Second Major Nathan Durkee was born at Woodbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut on 1 May 1760, a son of James Durkee and Lydia Pitcher. His parents and family moved to Fort Edward, New York when he was young. He married twice, first to Effie Lindsey and then to Eunice Clement.
Durkee is a descendant of William Durgee, who is the first known Irish immigrant to North America. He enlisted as a Private and Scout in the Washington County, New York, Militia and served under Captain Shipman. Durkee and his fellow scouts were captured by the British. While washing their clothes by the river, they stole a boat and escaped their captors under musket fire.
One time while he was out scouting, Durkee returned home and found his house had been ransacked by Native Americans. He drank some milk and got very sick from them poisoning it.
Durkee served in the Washington County Militia (including the Battle of Saratoga), rising through the ranks after the War until he resigned at the rank of Second Major in 1810. He was “”called up” as a Private during the War of 1812, but was not involved in any battles. Nathan signed the Charter of the Washington County Library to create it. (Prior to the War, Washington County was known as Charlotte County, named after the Queen.)
Nathan Durkee died on Christmas Day 1841 in Pembroke, Genesee County, New York and is buried somewhere near there.
References and Notes
Revolutionary War Pension *S22743.
Sons of the American Revolution, Patriot Index.
Gunderson, Bernice B. & Robin K. Durkee. The Durkee Family Genealogy (2009).