Mary Jane Buchanan1

b. 19 June 1841, d. 24 June 1919
Mary Jane (Buchanan) Durell
photo courtesy Harvey Lowe
FatherWilliam C. P. Buchanan2,3 b. 2 Jul 1817, d. 30 Sep 1852
MotherJulia Brown3 b. abt 1820
Birth19 Jun 1841 Mary Jane Buchanan was born on 19 Jun 1841 in Missouri.4,5 
Childhood Mary spent her first years living in Howard County, Missouri.3 
Migration  She moved with her mother and sister to Wayne County, Illinois following the death of her father and brother in Missouri.6 
Legatee20 Jun 1858  In 1858, Mary's grandfather, John Buchanan, wrote his will in Smyth County, Virginia, and remembered his "two granddaughters in Illinois, daughters of my son William."7 
Marriage5 Sep 1858 She married William Roe Durell, son of W.R. Durell and Amarintha Henderson, on 5 Sep 1858.5 
Cens-186011 Aug 1860 Two years after their marriage Mary Jane and William were recorded on the Wayne County census with William, the first of their twelve children. William Sr. was twenty-two and Mary Jane was eighteen.8 
Cens-State1865  In 1865 they were still in Wayne County but now there were three children in the household.9 
Cens-18704 Aug 1870  Five years later they were living in neighboring Marion County and the children now numbered five: William, Bennett, Jane, John and Alonzo.10 
Cens-1880Jun 1880 By 1880 William and Mary had moved back into Wayne County, where Mary's sister Margaret resided. William and Mary's household had grown to include a daughter Julia, no doubt named for Mary's mother, and twin six month old sons.11 
  Twins occured with regularity among the descendants of Mary Jane's paternal grandparents, John Buchanan and Mary Ryburn. It is likely Mary Jane's sister Margaret was a twin. One of Mary Jane's sons would have twins, as would one of Margaret's daughters. There were also twins among Mary Jane's Buchanan cousins. 
Heir Beginning in 1877 Mary Jane received a series of payments from the estate of James, Robert and Mathew Buchanan [her great uncles]. She and her sister Margaret each received a total of $307, which represented the share that would have gone to their father William had he been living.12,13 
Heir1878  In 1878 the two sisters also shared a $500 payment as their father's heirs from the estate of his sister, Sally Page.2 
  The extra money was no doubt useful, considering the size of Mary Jane and William's family. Nine children lived into adulthood, and three sons, whose names are not known, died young.5,14 
Migration1886 In 1886, well into their forties, William and Mary picked up stakes and moved to Lincoln County, Kansas.14 
Cens-19001 Jun 1900  There they settled on a farm in Colorado township.15 
Cens-191030 Apr 1910 But by 1910 they had again moved on as they were enumerated that spring in Benton County, Arkansas. William was seventy-two and Mary Jane's age was reported as sixty nine. They had been married to each other for fifty-two years.16 
  Their time Arkansas was apparently short as William died in Lincoln County, Kansas in 1914. 
Death24 Jun 1919 Mary died on 24 Jun 1919 at the home of her daughter, Mae Morrical in Lincoln County at age 78.4,5 
Burial She was buried at Beverly Cemetery in Lincoln County, Kansas.4,5 

Related Links and Images:

William Durell and Mary Jane (Buchanan) Durell with their children17
This wonderful photo of Mary Jane and her sister Margaret was probably taken in Illinois in the 1890s17

