George Durant
Encyclopedia
George Durant was an attorney
, Attorney General
and Speaker of the House of Burgesses
in the Province of Carolina
. He is sometimes credited as being the "father of North Carolina".
Durant was born in England
to William Durant and Alice Pell. He was in Northumberland County
, Virginia
before July 1658 where he lived for a time and purchased 300 acres (1.2 km²).
He married Ann Marwood on January 4, 1658, and shortly thereafter moved to Nansemond County, Virginia
, where he lived for about two years.
Durant was associated with Nathaniel Batts
, a fur trader, and Richard Batts, a sea captain. Together they explored the Albemarle Sound
area of Virginia.
On August 4, 1661, Durant purchased, in the second oldest recorded deed of the area, land from Cisketando, King of the Yeopim Indian tribe. On March 13, 1662, a second purchase was made from Kilcocanen, also of the Yeopims. By 1662 Durant was living on his property in Virginia on the Albemarle Sound, which became North Carolina in 1665. The Durant Plantation was called Wicocombe and was also used as an inn. Wicocombe was the name of the area before it became known as Durant’s Neck, in Perquimans County, North Carolina
. The location of his home is now a mystery.
George Durant was one of the leading inhabitants of the area. A mariner by profession, he was one of the ablest and most influential men in the county. He was a leader of Culpepper's Rebellion in 1677, an uprising over the requirement that all colonial goods be transported in British ships. Durant openly opposed Seth Sothel
, one of the Lords Proprietors, who arrived to oversee the colony. Durant was arrested and imprisoned.
Seth Sothel confiscated the 2000 acres (8 km²) from Durant. The residents of the Albemarle area rose in defense of Durant and banished Sothel from the area.
The Durant Family Bible is one of the oldest English Bibles in the USA. It is displayed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
in a locked cabinet. The Bible was printed in London, England in 1599. He brought this Bible with him when he came to the New World.
Durant died on February 6, 1692 at the age of 59.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
and Speaker of the House of Burgesses
Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
The Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives is the presiding officer of one of the houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The Speaker is elected by the members of the house when they convene for their regular session in January of each odd-numbered year...
in the Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina
The Province of Carolina, originally chartered in 1629, was an English and later British colony of North America. Because the original Heath charter was unrealized and was ruled invalid, a new charter was issued to a group of eight English noblemen, the Lords Proprietors, in 1663...
. He is sometimes credited as being the "father of North Carolina".
Durant was born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to William Durant and Alice Pell. He was in Northumberland County
Northumberland County, Virginia
Northumberland County is a county located on the Northern Neck in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state in the United States. In 2010, its population was 12,330. Its county seat is Heathsville...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
before July 1658 where he lived for a time and purchased 300 acres (1.2 km²).
He married Ann Marwood on January 4, 1658, and shortly thereafter moved to Nansemond County, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where he lived for about two years.
Durant was associated with Nathaniel Batts
Nathaniel Batts
Nathaniel Batts was a fur trader. He became the first recorded European to permanently settle in North Carolina in 1655. His deed from King Kiscutanewh for "all ye Land on ye southwest side of Pascotanck River from ye mouth of ye sd. River to ye head of new Begin Creek" was witnessed by George...
, a fur trader, and Richard Batts, a sea captain. Together they explored the Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound
Albemarle Sound is a large estuary on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located,...
area of Virginia.
On August 4, 1661, Durant purchased, in the second oldest recorded deed of the area, land from Cisketando, King of the Yeopim Indian tribe. On March 13, 1662, a second purchase was made from Kilcocanen, also of the Yeopims. By 1662 Durant was living on his property in Virginia on the Albemarle Sound, which became North Carolina in 1665. The Durant Plantation was called Wicocombe and was also used as an inn. Wicocombe was the name of the area before it became known as Durant’s Neck, in Perquimans County, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The location of his home is now a mystery.
- While the exact location of his home may not be known the land granted him was about present day town Durant, NC on the Peninsula between the Perquimans River and the Little River which IS the neck of land granted George Durant by the two Indian Chiefs. (5 miles East of Edenton, NC)
George Durant was one of the leading inhabitants of the area. A mariner by profession, he was one of the ablest and most influential men in the county. He was a leader of Culpepper's Rebellion in 1677, an uprising over the requirement that all colonial goods be transported in British ships. Durant openly opposed Seth Sothel
Seth Sothel
Seth Sothel was a colonial proprietor and governor of the Province of Carolina, ruling the northern portion in 1678 and 1682–1689, and the southern portion from 1690 to 1692. He died in North Carolina in about 1694.- References :* McCrady, Edward...
, one of the Lords Proprietors, who arrived to oversee the colony. Durant was arrested and imprisoned.
Seth Sothel confiscated the 2000 acres (8 km²) from Durant. The residents of the Albemarle area rose in defense of Durant and banished Sothel from the area.
The Durant Family Bible is one of the oldest English Bibles in the USA. It is displayed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in a locked cabinet. The Bible was printed in London, England in 1599. He brought this Bible with him when he came to the New World.
Durant died on February 6, 1692 at the age of 59.