Can you help solve the Durrett mystery?

You ask - What IS the Durrett mystery?  Who were the 6 Durrett men who all lived in 
Virginia in the early 1700's that most ALL the Durrett's in America descend from.  
The mystery is HOW are they related? And where did these men come from in France?  

Through DNA testing, we will be able to answer these questions and more. We have 
already discovered that Francis who owned land in 1724 and Bartholomew who owned land 
in 1737, both from Virginia are related.  But that still leaves the other 4 Durrett's 
and their descendants that are unknown.
 
Maybe you don't KNOW which Durrett line you descend from, through time a DNA test may 
help solve the mystery and unveil your brick wall.  Maybe you'll help solve the age-
old question for you AND for others. Won't you please help?  It's painless and we 
girls can't do it.  


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The Early Durrett's were of French Huguenots and left France to avoid religious 
persecution during St. Bartholomew's Massacre. Some went to England before coming to 
America; and can be traced back the late 1600 to early 1700s. The earliest names, 
found so far, appear in records in Virginia. They are John and Robert in Spotsylvania 
County, Bartholomew in Hanover/Albemarle County, Richard, Francis and William in 
Caroline County. Paul, Francis and Richard Durrett are mentioned in the Register of 
Qualified Huguenot Ancestors of the National Huguenot Society.

One of our ancestors, Richard Durrett Jr. (1746-1820), son of Col. Richard Durrett & 
Sarah Hampton, daughter of William Hampton and Martha Catlett, built the plantation 
known as Wakefield where he and his  his wife Elizabeth Davis  lived. They are buried 
in the Family Cemetery adjoining the Wakefield plantation. Wakefield plantation is 
located in Earlysville, Albemarle County, VA and stayed in the family until it was 
sold in the 1970s. 

The burial site at Wakefield plantation is in disarray, some of the headstones are 
unreadable and are very difficult to read.  The following Durretts are known to be 
buried at Wakefield: Richard Durrett Sr. (1721-1784) father of Richard Durrett Jr., 
Richard Durrett Jr. (1746-1820) Owner and builder of Wakefield, his wife Elizabeth 
Davis Durrett (1753-1815), Two of their children -Richard Durrett III (1785-1806), 
William Durrett (1785-1806).  There are other markers located within the cemetery, 
but the names on the headstones are unreadable.

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The Ivaldi's were from from Ricaldone, Pedimonte, Alessandria, Italy. This is where 
my Grandfather Attilio and his siblings were born. About 1895, Attilio's mother, 
Leonina, died in a buggy accident when a train whistle spooked the horse. Their 
father Andrea Ivaldi left his 5 children behind and came to America in February 1893, 
his son Emilio followed in July 1893. Nine years later, Andrea's son Attilio and 
daughter Emma came to America in September 1902 for a better life. The Ivaldi's 
settled in Oakland, California. Where Attilio married Adelina Barlocchi of 
Switzerland raised 3 sons and 2 daughters. Emilio went back to Italy to marry 
Pasqualina Brusco in Italy and brought her back to Oakland where they had 3 
sons. Emma Ivaldi after her arrival met Pierro (Peter) Bolla and had one daughter and 
3 sons. The Ivaldi's started a janitoral business cleaning banks and theaters in the 
Oakland Bay area. My grandfather Attilio brought home during the Great Depression 
$500 a month. The Ivaldi's raised thier children to be hard workers and to always do 
their best. This was passed on to their children and grandchildren. Who are now 
passing it on to the next generation.

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Autun (Tony)  Viscovich from Austria (now Croatia) went to New Zealand. 
It was in New Zealand that he met his wife, my grandmother, Lukra (Lucy) Laurich and 
they married. In Septemeber 1906 they left New Zealand with their two young daughers 
and arrived in San Franciso on 5 October 1906.

Lucy was from the Island of Brac (now part of Croatia). Lucy went to visit her sister 
Fanina Laurich Dragicevich who lived in New Zealand with her husband. Tony & Lucy 
Laurich Viscovich married in New Zealand and had two daughters Mary and Priscilla 
before coming to the United States. After there arrival in Oakland, Tony found a job 
working for Southern Pacific Railroad. Here in the US they added 8 more children. 
They had 4 sons (their first born son Peter died in infancy) and 6 daughters.

The Ivaldi's and the Viscovich Family lived a few block from each other in 
West Oakland, California. When my parents Harry Ivaldi and Dorothy Viscovich met, 
after WWII, they found they had the same friends. Harry and Dorothy met at a dance 
in Oakland, California. 

The Viscovich family continued many of the customs from Croatia, including 
speaking the Croatian to their children at home. To this day all the 
Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildre refer to their Aunts as Teta; Grandma as Baba; 
and Grandpa as Didi and uncles as Dundo. Some family members have passed this on to 
the next generation.