A Norwich man considered by history buffs as a forgotten figure in America’s battle for independence was honored on our nation’s birthday. Noontime ceremonies outside the Leffingwell House Museum on Town Street during the Fourth of July unveiled a new portrait of Colonel John Durkee, painted by a descendant of Durkee’s, Susan Boone Durkee of West Redding.

Ms. Durkee, along with her brother Robert, were joined by museum officials, local government representatives and others to hear the story of the colonel, who served in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars, and was a driving force in the Norwich area’s efforts to defeat the British.

President of the Board of Managers at Leffingwell House, Dayne Rugh, dressed in Colonial garb during the unveiling and described the eventful life of Colonel Durkee. He was born in Windham, but moved to Norwich in his early 20s, and settled in the Bean Hill section of town, becoming a tavern owner, businessman, and farmer. He fought for the British colonies during all seven years of the French and Indian War, attaining the rank of major.

He then grew active in America’s fight against the British crown, becoming the leader of the Norwich chapter of the Sons of Liberty, the same so-called ‘secret’ organization led by Sam Adams and John Hancock in Massachusetts that fought Great Britain’s Stamp Act on its colonies.

Rugh said Colonel Durkee had unique leadership qualities, which earned him the nickname of the “Bold Bean Hiller.” Rugh added this was especially demonstrated in 1765, when he led a group of between 500 and 1,000 men who rode from Norwich to Wethersfield to confront the state’s leading Stamp Act agent Jared Ingersoll, forcing him to resign.

“Ingersoll had been harassed by anti-British supporters, and decided to ride from New Haven to Hartford to plead his case to the pro-British governor,” said Rugh. “Ingersoll had no protection with him, and when he saw he was vastly outnumbered when Durkee and his men confronted him, he surrendered. This was an incredible achievement for Durkee, and an ungodly illegal thing for him to do at the time.”

Durkee would serve in the Revolutionary War as the commanding officer of the 20th Continental Regiment and 4th Connecticut Regiment. He would see action at Bunker Hill, New York and New Jersey, and encamped with the Continental Army at Valley Forge. His active military career was cut short at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778 when a musket ball injury shattered his right hand. He served alongside fellow Norwich commander Jedediah Huntington at that time.

Colonel Durkee was discharged with honor, and died in Norwich in May 1782. He’s buried in Norwich’s Colonial Cemetery.

Rugh has done research on Durkee’s life, and had always wanted to bring more attention to it. He says he met Susan Durkee a few years ago at an event in Norwich, and about a year ago, her brother reached out to Rugh’s wife, Regan Miner, executive director of the Norwich Historical Society. “Robert Durkee remarked how great it would be for her sister to paint a portrait of her ancestor,” said Rugh.

Trouble was, there was no official likeness of him in existence. The only available images were some cartoons published after Colonel Durkee’s death, as well as an image on a medallion. But Susan Boone Durkee agreed to do it.

She says she was able to determine some facial features of her ancestor.

“He had a round, boyish face, and a little dimple in his chin. He had a funny hairdo as well,” she said. “I used the same proportions seen in the cartoon images, but pulled his eyes a little closer together, as they seemed too far apart.”

She had painted a portrait a few years ago of her father portraying Colonel Durkee.

“I basically used colonial type clothing in the painting, and put my father’s head on it,” she laughed.

Her father was very interested in genealogy, and her new portrait of her colonial ancestor is dedicated to her father, a World War II Air Force veteran who died in 2007.

“I’m sure he’s looking down and smiling, seeing I did the portrait,” she said.

“I wanted to do this portrait so that people could put a face on this American colonial hero,” the artist added.. “When you see the face with the name, it’s much more engaging, and creates a more lasting impression on people. I did feel I was doing an honor and service to my ancestor, since he has been a forgotten person.”

The portrait, which portrays Colonel Durkee as he would’ve looked in his uniform at the Battle of Monmouth, has been hung in the tavern room of the Leffingwell House Museum, the scene of many key meetings and discussions in the area during the colonial period.

“This is such a monumental achievement for Norwich history,” said Rugh. “We have an incredible rich amount of history here that either isn’t talked about a lot, or not acknowledged as it should be. What we know about Colonel John Durkee is dwarfed by what we don’t know. He hasn’t been properly researched. I hope to change that.”