisters, named
John, Moses, James, Charles, Jacob, Richard, Abram, Stephen,
Aaron, Susannah, Lydia, Elizabeth and Nancy. He died at the age
of 86 on December 4th, 1810.
Henry's wife was Mary Thompson Skaggs born 1739 to John and Mary
Thompson. HENRY SKAGGS' BURIAL SITE is located on the
property of former Kentucky Governor LOUIE NUNN, at Hiseville-Park,
Ky. The site is in Barren Co., Ky., and near Green Co.,
Ky., where HENRY SKAGGS and CHARLES SKAGGS' wills are filed.
LONG HUNTERS
An exploring party of 13 "Long Hunters," so named because of the
long periods of time spent away from home, camped along Barren
River in 1775. Their names were carved on a beech tree, a silent
record of the first white men in this area. Henry Skaggs and
Joseph Drake of this group had been among first Long Hunters,
1769 - 1771, whose exploring helped open mid-Kentucky. Her
dad's hunter journeys would take him for their home for long
periods. Her dad also helped Mrs. Jennie Wiley in her escape to
avoid recapture by the Shawnees in October 1789.
 
 
 Portrait
of a Well-Dressed Longhunter.==> The exploits of the longhunters
have assumed the air of mythology. The longhunters were men who
spent months in the wilderness, exploring new territories and
living off the land. Some of the longhunters were attempting to
make a living off the land by harvesting furs and game. However,
most appeared to be motivated by a love of the outdoors and of
adventure. The presence of potentially hostile Indians only made
things more interesting.
Some children of PETER DESPAIN and NANCY
SKAGGS are:
 <==
GGGGGG
Uncle John Marshall Despain
(see picture):
b. 1793 KY; moved to Iowa about 1852 to follow his older
children; d. 1865 in Iowa. He was married three times
and had at least 13 children. He died 1865 and is
buried at Carter Cemetery in Danville, Des Moines, IO.
His 3rd wife was Mariah (see photo in right column).
Mariah and John came to Pleasant Grove Township in Iowa in
1852 and lived on a 24 acre farm until they died. He was a
Democrat and a supporter of the Baptist church/
Mariah
&
John M.
DeSpain, 1860 Iowa
GGGGGG Aunt Susannah DeSpain.
Born March 1792 in Brush Creek, KY. Married John
Mansfield Donan. Died in 1860 in Green County, KY.
GGGGGG Uncle Hiram Despain:
born Oct. 17, 1794 in Brush Creek, KY He died Sept 14
1836 in Madison County, MO. He moved to Missouri about
1829 with in-laws. Hiram dropped the "De" in Despain
at time he moved to Missouri. Hiram served in the
War of 1812
(Hyram D
Spain 14 Reg't [Mitchesson's] KY Militia, Pvt.).
GGGGGG Uncle Stephen Despain
b. Feb/ 2nd 1798 Green. KY; died Nov 19 1871 Martinsville,
IN; he likely had a child with Emily Warren who evidently
died in childbirth of their daughter in 1824. They did
not marry. He married Thea Shoemaker (1802 -
1880) on Nov 8, 1825 in Pitmans Crrek, Green County, KY.
Changed his name to just "Spain." He is buried
in the family cemetery, Spain Cemetery, Ashland, IN.
See
Generation 5.
GGGGGG
Grandfather James L Despain (See Generation 4)
GGGGGG
Uncle Harrison Despain 1806 - 1877. Married
Isabella Towne.
GGGGGG
Uncle Silas Despain 1810 - 1858; Silas ran a
Tavern and an Inn during his life time.
GGGGGG Uncle SCOUNDREL AND
COUNTERFEITER Thomas Despain (1815 KY - 1880)
Married Hester Ann Beauchamp, daughter of Joseph and Lydia
(Bartlett) Beauchamp, 25 Jan 1837 in Green County. The
Scoundrel in the family! They had five children: Eliza
J Despain b. about 1838; Quintus Despain, about 1840; Joseph
H. Despain, about 1842; Florence Despain, about 1858 and
Cora Anna Despain, born May 29 1861 in Schuyler MO and died
Sept. 15, 1880 in Butler, MO. She married
Jesse Smith Cebolt Silvers on October 1, 1879 in Bates
Co MO. They had a son Quintes Charles Silvers, born
Sept 5, 1880 in MO. He died March 4, 1938 in Ketchum
OK. Just ten days following the birth of her son
Quintes, Cora and her husband Jess Silvers tried to save
their crops in a hailstorm. She sickened and died.
She is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Bates County, MO.
Aside from illegitimately claiming to take over his father's
land and to take care of him and then failing to do so
(above); Thomas Despain was a scoundrel in at least one
other matter in association with his in-laws.
The Louisville Daily
Journal page 2 col. 2, 19 Dec 1846
Counterfeiters
Convicted: A letter from Greensburg KY says "Our circuit
court has just adjourned. It did a good business among
the counterfeited. Old Joe Beauchamp was sentenced to
the penitentiary for 10 years for making counterfeit
money, and two of his son-in-laws, Despain and Sutton
were sentenced for 4 1/2 years each for the same
offense.
Generation No.4
(Early
1800s)
James L. DeSpain and Mary A. Roark DeSpain
JAMES L DESPAIN was
born October 24, 1804 in Green County, KY,
and died at the age of
35 on Octob er
30, 1839 in Montgomery County, IN.
Before
John Baird,
he married
MARY A .
ROARK on July 11, 1826 in Green
Co., KY. She was born there in February 23, 1807 and
died August 7, 1865 in the same county as her husband James.
They are both buried in Old Salem Cem., Shannondale, Montgomery
County, IN.
Children of James L DeSpain 1804 - 1839 and Mary A Roark 1807 -
1865
 John
MARSHALL DeSPAIN August 1828-1910 wed 1st cousin Frances
(Frankey) Despain 1833-1876. Died Morris County, KY
abt. 1909
(SEE
Next Generation)
 
