BIO: Alexander DUFF, Beaver County, PA
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Joe Patterson
Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver.html
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/beaver/bios/bbios.htm
Index for this bio book.
_________________________________________________________________
BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES. This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches
of Leading Citizens of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. Buffalo, N.Y.,
Chicago, Ill.: Biographical Publishing Company, 1899, pp. 25-28
_________________________________________________________________
ALEXANDER DUFF, Esq., justice of the peace of New Brighton, Pa., has in his
life time covered a wide range of experience, and has known much of men and
affairs in many fields of progress. He has been directly and indirectly
connected with several lines of business which have called forth the most
earnest effort and steady industry. In every one of these interests which
26 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
have claimed his time and attention he has manifested the qualities that
lead to success. At the present writing, he is enjoying the results of his
own thrift, and the rewards of a life well and usefully spent. Our subject
was born in Mercer, now Lawrence, county, Pa., July 21, 1832, is a son of
James and Jane (Boies) Duff, and grandson of William Duff.
William Duff was a native of County Down, Ireland. His parents died when he
was very young, and he accompanied his step-mother to America, and settled at
Turtle Creek, where he lived until he reached manhood. Sarah Duff, a cousin
of his, became his wife, and the young folks settled in Mercer, now Lawrence,
county, Pa., where they purchased a tract of land, for the most part heavily
timbered. When he decided to build a house, he could not get a team in the
county with which to move the logs, so the house was built by carrying the
logs, by main strength, to the place desired. Later, Mr. Duff built a large
log barn, which is still standing. He owned about 400 acres of land, about
200 of which, together with the homestead, is now the property of his
grandson, D. G. Duff. "Grandpa" Duff died at the age of about eighty-five
years and his good wife passed away at the age of eighty-seven. Their
children's names are: James; Oliver; Alexander; William; Mrs. Kildoo; Mrs.
Small; Mrs. Struthers; and Mrs. Caldwell, all now deceased.
James Duff, the eldest of the children, was the father of the subject of
this sketch. James was born in Turtle Creek, Allegheny county, Pa., in 1792,
and his wife was born the sameyear. Mrs. Duff's maiden name was Jane Boies.
She was the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Wilson) Boies. Her grandfather,
Col. Wilson, served in the Revolutionary War. James Duff received 8o acres of
land from his father, and after budding a log house and barn upon it, and
clearing a portion of the land, he sold his farm, and purchased another one,
again engaging in farming, which was his sole occupation during life. He was
an active, enterprising man, and served in township offices, also rendering
valued services to our country in the War of 1812, especially in connection
with the struggle on Lake Erie. He died in 1876, at the age of eighty-five
years, his death occurring only a few miles from his birthplace. The beloved
mother only lacked two months of being ninety-nine years old at the time of
her death, and was quite active up to the time of her last illness. On her
ninety-eighth birthday her son, Alexander, and his sister gave a reunion for
her benefit. That day she rode six miles and back. She loved company, and
everybody loved her. Her home was always a pleasant place to all,-her
disposition always happy. Hundreds of relatives and friends accepted the
invitation and attended the reunion,-the first of its kind ever held in
Lawrence county,-and a most joyous occasion.
This worthy and highly honored old couple were Associate Reformed
Presbyterians, and reared the following children: William, who was twice
married, - his first wife being Hannah Sherrer, and his second wife Jane
McClellan; Eliza, who was also twice married, -
BEAVER COUNTY 27
her first husband being Cyrus Williams, and her second husband James
Kildoo; James, who wedded Lucinda Brown; Sarah, wife of John Poak; Jane, wife
of Calvin Reed; John, who was also twice married, -his first wife being Eunice
Sherrer, and his second wife Mrs. Small; Matthew, who married Eliza Clark;
Mary, wife of B. F. Junkin; Alexander, the subject of this sketch; Lydia,
wife of Cyrus Field; and Samuel, who was killed at the Battle of
Fredericksburg. He was a private in Cooper's Battery.
Alexander Duff received his intellectual training in the public schools,
and started out in life as a farmer. He bought a part of his father's farm,
which was partly improved, built a new house upon it, and otherwise enhanced
its value, and then sold out to excellent advantage. This occurred in 1863;
Mr. Duff then purchased a Letter and more desirable farm in North Beaver
township, Lawrence county, Pa., and carried on farming and threshing,
-following the latter business fully twenty years. He enjoyed the
distinction of owning and operating the first Massillon thresher in Lawrence
county. Later in life, our subject entered the mercantile world by conducting
a general merchandise store at Moravia, where he also became station agent. As
his farm was located near by, he was enabled to oversee it and also give his
personal attention to his store. In addition to all this, he began dealing in
grain, which he continued for five years, during which he handled over 100,000
bushels each year.
In 1891, Mr. Duff sold his store to his son, C. W. Duff, and, renting his
farm, he removed to New Brighton, where he purchased a handsome residence on
Fifth avenue. On his farm, Mr. Duff not only made many improvements but
rebuilt the house and barns, and carries on a stock and poultry business. He
has 14 fine grade and full bred Jerseys, and a hennery 64x20 feet. He makes a
specialty of fancy stock, and eggs, having all his eggs stamped with date of
laying, thus insuring a fancy price. He rents his farm on shares and
practically conducts it himself. From 1872 to 1877, Mr. Duff served as
justice of the peace, and has also served as school director and in other
offices of his township. In 1895 he was elected justice of the peace of New
Brighton, and for the sake of having some light business to attend to, he
handles a fine line of wall papers.
Mr. Duff was united in marriage with Alkey S. Fulkerson, an attractive
daughter of Richard Fulkerson, of Lawrence county. She died at the age of
fifty-nine years, after, having reared the following children: William O.,
who is a coal dealer at New Castle, Pa., and wedded Rhoda Witherspoon, who
bore her husband one child, Iva, whom they lost; Alice C., wife of James
Young, of New Castle; Richard H., a graduate of the Cleveland Medical
College, and now a practicing physician of Erie county, Pa., who married Ella
Burwell, and has two children, Harold and Gail; Ella A., wife of Dodds
Campbell, a farmer of Lawrence county, Pa.; Edwin E., a prominent druggist of
New Castle, who
28 BOOK OF BIOGRAPHIES
married Annetta McCreary, - one child, Dorothy, having blessed their union;
Charles W., a shoe merchant of New Castle, Pa., who married Laura Gwin, and
has three children - Mabel, Fred, and Florence; Robert Frank, who was killed
in 1887, at the age of twenty years, by falling from a wagon; and Harry G., a
druggist of New Castle, who married Maree Jeckel, of Buffalo, New York. After
the death of his first wife, our subject contracted a second matrimonial
alliance, this time with Maggie E. Stuart, a daughter of John Stuart, of
Lawrence county. No issue resulted from this marriage.
Mr. Duff, since his residence in New Brighton, has identified himself with
the town's progress and development. He is a member of the First Presbyterian
church of that place, and is also an elder. In 1891, Mr. Duff took a trip
across the continent, visiting all the principal places of interest, and
spending about four months on the journey.