John Durkee

john durkee was an extraordinary man with many accomplishments to his credit. He was a dedicated community leader and a true citizen.

A native of Tunbridge, he became Tunbridge Volunteer Fire Department chief twenty years ago. He continues to be active with the department as well as in the community.

Early Life and Education

John Durkee was born in Windham, Connecticut in 1728. He relocated to Norwich as an adult and settled in the Bean Hill section of the city.

He was a noted officer of the Continental Army and leader of the Connecticut Sons of Liberty. His leadership, which earned him the nickname “the Bold Bean Hiller,” also led him to become an important figure in local history.

In 1765, he and his Irregulars rode from Norwich and area towns to Wethersfield to confront Stamp Act agent Jared Ingersoll and force him to resign. They escorted the resignation to Government House in Hartford where it was read followed by three shouts of huzzah!

Professional Career

Durkee’s professional career spans a diverse set of fields including international law, public-private interaction, global governance and the role of institutions. She teaches and researches in areas such as corporate law, international business law, international environmental law and outer space law.

She is the associate dean for international programs and director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center at the University of Georgia School of Law. She also holds the Allen Post Professorship.

Throughout her legal career, she has received awards for her scholarship and student journals. Her current research addresses a wide variety of substantive areas such as global governance, lobbying and public-private interactions that affect the content and success of international legal norms.

He earned the nickname “Bold Bean Hiller” for his heroics as a high-ranking officer in the Continental Army and the leader of the Connecticut Sons of Liberty. He led a group of 500 men who rode from Norwich to Wethersfield and captured the state’s chief Stamp Act agent, Jared Ingersoll, causing him to resign.

Achievements and Honors

Durkee was a pioneer in Norwich who served as an innkeeper, justice of the peace, and member of the General Assembly. He was a key figure in the battle for independence and a driving force in the Norwich area’s efforts to defeat the British.

In July 2007, a monument to him was dedicated on the town’s fourth of July, recognizing his service during the Revolutionary War. He was also a major player in the battle to defeat Jared Ingersoll, the state’s leading Stamp Act agent.

He received many awards throughout his life, including the Jackson College chemistry prize and the Margaret Durkee Angell and Henrietta Brown Durkee Scholarship Fund in Memory of Professor Frank W. Durkee, A’88, G’89, H’21, who was long chairman of the chemistry department at Jackson and a renowned chemist.

Personal Life

John Durkee was a well-known figure in the history of the state of Connecticut. He fought in the Revolutionary War and was a major in the Continental Army. He later relocated to Norwich, where he lived on Bean Hill.

He maintained a farm and a tavern. He also served as a justice of the peace.

In 1765, he was the leader of the local Sons of Liberty, a secret organization of radical patriots who rebelled against the British Stamp Act. They forced the resignation of the chief stamp agent in Connecticut and prevented the distribution of British stamps within their territory.

Net Worth

Durkee is a well-known writer who earned his fortune writing stories about sled dogs and the adventures they face in the cold winter. He is a member of the National Writers Union, and his most notable accomplishment was the writing of his novel Rides of the Midway, which became an instant classic. He also has another book titled Knife Fights With Ghosts, and is working on a compilation of short stories.

He was born in Windham, Connecticut, and later settled in the Bean Hill section of Norwich. He had no formal education, but his leadership in the Sons of Liberty, battle exploits, business acumen, and land-speculating led him to become a local legend. He was known as the Bold Bean Hiller. He died on June 23, 2016 in Yakima, Washington.