<==GGGGG Aunt
Sarah Jane DeSpain (Click on Picture)
When Sarah Jane Despain was
born on June 10, 1829, in Green County, Kentucky, her
father, James, was 24 and her mother, Mary, was 22. She
married Kentuckian William Alexander Endicott on
August 30, 1849, in Montgomery County, IN. They had eight
children in 13 years. She died on September 13, 1908, in
Richland, Wisconsin, having lived a long life of 79 years.
They moved to Richland WI from KY around 1858.
Sarah's
husband William A. Endicott was a pioneer family in Indiana
where he was reared and schooled. He married there and
resided there until 1859 whereafter he moved to Wisconsin
where he farmed until he joined the Civil War, Company H,
37th Wisconsin volunteer infantry. He participated in
all battles for this company. William was killed in
battle in front of Petersburg in April 1865. Sarah
survived for several more years in her widowhood and lived
in Richland County until she died.
William was
a Whig and then a Republican. Sarah and William were
members of the united Brethren Church.
GGGGG Aunt
Nancy DeSpain b. 1830 IN; m.
Henry Endicott in
Montgomery County, IN on
20 Dec 1848.
GGGGG Aunt
Elizabeth C DeSpain born
1833 in IN. Wed Josiah Burrough in 1851 in
IN. They had one
known child, Jasper DeSpain Burroughs born April 1857 in
Tippecanoe County, IN.
GGGGG Aunt
Mary Ann DeSpain b. 1836 IN;
d. 1836 - infant death
at birth.
GGGG G
Uncle James Henry
DeSpain born August 12, 1837 in IN; died Feb. 16,
1899 in KS. Wed Isabella "Bell" Turner about 1867. James H.
was in Civil War as a Sgt in the 10th Battalion Light
Artillery. Enlisted 13 Sep 1862 at Darlington, IN and
applied for his pension 10 Jul 1869 as an invalid. He is
buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Council Grove, Morris
County, KS in Plot 511. Inscription on grave is Bat B
10 Ind Art
GGGGG Aunt
Julia A DeSpain b.1838 IN.
Wed James Van Eaton in 1858; residence: Tippecanoe IN
in the 1860 Census.
She died there about 1863.
GGGGG Aunt Eliza J
DeSpain b. 1839 IN;
died 1877. She married William L. Costin (?) on Nov 24,
1869 in Tippecanoe County, IN.
Generation
No.5
(Mid 1800s)
MARRIAGE OF 1st Cousins
John Marshall DeSpain married his first cousin
Frances "Frankey" DeSpain
John
Marshall DeSpain was born August 1828 in Green
County, KY to parents James L. and Mary Roark DeSpain.
John died around 1909 in Morris County, Kansas.
He
married (1)
FRANCES (FRANKEY) DESPAIN in 1853 in Indiana.
Frankey, born in 1833 in Kentucky, was the first cousin of
her husband John and the daughter of
STEPHEN DeSPAIN and THEA SHOEMAKER.
Frankey died in the late 1870s in Indiana.
Then
John married (2) Mrs. America L. Rogers Whitworth several years
later on September 11, 1884 in Missouri.
In the 1860 Census
John Marshall DeSpain was living in Ray, Morgan, IN with his
wife Frankey (27) and children, Twins Mary E and Dorothea ages
7, James H. age 3 & William H. age 1.
In the 1870 U.S. Census
Morris, Tippicanoe, Wea, Indiana,
John who was born in KY
and his wife, Francis are 43 and 41
(1827?)
years of age. He
is a farmer. They have several children at home with them:
Marget, age 17; Martha J, 16; James H. 13, William H. 9; Sarah
7; Stephen 4 and Margaret 2. All, other than John were
born in Indiana. Their personal property is worth $350;
unknown if they own a farm/home.
In the 1900 Coffey KS
census, John
M. DeSpain was 62, born in July of 1828 and widowed; living
alone.
Children of John M. and
Frankey DeSpain:
GGGG
Uncle
William H. DeSPAIN Oct. 1859 m.
Matilda Molly Bosch) (SEE NEXT GENERATION)
GGGG Aunt
Mary Ellen
DeSpain (Twin) b.1853; m. George W. Secrest July 7,
1870, Tippecanoe, Indiana. Likely Mary died after
being married to George and giving birth to her daughter,
Anna Elizabeth Secrest. Later George Secrest married
Mary E. Asher on March 7, 1880.
GGGG Aunt
Dorothea DeSpain
(Twin) born 1853 in Morgan County, IN.
GGGG Aunt
Martha Jane DeSpain,
b. about 1854 in IN
GGGG Uncle
James H.
DeSpain b. May 16, 1856 IN. D. in his 20s on
2/23/1882 in Tippecanoe IN
GGGG Uncle
William H.
DeSpain b.
Oct. 3, 1859 in
Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, IN; died Jan. 4, 1938 in
Council Grove, Morris County, KS.
GGGG
Aunt
Sarah
DeSpain, born 1863 in IN
GGGG
Uncle
Stephen DeSpain, born 1866 in IN
GGGG Aunt
Margaret
Annie DeSpain
born March 24, 1868 in IN. She married Thomas Hamilton
Endicott on April 18, 1885 and had 4 known children.
She died in KS in 1962 at the age of 94.
 Generation
No. 6
(Mid-Late
1800s)
William H. DeSpain and Matilda Molly
Bosch DeSpain
Matilda M. Bosch DeSpain is first generation American
from German born parents
WILLIAM H. DeSPAIN,
born October 3, 1859 in Morgan County, Indiana, owned a
farm in Garfield, KS, that he worked per 1930 census, with his
wife,
MATILDA MOLLY
BOSCH, born in
Harrison, MO in
April 1, 1875.
They had married
in 1895, when he was 35 and she was 18 years old. It was
the first marriage for both.
William died in
Council Grove, KS
on Jan. 4 1938.
Matilda Molly was born to parents who were both born
in Germany:
1)
Anna
Caroline Borkenhagen, born 11 Feb 1843 in Prussia,
Germany and died October 11, 1920 in Council Grove,
KS.
2) Alois
Bosch, born 28 Jan 1842 in Ringingen, Germany and
died April 5, 1915 in Council Grove, KS.
Caroline
Bosch, Matilda's mother, was living with William and
Matilda in Garfield KS per the 1920 Census.
Burials at
Greenwood Cemetery,
Council Grove, Morris County, KS Plot: S13
curved east
 
