DURHAM, William H. - Putnam

p. 180-- William Holman Durham, President of the First National Bank of Cr awfordsville, Indiana was born April 12, 1827 in Lincoln County, Kentucky.  With his parents, Jacob and Hannah Durham, our subject came to Indiana in 1828.  The maiden name of his mother was Hannah Spears, and being a woman of much energy and force of character, she impressed her nature upon her son, our subject.  He was the eldest child, and he learned  his alphabet at his mother's knee and also learned to spell out short wor ds at so early an age that his memory cannot recall a time when he could n ot read.  At the age of 8 he rode horseback, in company with his grandafth er, to Kentucky and spent two years in school near Perrysville, under Wil iam Duke and Thomas Rice, noted teachers of that day.  The location of h is home was in Russellville, Putnam County, Indianaand to this place he returned from school and assisted his father on the farm or the store, attending school in the mean time.  In the spring of 1843 he entered Asbury University under President, afterward Bishop, Mathew Simpson and he graduated from there in July 1847.  In the following fall our subject went to Roc kville to write in the Clerk's office under John G. Davis.  Here he read l aw with the firm of Wright & McGaughey until the spring of 1849.  On the breaking out of the "old fever," with a company from Rockville, he went ove rland with ox-teams across the plains to California and was six mont hs on the road.  He remained there for two years and became a voter for its first Governor, David Burnett, when the State was first organized a nd a constitution was adopted.  His return was made by water, crossing the Isthmus. He stopped a while at quaint old Havanna ont he way.  After h is return he entered into partnership with his father in a dry-goods sto re at Russellville and was made Postmaster of that place.  In the spri ng of 1849, he bought out his father's interest in the store and continu ed the business until 1864.  The office of Captain of Indiana militia w as also give him and he was the Secretary of the Lodge of Ancient & Accept ed Masons for several years.  On the 10th of February, 1857, he married Sarah M. Evans and there were two children born to them.  At that time he so ld out and removed to Crawfordsville, in March, 1865, with his family.  The organization of the First National Bank occurred in September 1864, a nd he has been continuously identifed with it ever since.  He was President of the ID & SRR in building from Montezuma to Indianapolis.  Mr. Durham is largely interested in agricultural pursuits and is by far the large st stockholder in the union Agricultural Association of Montgomery County, having acted as its President for one year.  He is a great sufferer fr om sciatica and rheumatism and requires the use of two canes, but this in no way incapacitates him from moving, as he is always busy, attendi ng tot he various interests of his business.  His regard for young men induced him to furnish the money that built the Young Men's Christian Association Building, unassisted by any one, he furnished and equipped the safe.  This is a worthy monument and should be a pride and glory to every cit izen of Crawfordsville for its beuaty and imposing appearance and it is in tended as a resort for young men and for strangers.  The life of Mr. Durh am has been eventful in many particulars.  His motto has been: "THe greate st good to the greatest number," and he has bestowed charity in many cases to the undeserving and his experiences would furnish valuable lessons.  he can have the satisfaction of knowing that he has many warm friend s, who have appreciated his assistance and counsel.  He has beheld the growth and improvement of the county from the time of the first stroke made by the axe of the hardy pioneer in the dense forest to the present development of ease and luxury.  At that time there were no roads, no bridges, and only an occassional cabin in the midst of a small clearing, without fence or protection and he contrasts it with the present time.  In the early days of pioneer life buckskin, tow=linen and linsey-woolsey we re the clothing and the greatest equality prevailed among the settlers.  There was no money, and in this State coonskins and ginseng were legal tend er.  A call for help was cheerfully answered within a radius of six mile s, and at the log rollings, corn huskings and quiltings and house raisin gs none considered himself superior except as he had escaped the "shakes" as the miasmatic fever was locally called.  Those were happy days, as the people knew no better and ignorance is often bliss and contentment a jewel.  Mr. Durham remembers well those days and also the happiness that fil led them.  The children of Mr. Durham are George T who is Vice President of the First National Bank and Lillie.  Mr. Durham and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  Up to the war he was a Democrat after which he voted the Republican ticket for several years and has since be en independent in politics, voting for candidates in both parties whom he t hinks best suited to further the interest of our common country. - typed by kbz

