The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-09-17
DEATH OF E. q. DURFEE.

Ell urfee died at his residence IN this
city on Sunday morning, the 18th lnst-' q.
o'clock A. NJ, aged As wears and J months,
He leaves wife, one son and an adop'e"
daughter. He had been suffering Tor nearly
two wears with what is known as Brishts d.
sease of the kidneys. Hopes were enter
tanned Of his recovery until within lew
days of his death. Ills own strong VIII and
hope kept him alive longer than ordinary
men would have lived.
The death Of Mr.. Durfee Will ne sincerely
mourned by his family, our entire commit
nity, and a large number OF friends and ac-
opsintances from the Atlantic TO the Pa
cifc. He was a genial, noble, generous
hearted man. Educated as Quaker, he
was liberal in his views, and always spoke
with earnestness and deep feeling oil his early
social and religious associations. He did
no, theorize, but put in practice ms good
works. We had the fortune TO know him
personally Tor the last twenty-five years
Fourteen wears ago he came to Leavenworth.
The writer of this article was the only per-
son in X ansa. with whom he was acquainted
at that time. He brought Letter to us
from NJ. Martin, the President OF the Home
Insurance Company OF New York, certifying
that the firm OF Swift, Hurlbut q Co. was
responsible; also letter from Swift, Hurl'
but d Co. Mr.. Durfee at once engaged IL
the business OF buying furs, robes and hIde'
and shipping them to Swift, Hurlbut * Go
In New York. He had small means, and
usually shipped his stock, taking therefor 4
blu of lading or receipt, and makinga draft
ON the New York house, he would come 10
ia and with our endorsement he would draw
the money, usually OF the banking house oil
Scott, Kerr & Co. These drafts ranged
from $50 to $1,000 each. The fur trade
becoming Of great importance and his busi-
ness increasing, he made arrangements with
par,ie, in New York to conduct business on
a larger scale, and established agencies or
trading posts among the Indians.
His business continuing prosperous, lie
again branchcd out, establishing trading
posts up the Missouri river, and buying oAe,
two, three and finally line OF steamers
TO run from St. Louis up the Missouri
river to the Rocky Mountains.
The bold, dashing enterprise displayed by
him, eliminated in the final buying out OF
the entire business Of the Great American
Fur Company" A company that had Tor
wears C. ntrolled tie trade OF the Museum
Some time before this he associated with
him his brother-in-law, c. X. Peek, i-sq., of
Dubuque, Iowa. Under the name OF Dur
Ice & Peck the firm made heavy govern
ment contracts Tor Indian goods and freight
ing. often involving half a million OF dollars.
The firm is to day the heaviest fur and robe
company in the West.
The firm is credited with having been
uniformly successful in all their business
undertakings. From small business COM
menced only fourteen years ago an immense
trade has grown, extending from the Indian
country on the south, 10 the sources "i the
Missouri on the north.
The death of Commodore puriee tas he
has in later years been called VIII be Keen
" felt by our entire community. On We'd
nesday they will follow his remains to
Mount Muncic sadly, it is true, but with
pleasing memories of the honorable lie now
closed.