Children of WILLIAM
H. and MATILDA DeSPAIN are:
GGG Aunt
BERTHA JULIA DeSPAIN,
born January 9, 1894 in Morris County, IN and died in Salina KS.
GGG Aunt
MABEL DeSpain,
about 1905 in Kansas.
VIOLET DeSPAIN,
b. August 22, 1908,
Kansas; d. July 1987. (See next generation)
GGG Aunts
Twins:
NORA and DORA DeSPAIN,
Both born in 1912
in Kansas.
1920 U.S.
Census Morris, Garfield, Kansas - District 93
W.
H. DeSpain, a farmer, and Matilda are 56 and 45
respectively. Living with them is daughter MABEL age
15 and single, VIOLET, age 11 and twins Nora and Dora, both
8. Also living with the family in W. H.'s
mom-in-law/Violet's mom, Caroline Bosch who is a widow at
78. ALL the children were born in Kansas, and their
father was born in Indiana. Matilda was born in
Missouri to German born parents
(IMMIGRANTS)
and Matilda spoke German.
In the 1915 Kansas State Census for Morris, Garfield KS,
Wm. H. and M.M. Despain are 55 and 41 years of age
respectively. M. L. is 11; V.L is 6, Twins N.D. and
D.D. are 3 and they all live on a farm which is owned free
and clear by W.H. Despain.
1930 U.S. Census Morris, Garfield, Kansas - District 11
It has
now been another decade, and William is 70 (instead of the
expected 66!) and Matilda is 54. They were married
when William was 35 and she was 18 per this census.
Wm. is listed as born in Indiana, and his parents were
born in Kentucky and he remains a farmer. Matilda is
still listed as born in Missouri to German-born parents
(IMMIGRANTS).
-
 Generation
No. 7
(1900s)
Thomas Jefferson Durham and Violet DeSpain Durham
Hourglass
Ancestry of Thomas Jefferson DURHAM:
John Coleman
Durham
John was a school teacher. He left his first
wife, Rachel, to raise their five children and
returned to Missouri where he filed for divorce and
married Martha Washington. John Coleman Durham
had six children.
Children with wife Rachel LNU:
 
