Knowlton Durham family papers
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Abstract
Papers relating to the family of Knowlton Durham (1880-1961), a New York City lawyer.
Biographical note
Knowlton Durham was born on August 29, 1880 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the youngest child of Caleb Wheeler Durham (1848-1910) and Clarissa Safford Welles Durham. He attended Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, graduating in 1897, and then Columbia University, graduating in 1901. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He completed law school, also at Columbia, in 1905. He enlisted in the army in 1912 and served in the first World War. In 1925, he married Pauline Crook Peck. Her son, Robert, became his stepson, but the couple never had children of their own.
Knowlton's father Caleb Durham was born to Alpha Durham (1805-1851) and Elizabeth Riggs. Alpha Durham was the child of John Durham and Pruella Whitney, and his grandfather was also John Durham (1720-1800). Elizabeth Riggs was born to Silas Riggs and Harriet Rose, daughter of David Rose and Mary Rogers. Caleb Durham was a civil engineer and inventor of the Durham System of Plumbing.
Knowlton's mother Clarissa Safford Welles Durham (1849-1907) and her sisters Sarah and Mary were born to Henry Woolsey Welles (1818-1860) and Susan Martin Safford Welles. Henry Woolsey Welles was the son of John Welles (1776-1855) and Sarah Rice Hulbert (1806-1868) and the grandson of Rev. Dr. Noah Welles (1718-1777) and Abigail Woolsey (1731-1812). Susan Martin Safford Welles was the daughter of John Safford.
Knowlton Durham's older brothers were Henry "Hal" Welles Durham (1874-1959), Roger Durham, and Leicester Durham (1877-1933). Henry followed his father into civil engineering. He married Josephine Belden Trowbridge in 1903 and they had one daughter, Elizabeth. Leicester married Viola Ethel "Pansy" Hyde Durham and they had four children: Carol, Richard Hyde, John Dickinson, and Sarah "Sally" Welles.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into three series. The first series concerns Knowlton Durham, the second series concerns the Durham family as a whole, and the third series on the Welles family and related families documents Knowlton Durham's maternal line. Within each series, materials are arranged by type, subject, and chronologically.
Scope and Contents
Papers mainly relate to the Durham family's ancestry and genealogical record and contain information stretching back to at least 1273, though the majority of the genealogy materials concern individuals living in the 18th through 20th centuries. Other items relate to the professional accomplishments and personal lives of certain Durham family members living in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These latter papers place particular emphasis on Knowlton Durham (b. 1880), a New York City lawyer. Materials in the collection include genealogical research notes and lists, correspondence among members of the Durham family, press releases, obituaries and marriage announcements, newspaper and magazine clippings, and other ephemera. Also included are Knowlton Durham's application to the Sons of the Revolution, including extensive details on his personal ancestry and its connection to the Revolutionary War; the Durham family's coat of arms; and one oversize volume containing records of Fire Prevention at Hook and Ladder Company No. 118 for the period 1938 to 1950, including records of incoming and outgoing documents and daily statistical and inspection records relating to fire prevention in Brooklyn. It is unknown whether the materials in this collection were compiled by a single researcher or multiple individuals, but it is presumed that the compiler(s) were related to the Durham family.
Subjects
Families
Genres
People
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
Open to users without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
While many items at the Center for Brooklyn History are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Knowlton Durham family papers, ARC.322, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession 1985.021 was the gift of Dwight B. Demeritt, Jr., date unknown, and it was formally accessioned in 1985. Accession 2015.037 was the gift of Maria Phillips.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
If digital surrogates exist, they should be used in place of the originals whenever possible.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Accession 1985.021 was originally minimally processed to the collection level. In May 2023, Dee Bowers added accession 2015.037 and reprocessed the collection, including photocopying newsclippings and discarding the originals.
