Aquilla Durham
Aquila Durham was born in Maryland in May, 1779, and died in September, 1870 in his ninety-second year. He was the youngest of a family of eleven children, six of whom lived to be over eighty-five years of age. The family was noted for longevity. His father died at the age of ninety-six, and had six brothers and two sisters, each of whom lived to be over eighty. Their father came from Durham, England, in 1722, and settled in Maryland. Joshua Durham, father of the subject of this sketch, sold his estate and slaves in Maryland soon after the close of the Revolution, and started for the West. But, owing to the depreciation of the continental money, he and his family were obliged to remain in Pennsylvania several years. They arrived in Cincinnati in June, 1797, only eight years after its settlement, and pushed right out into the wilderness to make a settlement, and built a cabin in the Miami bottoms, about ten miles from Cincinnati. Aquila was then eighteen years old. He helped his father open a clearing in the woods, and, being a skilful hunter, kept the family supplied with game. Many hardships were encountered; but they were so accustomed to them that they seemed rather to enjoy the dangers of the chase and the hard labor and privations they had to undergo. When General Harrison was governor of the Indiana Territory, with headquarters at Vincennes, Aquila kept him supplied with sheep and cattle, which had to be driven through the unbroken wilderness. Many thrilling adventures were experienced by his parties when on the road. Wild animals were troublesome at night, and the Indians were constantly on their path. In 1804 he was married to Harriet Thompson, daughter of Barnard Thompson, a Revolutionary soldier. They settled near his father's, and two years later moved upon the farm now owned by Thompson Durham. He lived on that farm for sixty-two years. They raised ten children, all of whom lived to be over forty-five years old. Seven of them still live. His wife died in 1868, after sixty-four years of married life. He voted in 1802 at the first election held in Ohio, and never missed an election as long as he lived. He attended the Cincinnati markets for almost sixty years, at first carrying his produce to market on hoseback, then in wagons to the river and thence in a boat. After roads were opened, he went through to the city in his wagon. Every Tuesday and Friday found him in the market. Many of the old citizens were his customers, and well remember him. It was his pride and boast that no one ever said he was not honest.
From History of Hamilton county, Ohio, Henry & Kate Ford, L. A. Williams & Co., Publishers, 1881