[Bird & Duke information for St. Dunstan Parish, Stepney, England]
[thanks Lynn Teague, Teague_L@bellsouth.net]
[posted 29 Apr 2004]


    William Dukes  christened 3 Oct 1684, son of Richard Dukes and Elizabeth
    William Dukes  christened 3 July 1622, son of Thomas Dewke and Elizabeth
    Henry Duck m.  Ellen Simper 14 Oct 1628
    Elizabeth Duke m. John Coxe 16 Jun 1623
    Elizabeth Duke m. John Redder 1 Sep 1635
    Peter Duck, christened 30 Jan 1660, son of John Duck and Frances
    James Duke m. Susan Herne, 17 Nov 1626
    Ann Duke m. William Skechly 14 Apr 1628
    Sarah Duke m. Abraham Smith  30 Aug 1638
    Sarah Duke christened 9 Oct 1639, son of Edward Duke and Ellinor


    John Bird marriage to Elizabeth Lane 26 MAY 1643
    John Bird married Anne Browne 29 SEP 1651
    John Byrd christened 9 Feb. 1623, son of Jno. and Eliz. Bird
    John Bird christened 14 Jul 1623, so of Wm. and Elizt. Bird
    Henry Bird m. Joanne Justice 26 Apr 1624
    Henry Bird m. Avis Fox 17 Oct 1631

    I seem to find that parish frequently when I'm looking for 17th century
English families. It must have been huge, and it may also have served an
area in which many families involved in trade with the colonies lived.

Also, at nearby St. Mary Whitechapel, Stepney:
    Wm. Bird, christening, son of Wm. Bird and Alice, 06 SEP 1635  
    Wm. Bird, christening, son of Henry Birde and Elizabeth, 21 Aug 1652
    Tho. Stagg christening, son of William and Alice Stagg, 21 Jul 1622

Thomas "Stagg" married Hannah "Clendon" on 20 Jan 1662 at St. Nicholas
Acons, London.

I don't have any information that would resolve your Murphy line issues.
This is one of three family lines (the others being the William Duke line of
Warren Co NC and the eastern Henrico Co VA Duke line) that posit close
relationships between the Byrd and Duke families. There must be fire behind
so much smoke. So far, however, I have found only the following definite
connections:
    The William Duke of Martin's Brandon-William Byrd of Martin's Brandon
connections.
    The James Duke-Mary Byrd marriage.
    The friendship between Capt. Henry Duke's widow Elizabeth Taylor Duke
and William Byrd II of Westover that is documented in his diaries.
    The continuing association between William Byrd of Westover and Col.
Henry Duke of Charles City County through the Royal Council and other shared
activities.