Married as his second wife:
Child
of John and Martha Durham,
Thomas
Jefferson Durham:
 
Children of Tom and Violet DeSpain Durham:
Son, Bruce:
Son,
James:
James
Col(e)man Durham was a PFC in the US Marine Corps
during WWII. He is buried at Ava Cemetery in Ava,
MO. He was married to FNU/LNU and had a son
Ronald Dean Durham born Dec 16, 1948 in Wichita KS;
d. 28 March 2004 in Springfield MO.
Son,
Floyd:
Floyd L.
Durham was born on Feb 14, 1929 in Wichita, KS and
died there on Jan 5, 1987.Married a Jeanne LNU.
When
Violet M DeSpain was born on August 22, 1908, in
Morris County, Kansas, her father, William, was 48 and
her mother, Matilda, was 33. She married Thomas
Jefferson Durham on March 15, 1925, in Lacrosse,
Izard County, Arkansas. She was 17; he was 21. Thomas
 was
born May 3, 1904 and was a farmer.
Violet gave birth to 3 sons (James Coleman, Bruce Edward
and Floyd Leon) by the time she was 20. Bruce Edward is
my grandchildren's Great Great Grandfather. Violet die d
in July 1987 in Wichita, KS at the age of 78; Thomas
died in 1968. They are both buried in Izard County,
Arkansas.
Above Photo: Thomas and Violet
1930 Census for
Thomas J. and Violet Durham family:
In 1936. Thomas
was a Janitor working for
 SW
Bell Telephone Company.
1940 Census
for 1306 No. Jackson Avenue in Wichita (as it looks
today) lists Thomas as owning their home valued at
$1500. He is 35. Violet is 31. Both
completed the 8th grade which is common in those days.
Living with them are their three sons and a niece,
Marie. Thomas is now advanced to Lineman with the
telephone company.
 
Children of
THOMAS JEFFERSON DURHAM and VIOLET DeSPAIN were ALL BORN
ON HOLIDAYS and are:
 ïPhoto:
Bruce, Floyd and Coleman Durham
1)
 GG
Uncle
JAMES "Jim" COLEMAN DURHAM. b. Christmas
1925 in LaCrosse,
Izard County, AR when his dad was 21 and mom 17.
He died 8 July 1995 in Mansfield, MO at
the age of 69. His residences included:
123 E Lee St # 14, Mansfield, MO.
405 W Commercial St, Mansfield, MO, 65704;
407 W. Commercial st., Mansfield, MO. James
Coleman Durham was a PFC in the US Marine Corps
during WWII. He is buried at Ava Cemetery in
Ava, MO. He married Lois
Arlene Edmond who is buried with him. She
lived from 1927 to 2014.
Their son
and daughter-in-law are buried at Ava Cemetery
also.From findagrave:
Arlene and
Jim had a son named Ronald "Ronny" Dean Durham who
was born on December 16, 1948 in Wichita KS and died
in Springfield MO on March 28, 2004. Ronald
married Patricia Louise Coombes. Ronald Dean
Durham was a SP4 in the US Army during Vietnam.
He is buried at Ava Cemetery, in Ava, MO.
 
