The
Derington
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DERRINGTON/DERINGTON FAMILY OF AMERICA
by James G. Elgin
THE POSSIBLE CONTINUED HISTORY OF THE CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND FAMILY OF DUNNINGTON AS IT TURNED INTO THE VARIOUS DERRINGTON-DERINGTON-DARINGTON-DARRINGTON-DEARINGTON-ECT. FAMILIES IN KENTUCY AND AMERICA.
It appears from records that the Derrington family of Logan County, Kentucky was possibly named Dunnington and their history seems to have evolved as follows: Back in Charles County, MD about 1708, John Dunnington, the son of Francis and Margaret [Beck] Dunnington, was born and subsequently married and left his Will in Charles County, MD. His children with his first wife, Nancy Woodward, are fairly well traced and shown in my book, THE DUNNINGTON FAMILY OF CHARLES COUNTY, MARYLAND. Two children of his second marriage after the death of Nancy are the ones on interest here, William A. Dunnington and Walter Dunnington. There is also interest in Francis Dunnington who died at a young age in the Revolutionary was in 1783. Inasmuch as this is just a working copy, it should be pointed out and remembered that some of this is speculation and subject to error. The first record we have is found in Brunswick County, Virginia where Walter Dunnington is mentioned in a 1936 letter to Professor Dunnington of the University of Virginia from Edith Royster Judd wherein she states: "I have been told that you know a great deal about the Dunnington family. I shall be very grateful if you can help me with one of my Judd problems. John Judd, who died in 1805, had a daughter, Nancy Judd, who married Walter Dunnington on 22 Oct 1788. They had a son, John and at least three daughters: Peggy, Parmelia and Dolly. I am trying to get the name of John Judd's wife. One of John's sons, William, is a fore bearer of my husband and I am trying to get the Judd line in order for those of the family who will carry on the name. William was living in North Carolina in 1790, and in NC he married Elizabeth Solomon. In your interest in Nancy, you may have run into any previous marriage of William. I would be glad to know of it. But my chief inquiry is about John's wife's name and where and when he was married. My own people and almost everybody I know were originally of Brunswick County, Virginia. I hope you do not think me presumptuous in writing you. Dr. Judd my husband is Dean of the School of Education here in Alabama Polytechnic. Sincerely yours, Edith Royster Judd" Note from James G. Elgin: Mrs Zebron Judd, Auburn, Alabama. The second reference I find of a Dunnington in Southern Virginia is a reference to William Dunnington on the tax list from 1790 through 1795 in Brunswick County, VA. In 1796 William was a plaintiff in the administration of Owen Myrick's estate and it was noted that William was not a resident of the Commonwealth. William shows up in the census of 1800 in the North Carolina County of Chatham. William seems to have had land there for many years as some of his childred were born there. All records of William Dunnington seem to vanish until he shows up in the census of 1810 in Logan County, KY where both he and a son, Benns, are listed a Dunnington. However, from deeds of Logan County, KY there is little doubt that Benns, Walter and John are later listed as Derrington. In 1819, letters were left in Russellville, Logan County, KY for William Derrington and Benns Derrington. William was listed as a Derrington in the 1820 Census of Caldwell County, KY and Benns as a Dunnington but by the 1830 Census of Caldwell County, KY the transition from Dunnington to Derrington seem to be complete. On June 4, 1828, William A. Derrington was married to Martha 'Patsy' Loyal, which appears to be a second or third marriage as he had grown children at that time. The following families frequently changed their surnames, evolving from Dunnington to: Derrington, Derington, Darington, Darrington, Durrington, Durington and Dearington, but seems to be from the same family of Charles County, MD.

James G. Elgin