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GARRET D. DURIE
Originally published in 1900 |
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GARRET D. DURIE.-The Durie family, members of which have for two
centuries held responsible positions in civil and religious affairs and wielded
a strong influence in shaping the destinies of Bergen County, are of French
lineage. John Durie (or Durji, as he spelled it) was a French Huguenot,
whose birthplace was Picardy, but who had fled with his parents to Mannheim in the Palatinate of the Rhine to escape persecution and death. It
has been said that his family was closely related to that of David des
Marest (see page 64), for which reason he came to America between 1680
and 1690 and joined the Demarests on the west bank of the Hackensack.
He was a blacksmith by trade, and tradition says that, upon his arrival at
New Amsterdam, he went directly to Bergen, N. J., whence he walked all
the way to the Demarest settlement on the Upper Hackensack. He had
with him his four children, but no wife is mentioned and it is presumed he
was a widower. Old documents of that period seem to establish the fact
that David des Marest, the emigrant, was his uncle. He was present when
the will of Demarest was read in 1693, and was then called a cousin of the
Demarests. In 1694 he bought from the Indians and from the New Jersey
Proprietors 233 acres west of Closter, bounded east on the Tiena hill and
west on the Hackensack. On this he built his family residence and remained
until his death. Until within a very few years his descendants
owned the old homestead. The house site is now the residence of the late
Dr. John L. Terhune.
John Durie (1) was a man of intelligence, sterling integrity, and good business capacity. He had been fairly educated and possessed many accomplishments particularly useful to a pioneer, one of which was that of wielding the pen skillfully, as his signature to official documents shows. He was fond of reading and owned a considerable library, which he disposed of by his will. He was active in all public affairs in the county. He served as arbitrator in many disputes between the settlers and the Indians. He held town and county offices, being Constable, Justice of the Peace, Freeholder, etc. In 1693 he was one of the three County Judges. This was the first county court established in the county. He helped organize the Dutch church at Hackensack and several times held the offices of Deacon and Elder. He also was a member of Captain John Berry's " Train Band." In 1696 he married his second wife, Rachel Cresson, widow of his cousin. David Davids Demarest, who survived him and married again. He died near the close of 1698. His children of the second generation were Jane, Peter, John, and Margaretta. John Johns Durie (2), born at Mannheim, married, August 20, 1715. Angenatie Johns Bogert. He kept and resided all his life on the old homestead. His children of the third generation were eleven: Rachel, John, John, Marv, Peter, Sarah, Peter, Martina, David, Ann, and James. David Johns Durie (3), born in 1739, died in 1809, married, in 1762, Margaretta Cornelises Van Horn, born in 1747, died in 1827. They had issue of the fourth generation twelve children: Angenitie, Maria, John D., Margaret. Rachel, Sara, Martina, Sara, Martina, Cornelius D., Ann, and Alice. Cornelius D. Durie (4), born in 1784, died in 1849, married, in 1804, Margaret Brinkerhoff, born in 1782, died in 1856. They had issue of the fifth generation Christina, David C., Elizabeth, Nicholas C., Hannah, John, Cornelius, Richard, and Henry. Nicholas C. Dune (5). born in 1811, died in 1868, married, in 1830, Maria Demarest, born in 1813, died in 1852. He married, second, Elizabeth Van Houten. His children of the sixth generation were Cornelius N., David N., Margaret, John D., Christina, Hannah, and Ralph C. Cornelius N. Durie (6), born August 11, 1833, married, February 15, 1854, Rachel A., daughter of Garret I. Demarest. She was born June 18, 1832. He resided at Closter and had issue of the seventh generation Nicholas C., Garret D., and Irving. Garret D. Durie (7), the subject of this sketch, was born at Closter, N. J., March 20, 1865, and received his education in the schools of Bergen County. At the age of fourteen he entered the employ of the West Shore Railroad. Subsequently he engaged in the shoe business in Closter, continuing seven years. Since then he has been actively engaged in the ice business at that place, building up a large and successful trade. Mr. Durie has also been active and prominent in public affairs. He served as Postmaster of Closter from 1892 to 1894 and for some time has been a member of the Township Committee of Harrington Township. He attends the Dutch Reformed Church. He married Henrietta Roth and has one son, Roth C. Durie.
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