Individual Details

Found in the Revolutionary Pension file of Mathew Durham [Fold3.com]:
On 12 Dec 1935, Nancy Love Comfort wrote to the Veteran's Bureau in Washington D.C. seeking information about her Revolutionary ancestors so she could become a member of the Children of the American Revolution. She was still living in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She stated that her great-grandfather William Comfort had married Eleanor C. Whitsett of Kentucky and that her mother's name was Milly Haden, daughter of William and Nancy Haden. She had understood that either William Comfort, or perhaps a Comfort a generation earlier had been a Captain in the Revolution and that her ancestor William Haden had also been a Captain in the Revolution. Also her great-grandfather, Matthew Durham on her maternal grandmother's side, was said to have been a Captain in the Revolution. Capt. Comfort and Durham were said to have fought under Gen. Francis Marion of South Carolina.

Her answer, dated 16 1936, state that there was no record of Comfort or Whitsett, any spelling. No claim was identified for a Capt William Haden whose wife was Nancy. Matthew Durham's record is pension claim, S.32224. He was born 16 Jun 1760 in Orange County, NC. His father lived in Orange & Chatham Counties during the War and Matthew's brothers, William & Thomas, also lived in the vicinity during the war. Matthew enlisted in Orange Co NC on 7 Nov 1778, as a private in Capt. Joseph Young's Co, Col. Sanders' NC regiment, engaged in the aid of South Carolina. He was near Brier Creek at the time of that battle and was discharged 1 May 1779. In March of 1781, he served 10 days as a 1st Lt under Gen. Butler in the NC Militia. He volunteered for three months as 1st Lt in Capt. Watson's Co, Col. Wooten's NC regiment from 10 Jul 1781 to 22 Jul 1781, at which time, at Salisbury NC, he became Capt of the company, succeeding Capt. Watson, and continue in command until Aug 22nd. He returned to Orange Co, enlisted again and served about 1 1/2 months as ensign in Capt Douglass' troop of horse, engaged in NC, as a substitute for his brother William. He later serve three months as ensign in said Douglass' company as a substitute for his brother, Thomas who was married and had a family dependent upon him - this service ended in the spring of 1782. He enlisted again and served four months as ensign in Capt. Jones' Co, Col. Lewis' regisment of Chatham Co NC infantry. Mathhew Durham moved in Dec 1782, to Edgefield District, SC where he lived about three years, then moved to Augusta, GA where he stayed about nine months, then moved to Burke Co GA where he lived about three years, then moving to Green Co, GA [the part which was later Hancock Co] where he remained 22 years. He then moved to Jones Co, GA where he lived until Dec 1822, when he moved to Monroe Co. GA. He applied for his pension from Monroe Co GA, 23 Sep 1832. His claim was allowed. He died 3 Jan 1834. Names of heirs not given. A Thomas Durham testified that in 1782, a band of Tories had stolen the mare and saddle of Matthew Durham - no relationship stated. In 1850, S. W. Durham, son of Matthew, was a resident of Talbot Co, GA.

Birth	16 Jun 1760	Orange County, North Carolina
Military	1778 - 1782	Capt. Joseph Young's Co, Col. Sanders' NC Regt., Revolutionary War
Death	3 Jan 1834	Monroe County, Georgia
Marriage		Elizabeth Frances Spencer

Spouse	Elizabeth Frances Spencer (1765 - )
Child	Seaborn Jones Durham (1796 - 1877)