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Source: 1860 Russell Twp Putnam Co IN #693

WH Durham 30 Merchant 1000/3500 Ky

Sarah 25 Ind

George 2 Ind

Arminda 22 fem. Srvant Ky

James V. Durham 25 Farmer 2000/2000 Ind

Goerge 23 same

John Roggers 26 Carpenter Ind

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Source: 1895 Hiram Pratt (business man in Waveland for many  years) diary

Wednesday Sept 18 -- $1. Paid 90 cts for 9 gal of gasoline yesterday eveni ng. I paid 25 for Sandwitches (sic).  Wm. H. Durham of Crawfordsville died yesterday morning. He was for many years president of the First National Bank.  He died comparatively poor. ....

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Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal 27 September1895 p 3

The funeral of the late William H. Durham occurred at his late residence last Friday at 10 o'clock at what time a very large number off friends h ad assembled. Rev. G.W.  Switzer, of Lafayette, conducted the service and paid a glowing tribute to the good qualities of the deceased with whom he was particularly intimate for five years. Rev. JG Stephens, Dr. HA Tucker, Rev. SM Hays and Rev. GW Stafford also assisted in the service by o ffering prayer or making brief remarks.  The choir sang, Lead, Kindley Light, Land of Rest and Rock of Ages.  Interment was at Oak Hill.

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Source: 1878 Montgomery County, Indiana Atlas (Chicago: JH Beers, p 53)

DURHAM, WH, PO Crawfordsville; Ex-President. First National Bank; native of Lincoln Co Ky; settled in this co. 1826.

Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal Tuesday, 12 April 1892 Edition

If anyone has a right to celebrate the birthday of a friend, then certainly the Young Men’s Christian Association of this city has a right to celebrate the birthday of Mr. W. H. Durham. Mr. Durham is 65 years of age today and consequently the flag is flying on the Y.M.C.A. building.

William H. Durham was born in Lincoln County, Ky., April 12, 1827. One year later his parents removed to Russellville, Putnam County, this State. At eight years of age, having been taught the indigents of an education by his mother, he was taken to Kentucky by his grandfather where he attended school at Perrysville for two years. Returning home he worked on the farm until the spring of 1843 when he entered what was then Asbury University, now DePauw. Graduating from there in 1847, he read law and did classical work until the spring of 1849, when like many others he started for California on the breaking out of the gold fever. After spending about two years there, he returned to Russellville and entered into a partnership with his father in the dry goods business.

Removing to Crawfordsville in 1864, in September of that year he organized the First National Bank of this city, of which well known institution he is at present the President.

Mr. Durham was married in 1847 to Sarah M. Evans. They have two children, one boy, George F., who is now associated with his father as vice-president of the bank, and one girl.

Outside of banking business Mr. Durham is best known by his interest in the welfare of the young men of the city, which led to his loaning sufficient money to the directors of the Young Men’s Christian Association to erect the magnificent building occupied by them on West Main Street, worth, with the lot on which it is built, about $45,000.

Mr. Durham has never yet received one cent of either principle or interest on his investment and what the outcome may be the future alone can tell. One thing is true, that very few men have done as much for the young men of their native city as Mr. Durham has done for the young men of Crawfordsville.

There is only one criticism that might be made on the building and that is that the large hall might have been better finished and called Durham Hall, the same as “Dwight Hall,” the gift on one man to the Young Men’s Christian Association of Yale College, or “Marquand Hall,” the well known and magnificent building of the Association in Brooklyn, N. Y., erected at a cost of $300,000 entirely at the expense of the estate of Frederick Marquand. But perhaps something of this kind may be done in the future. In the meantime the citizens of Crawfordsville and especially the young men ought to see to it that the necessary support is given to the directors to enable them to make the institution a center of light and wholesome influences to the whole community.