Soldier Information                            

William Irvan Durrance or Durance

Parents : William Carter & Peggy Durrance

Born: between 1822-1825 Lathing County, GA

Died:  Buried Yelvington Cemetery

Married: Louvina Prescott in SC

Born: about 1820

Died: Buried Yelvington Cemetery

Children: Eliza, Jane, Nancy, Rachel, George, Kezirah

 

 

LAVINA DURRANCE, of San Mateo, whose homesite had been recently vacated by the Indians endured many hardships in her life, among them sleeping under the wagon until her husband, William could cut enough logs to put together a log cabin for shelter, he later built them a nicer home for the family's comfort.

The Durrances came to our county about 1854 from the neighboring county of Clay.

William Durrance returned on furlough and had just disembarked at the river when he noticed a yankee sympathizer, he tried to hide from him and hoped that he had not been noticed. After returning home to Lavina, he explained what had happened, and decided to hide out just to be safe.

Of course, the northern sympathizer saw and recognized him, and sent the northern troops after him. Lavina would not disclose his whereabouts until they took George and told her if she didn't they would take the boy. She nodded towards the area where William was hiding out, and he was captured and sent to a northern prison.

After the war, William would not return to his family, he never forgave Lavina and resided with the Yelvingtons .

Supposedly Lavina was aiding the northern troops while they were in San Mateo, feeding them and, caring for them, when they started to leave they destroyed crops and took livestock. During the Civil War, George Durrance, aged 12 and Mateo Solano were commandeered by the norther troops to drive confiscated cattle to St. Augustine. They later received a small pension for this chore, however, Mateo would cut a few head of cattle away from the herd when they came to a small branch which would allow the cows to find their way home. The yankees caught on to this trick and put a stop to it. The officer in charge told his men to leave her with a milk cow since she had been kind and was all alone with her family to care for.

 

According to the 1880 Census of Putnam County Lavina and William were living together with their Daughters

 

 

 

 

 

Pension Information

 

 

 

Contact :Tim Ladd [email protected]

Hi, I've been meaning to get back to you.  There are a few mistakes and over-simplifications you have concerning William Durance: the spelling of his last name on his tombstone is Durance with one r. I find most of his records spelled the same way. His children and wife, however, spelled the last name with two r's on their tombstones. He had six children but you only list five. In order of birth they were: Eliza, later known as Aunt Sis, George, Jane, Kezirah, Nancy, Rachel. Although he did have a falling-out with Lavina, he continued to support his family and came by often to be with his children. I believe he resided with the Yelvingtons for convenience but mostly to help tend Gideon Yelvington's sizable herd of livestock. So the "Lavina-split" had a practical side. It is interesting to note that his wife, regardless of any fallout, was buried on William's left side in the Yelvington village cemetery when she died eight years after him. His daughter Rachel died trying to birth a baby boy. They are both buried on William's right side. Jane is buried on her mother's left side. Kezirah and Eliza are both buried in Hillcrest cemetery in San Mateo, Fl. while George is buried in or near Bunnell, Fl.  In 1882 William caught yellow fever while helping tend to Gideon Yelvington who was sick with that illness. William supposedly had a massive heart attack or stroke while on his horse in front of Gideon's home. He apparently died instantly and fell to the ground. Gideon died less than two weeks later and is buried just two paces from William's feet

 

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