The Durhams of Fairfield: An African American Genealogy

In The Durhams of Fairfield: An African American Geneaology, Robert L. Uzzel traced his wife Debra's roots to the slaves of the family of Robert Winfield Durham. Evidence indicates that Gobi, the patriarch of the Durham family, along with his wife Mary and five older sons, were slaves in Fairfield County, South Carolina and that Gobi died there. Mary gave birth to their youngest son, Isaac Durham, in 1860 near Fairfield, Texas, where their five older sons (who came with their masters to Desoto Parish, Louisiana) had settled by 1870. The six Durham brothers- Belton, Allen, Minor, Christopher, Anderson, and Isaac-lived east of Fairfield in the Butler community of Freestone County. Some of the descendants of these brothers still farm land in Butler, where Durham is a common surname. Debra Uzzel is a sixth generation descendant of Allen Durham.

The author has conducted research in Fairfield County, South Carolina and DeSoto Parish, Louisiana as well as Freestone County, Texas. He received much help from Eddie Marie Jones Durham, the wife of Bobby Jean Durham, a fifth-generation descendant of Allen Durham. He concurs with Eddie's words in her book Mama, "Babe" and Me: "It is either ironic or intentional that being born in the Fairfield District of South Carolina that Allen brought his family to the area of Fairfield, Texas!"

The Durhams of Fairfield continue to make their mark. They are now scattered throughout the United States, involved in many businesses and professions and contributing much to their communities and to the world as a whole. There can be no doubt that members of this outstanding family to whom the author is related by marriage will always make their mark. It is his prayer that this book will inspire the present generation and generations to come to do all they can to preserve the Durham legacy.