Family

William Roe Durell b. 24 Mar 1838, d. 10 Nov 1914
Children
ChartsDescendants of John Buchanan and Ann Ryburn
Descendants of William Ryburn and Mary (?)
Last Edited3 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S1015] Washington Co., Virginia probate records for James, Mathew and Robert Buchanan. Full name is listed as Mary Jane Durell.
  2. [S711] Sally Page settlement (recorded 1885), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 22: 192. David B. Clark administrator. This settlement names Sally's heirs, including D. Clark as att for Mary J. Durell and Margaret Hale. A previous settlement record clarified that D. Clark was the attorney for the heirs of Sally's brother, William Buchanan.
  3. [S1007] William C. P. Buchanan household, 1850 U.S. census, Howard Co., MO, pop. sched., p. 278 (added script), dwelling 3, family 3, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2004, image 44 of 217. Enumeration includes: W.C.P. Buckhanen, 32, b. VA, farmer, owns $2,000 real estate; Julia 30, b. VA; Mary J., 9, b. MO; John A., 6, b. MO; L__y, 6, b. MO (female).
  4. [S1777] Find A Grave Website (http://www.findagrave.com/index.html : accessed Dec. 2013). Mary Jane Buchanan Durell memorial #55801037, Beverly Cemetery, Beverly, Lincoln Co., Kansas (entry includes photo of shared stone: DURELL, William R., Mar 24, 1838-Nov. 10, 1914; Mary J., June 19, 1841-June 24, 1919).
  5. [S1108] Mary J. Durell obituary, Lincoln Sentinel, July 3, 1919. Obituary transcribed and provided to D. Powell by Tracee Hamilton <<e-mail address>>, website coordinator (2004) US Genweb Project, Lincoln Co., KS.
  6. [S1102] Betty Beeson, Wayne Co., Illinois 1855 State Census, p. 50. Julius [sic] Buchanan, no males; 1 female 30-40; 2 females 10-20.
  7. [S849] John Buchanan will (recorded 1858), Smyth Co., Virginia Will Book 3: 123. John's will was dated 20 June 1858 and recorded 21 Sept. 1858.
  8. [S1106] William R. Durell household, 1860 U.S. census, Wayne Co., IL, pop. sched., p. 127, dwelling 897, family 832, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 21 of 45. Enumeration includes: William R. Durell, 22, farmer, b. IL; Mary J., 18, b. MO; Wm A., 6/12 b. IL; Alvis, 24, day laborer, b. IL.
  9. [S1103] Betty Beeson, Wayne Co., Illinois 1865 State Census, p. 40. W.R. Durell, 2 males under 10, 1 male 20-30; 1 female under 10; 1 female 20-30.
  10. [S1010] William Durell household, 1870 U.S. census, Marion Co., IL, pop. sched., Romaine Precinct, p. 104 (stamped), dwelling 176, family 167, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2004, image 23 of 23. Eumeration reports: Wm Durell, 32, farmer, b. IL; Mary 29, b. MO; Wm 10, Bennett 8, Jane 5, John 3, Alonzo 8/12; all b. IL.
  11. [S1009] Wm. B. Durell household, 1880 U.S. cens., Wayne Co., IL, pop. sched., Hickory Hill township, ED 136, page 29C (stamped), dwelling 61, family 61, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Oct. 2004, image 40 of 54. Enumeration reports: Wm B. Durell 42, b. IL; Mary J.,35, wife, b. MO, parents b. VA; Wm A. 20, Julia, 19, Bennett 18, Amarintha 15, John 13, Alonzo 11, Julia F. 5, Osbin B. (m), 6/12; Arthur 6/12; all indicated as sons or daus of Wm.
  12. [S1015] Washington Co., Virginia probate records for James, Mathew and Robert Buchanan.
  13. [S7] Conclusions based on analysis of James Buchanan probate papers.
  14. [S1108] William R. Durell obituary, Lincoln Sentinel, Nov. 19, 1914. Obituary transcribed and provided to D. Powell by Tracee Hamilton <<e-mail address>>, website coordinator (2004) US Genweb Project, Lincoln Co., KS.
  15. [S1107] William Durell household, 1900 U.S. cens., Lincoln Co., Kansas, pop. sched., Colorado township, ED 61, sheet 5A (189 stamped), dwelling 75, family 75, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 9 of 20. Enumeration includes: William Durell, 62, b. March 1839 IL, marr 42 yrs, parents b. NY, farmer; Mary J., wife, 58, b. June 1841, MO, marr 42 yrs, mother of 12 children, 9 living, parents b. VA; Arthur, son, 21, b. Jan or June 1879 IL; Osborne, son, 21, b. Jan or June 1879 IL; Rosa M., dau, 17, b. Nov. 1882, IL.
  16. [S1110] William R. Durell household, 1910 U.S. cens., Benton Co., Arkansas, pop. sched., Siloam Springs City, ED 26, sheet 16A (51 stamped), dwelling 280, family 395, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2004, image 7 of 16. Enumeration reads: Wm R. Durell, 72, marr once, 52 yrs, b. IL, retired farmer; Mary J., wife, 69, marr once, 52 yrs, mother of 12 children, 9 living, b. MO.
  17. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Harvey Lowe.