Sponsor Note
Revisions to this Guide
Repository
Series 1: Knowlton Durham papers
Scope and Contents
The bulk of this series consists of correspondence to and from Knowlton Durham, largely with relatives regarding family history or family business. Also included are materials related to Durham's work as a lawyer, his time at Columbia University, and his applications for membership in the Society of Colonial Wars and Sons of the Revolution. In addition, there is one folder of material relating to the genealogy of the family of his wife, Pauline "Polly" Crook Peck.
Biographical note
Knowlton Durham was born on August 29, 1880 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the youngest child of Caleb Wheeler Durham and Clarissa Safford Welles Durham. He attended Adelphi Academy in Brooklyn, graduating in 1897, and then Columbia University, graduating in 1901. He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He completed law school, also at Columbia, in 1905. He enlisted in the army in 1912 and served in the first World War. In 1925, he married Pauline Crook Peck. Her son, Robert, became his stepson, but the couple never had children of their own. He was a president and founder of the Beta Theta Pi Club of New York and the Chelsea Neighborhood Association, as well as a member of the University Club, Columbia University Club, Army and Navy Club of Washington, and various professional and military organizations. He was twice awarded the Silver Star, as well as the Conspicuous Service Medal of New York State, the Army Commendation Ribbon and the Selective Service Medal.
Correspondence, 1910s, inclusive
Correspondence, 1920s, inclusive
Correspondence, 1930s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes correspondence from 1934 regarding the death and estate of John Safford Fiske.
Correspondence, 1940s, inclusive
Correspondence, 1950s, inclusive
Work, 1907-1912, inclusive
Clippings and ephemera, 1915-1952, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Includes materials pertaining to Durham's military service, his work as a lawyer, and his work with the Chelsea Neighborhood Association.
Sons of the Revolution, 1926-1945, inclusive
Military service and Society of Colonial Wars, 1934-1946, inclusive
Columbia, 1936-1946, inclusive
Crooke family genealogical notes, undated
Series 2: Durham family
Scope and Contents
This series consists of material related to the Durham family generally as well as a few members of Knowlton Durham's immediate family: his father Caleb Wheeler Durham (1848-1910) and his brothers Henry "Hal" Welles Durham (1874-1959) and Leicester Durham (1877-1933). The clippings and ephemera largely have to do with Leicester's children with Viola Ethel "Pansy" Hyde Durham: Carol, Richard Hyde, John Dickinson, and Sarah "Sally" Welles. Also included is a single volume Fire Prevention Record Journal which was accessioned with this collection but has no clear link to the Durham family.
Durham family genealogical notes, undated
Caleb Wheeler Durham, circa 1915
Henry Welles Durham, 1922-1945, inclusive
Leicester Durham, circa 1933
Clippings and ephemera, 1916-1940, inclusive
Fire Prevention Record Journal, Hook and Ladder Company No. 118, circa 1938-1950, inclusive
Processing Information
This volume was included in accession 1985.021 but otherwise has no clear link to the Durham family. It may possibly be related to the civil engineering career of Henry W. Durham, who worked on many municipal projects.
Series 3: Welles, Safford, Fiske and Hulbert families
Scope and Contents
This series consists of material relating to Knowlton Durham's maternal family line. Knowlton's mother Clarissa Safford Welles Durham (1849-1907) and her sisters Sarah and Mary were born to Henry Woolsey Welles (1818-1860) and Susan Martin Safford Welles. Henry Woolsey Welles was the son of John Welles (1776-1855) and Sarah Rice Hulbert (1806-1868) and the grandson of Rev. Dr. Noah Welles (1718-1777) and Abigail Woolsey (1731-1812), and his sisters were Mary Elizabeth Welles Paine (1813-1862) and Helen Welles Douglas (1821-1880). Susan Martin Safford Welles was the daughter of John Safford. Miss Mary H. Fiske, Mrs. John C. Knowlton (sister-in-law to George Knowlton) and Mr. John Fiske were Clarissa Durham's first cousins.
