The early seat of the Durrett family was Caroline Co., VA., where the only extant colonial records are part of the Court Order Books. The first proven record found for this family is the land patent dated 7 July 1724 to Francis Durrat of King and Queen county for 400 acres on both sides of the south fork of the South River in King William Co.

This land fell into St. Margaret's Parish, Caroline Co. near present Chilesburg. It is possible the "Widd'o Durrat listed on the 1704 quit rent roll of King and Queen Co. with 200 acres of land may belong to this family. Often quoted is Philip Durette, subscriber to the Second Virginia Charter, 9 March 1607. The record shows that he did not pay and there is no evidence that he came to Virginia.

The patent dated 24 Aug. 1635 to Richard Durrant proves this man died without heirs and Capt. Thomas Pettus received the land when he married the widow. The 1719 land patent to Charles Duett and the 1723 patent to Charles Duett,Jr. are sometimes listed as Durrett.

Acreful examination of the records of Orange, Caroline and Spotsylvania counties show the names Duett and DeWitt to be interchangable, but this family was not Durrett.

The Durrett family is said to be Huguenot and in publications of the Huguenot Society of London is found the name of Francis Parrain de Durett, son of Paul Parrain de Durett by Antonia, his wife, born at Bourges in Berry, France. He took the oath of naturalization on 25 Feb. 1702/3. This could be Francis Durrett of the 1724 land patent in Virginia but I have found no records to support this identification.

Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 8th ed., 1888, Jefferson Co.

REUBEN THOMAS DURRETT, a son of William and Elizabeth Rawlings Durrett, was born in Henry County, Kentucky, January 22, 1824. His grandfather, Francis Durrett, after going through the Illinois campaign of 1778-79, under Gen. George Rogers Clark, returned to his home in Virginia, whence the family removed to Kentucky and settled on land selected in Henry County, while it was part of Virginia. Here his father, after early shelter in the conventional log-house of the times, with the labor of his negroes, molding brick, sawing lumber, riving shingles, etc., built the first brick house in Henry County, which stands to-day, at the old homestead, two miles north of New Castle, as solid as it was when erected nearly a century ago. The Durretts are of French origin, the name having been originally spelt Duret. The family traditions extend back to Louis Duret, an eminent physician who flourished in France during the last half of the sixteenth century. Some curious old books, published by him and his descendants, have been preserved all these years in the family, and are now in the possession of the subject of this sketch. Early in the seventeenth century some of the Durets of the Protestant faith, smarting under the effects of the massacre of St. Bartholomew, crossed the channel and established themselves in England. In 1644 Christopher Duret was prominently connected with the Baptist Church in London, and his name appears to the address accompanying the Confession of Faith put forth that year. In England the French sound of the letters making Duret as if written Duray, was lost, and the name pronounced as it was spelled. In the course of time this pronunciation was emphasized, by doubling the "r" and the "t", thus making the name Durrett, as we have it now. About 1730, John Durrett left England, and making his way across the ocean to Virginia, settled upon a tract of land which he purchased in Spottsylvania [sic] County. A few years later he was followed by Bartholomew Durrett and Richard Durrett, both of them likewise purchasing lands and settlings in Spottsylvania [sic] County. These were the ancestors of the Durretts in America, the subject of this sketch claiming descent from his great-grandfather John Durrett.

Mr. Durrett, after deriving such advantages as the schools of his native county afforded, was in Georgetown College, Kentucky, from 1844 to 1846. He then went to Brown University, in Providence, Rhode Island, where he was graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1849, followed in 1853 by the degree of A. M., for continued progress in learning. Immediately after graduating, he began the study of law, and applied himself with such diligence during the summer and fall of 1849 that he was enabled to combine the two years' course of the Law Department of the University of Louisville in one, and graduated with the degree of LL.B., in 1850. He at once began practice at the Louisville bar, which was continued until 1880, when he felt that his success had yielded him a sufficient competence on which to retire. During Mr. Durrett's thirty years at the bar, he never permitted himself to be drawn aside into politics. In 1852 he was appointed assistant elector on the Scott and Graham ticket, and in this capacity made a number of speeches, and this was the nearest he ever came to holding a political office. He was ever ready to help others to political preferment, but wanted no office for himself, although important ones were more than once within his reach. When Beriah Magoffin made the race for Governor of Kentucky in 1859, Mr. Durrett took and active part in his behalf. After his election, Gov. Magoffin sent for him and asked what he could do for him. Mr. Durrett having answered that he desired no office, the governor responded that he would make him one of his aids anyhow, and after his inauguration sent him a commission as colonel. In this way Mr. Durrett got the epithet of Colonel, which has stuck to him ever since.