 2)
BRUCE
EDWARD DURHAM,
b. Halloween,
Oct. 31,
1927, Wichita, KS; d. Oct. 12, 1964, Orlando, FL.▼
(
See next generation)
3)
GG
Uncle FLOYD
LEON
DURHAM b. Valentine's Day 1929
in Wichita KS. Died on January 5, 1997 in Wichita..
In 1993 he lived at: 19067 SE Bryant
Dr, Jupiter, FL, 33469-1609 (1993). At some
point he also lived at 360 Fiesta Dr in Jupiter.
Floyd married
Imogene LNU,
born 1928 and died 2006.
In the
1955 Wichita City Directory Floyd was a driver for
Frontier Chemical and they lived at 1123 Handley
Avenue.
 Generation
No. 8
(1900s)
Bruce Edward Durham and Mildred LaFaye Pippin
BRUCE EDWARD DURHAM
was born on
Halloween October 31, 1927 in Wichita, KS, and died
Oc tober
12, 1964 in Orlando (Orange County) FL
at the age
of 36. He married
MILDRED LaFAYE PIPPIN,
daughter of
ELBERT PIPPIN
and
MILDRED JOHNSON.
She was born August 26, 1929 in Wichita, KS.
Mildred and Bruce had three sons and two daughters.
Note: Elbert Pippin was born October 6, 1910
in OK.Elbert died March 21, 1991 in Rogers, Benton
County, Arkansas.) For more on this line
regarding wife Elbert and Mildred Johnson Pippin,
please go to
 
Bruce with first child, Carolyn
NEW: Grave of
Bruce Edward Durham is located in
Kissimmee
Florida at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Osceola County.
He is located in Plot 1 73 3 C.
Rose
Hill Cemetery is located at 1615 Boggy Creek Road
Kissimmee, FL 34741.
 
Our Evans/Balch line has ancestors from Barren
Fork Arkansas, 12 miles from the Durham/Despain
line in LaCrosse Arkansas. Both are in
Izard County.
Mildred's family name is
Pippin.
PIPPIN:
1920 Census,
1930 Census
In the 1937 City Directory
for Wichita Kansas we find the following Pippins:
 
In the 1939 City
Directory for Wichita Kansas
we find the following Pippins:
Allis
Hotel
 
The 17-story
Allis Hotel in Wichita was the state's tallest
building when it opened in 1930. It was art
deco styled and considered Kansas' finest hotel. The
Allis closed in 1984 and imploded in 1996 when it
became greenspace for the city.
Comer Douglas Pippin died
30 Jun 1972 in Wichita
and is buried at Highland Cemetery, Wichita
KS; born 03 Oct 1901 died 26 Jun 1972 buried
30 Jun 1972 Plot: 4 213 6A
Grave of Mildred
Johnson Pippin and Elbert Lee Pippin.
According to this, Elbert was born on 10/6/1909 and
Mildred Jane Johnson Pippin was born May 28 1912
in Oklahoma and died in Rogers Arkansas in 1991.
This tombstone is located in Elm Springs, Washington
County, Arkansas. Mildred was the daughter of James
Thomas and Easter Lavinia Christopher Johnson.
Elbert is the son of H. M. Pippin and wife Mary
Pippin. 
Children of
BRUCE EDWARD & MILDRED LaFAYE PIPPIN DURHAM:
They had 3 children - two sons and a daughter.
Mildred LaFaye Pippin Durham was just 14 years old
when her oldest son was born.
Let's
exchange information....
catorfamily@gmail.com
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ed
in the battles at Camden, Guilford Courthhouse, siege of
Ninety-Six SC and Eutaw Springs SC (the last Carolina battle
Sept 8, 1781.)