Mr. Durrett deserves notice as an orator, a poet, and a writer. His valedictory address when he graduated at the law school in 1850, his Fourth of July oration at the invitation of the City Council of Louisville, in 1852, his address before the Kentucky Mechanics' Institute in 1856, and his Centennial address at Louisville in 1880, all of which have been published, have been admired for their learning and eloquence. Quite a number of his speeches in the Court House have also found their way into the newspapers of the day on account of the impression they produced when delivered. He has not of late indulged in poetry, but while he was younger he quite often wrote verses, and in such style as to impart much pleasure to others. His "Night Scene at Drennon Springs" in 1850, his "Thoughts over the Grave of Rev. Thomas Smith" in 1852, his "Old Year and New in the Coliseum at Rome" in 1858, and his numerous pieces sometimes full of humor published in the newspapers from 1850 to the beginning of the civil war, entitle him to high rank among our Western poets. It is as a prose writer, however, that Mr. Durrett's fame will probably be most lasting. He began writing for the newspapers as soon as he left college, and has kept it up ever since, though most of his writings have been published anonymously, or as editorials for which he received no credit. He was from 1857 to 1859, editor of the old Louisville Courier, and presented his editorials in that paper with such learning, ability, and fascination of style, as to secure him high rank among our most popular and effective writers. Of late years his writings have been principally of an historic character, particularly distinguished for original research and mastery of the subject. His articles in the Southern Bivouac for March, April and May, 1886, on "The Kentucky Resolutions of 1798-99," may be taken as specimens of the character of his historic writings. In these articles he corrected the errors which three-quarters of a century had thrown around these famous resolutions, and placed them in a new and lasting light that was just to the great men concerned in the production, and responsible for their consequences. In 1884, a number of gentlemen of Louisville, who took an interest in historic subjects, joined Mr. Durrett in the organization of a club for the purpose of collecting and preserving the history of Kentucky.

This association was called "The Filson Club" in honor of John Filson, the first historian of Kentucky. Mr. Durrett was made president of the club, and requested to prepare and read at its next meeting, a sketch of John Filson. This he did, and the article thus prepared and read, afterward appeared in print as "Filson Club Publications No. 1." This is, perhaps, the best production that we have yet had from the pen of Mr. Durrett, and its original matter, pleasing style, and attractive appearance will make it a valuable and permanent contribution to the history of the country.

In gratifying his literary taste, Mr. Durrett has collected a large and valuable library--the largest and most valuable private collection perhaps in the West. His collection of Kentucky books has no equal, he having made it a point to secure every printed work or manuscript written by a Kentuckian, or written about Kentucky or Kentuckians, or containing anything about Kentucky, or that was printed or written in Kentucky. He has also embraced in his "Bibliotheca Kentuckiensis" books which once belonged to eminent Kentuckians, especially of the pioneer period, and in his line preserved many quaint volumes, much valued by persons of antiquarian taste. While his collection is not so exhaustive with regard to any other State, he has most of the histories of the United States, and of the different States and Territories, and nearly all of the important works known as Americans. He has also the best histories and standard works of other countries, so that within his own library walls he has all the sources of information he may need in the investigation of any subject to which his attention is directed. This vast collection, moreover, is not selfishly confined to the wants of its owner alone, but is free to the use of every one in search of knowledge. Mr. Durrett is exceptionally conversant with the contents of his books, and there is nothing in which he takes more pleasure than in making his great library useful to others. In recognition of his learning and enterprise in behalf of knowledge, Mr. Durrett has been made a member of many of the historic associations and learned societies of this country and Europe. He has always been a liberal contributor to the deserving charities of his time, and did more than any one else toward securing for Louisville the only free library now in its midst, having inaugurated the movement for establishing the Public Library of Kentucky, now the Polytechnic Society, and remained at the head of the enterprise until the valuable property now occupied on Fourth street was purchased, and the building thereon filled with books and specimens free to the use of every citizen. Scarcely less beneficial to the public was the establishment of the Louisville Abstract and Loan Association, now the "Kentucky Title Company" in which he took a leading part. This institution now enables our citizens to readily ascertain whether the title to the property they buy or sell is good or bad, and to cover all doubt by insuring their real estate against loss by defects of title. A plain, quiet, unpretending gentleman, of the old Virginia school, not often conspicuously connected with enterprises of a public character, he has yet, in his own unostentatious way, done an enviable part both as a private and public citizen. In 1852 Mr. Durrett was married to Miss Elizabeth Humphreys Bates, only daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth Templeton Bates, of Cincinnati, O. [sic]. From this union came four children, only one of whom, Dr. William Templeton Durrett, survives.

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