Oliver Durfee, son of Lemuel Durfee Sr. and Prudence Hathaway, was born on August 5, 1792
in Palmyra, New York. During the War of 1812, Oliver was a corporal in Colonel Howell’s 39th Regiment of the Ontario County New York Militia.[1] He advanced in the militia to ensign and then captain. At age twenty-one, Oliver married Lucy Starkweather on January 9, 1814 in Palmyra. He served the Palmyra community as an overseer of highways in 1816, 1818, 1822-1823, and 1825-1827.
In 1817, Oliver was granted a deed from his brother Edward Durfee.[2] Oliver was listed in the 1820 US Federal Census as having a household of one male age 18-26, one male age 26-45, three females under age 10, one female age 10-16, and one female age 26-45.
In 1832, Oliver was granted a deed from his step-brother Gurdon Smith.[3] Several years later on October 21, 1838, Mary Durfee recorded in her diary—“Attended Meeting; Oliver Durfee & wife & Eliza came.”[4] On April 28, 1839, Mary Durfee penned, “Dined at Oliver Durfee’s attended the funeral of Susannah Durfee, widow of Job, who died of epidemic fever in 1812 – it was a silent opportunity; yet solemn to witness the last offices performed to a fellow mortal.”[5] A few days later on May 2, 1839, Mary Durfee penned, “We attended meeting only Oliver & Lucy Durfee & our selves.”[6] On June 20, 1840, Mary penned, “John & Prudence Hussey came here. Prudence D., Oliver D., Lucy, Roswell Nickles & Mary were here. I had a singular sensation had to leave our company & lied down.”[7]
Oliver and his brother Lemuel Durfee Jr. acted as his father’s executors in selling the Smith property to Mary Nichols in 1849.[8] On February 10, 1850, Oliver died after a long illness at age fifty-eight.[9] He was buried in the Durfee Cemetery in February 1850. His grave is near the gate of the cemetery. Also buried in that cemetery are his wife Lucy, and daughters Matilda, Almira, Abigail, and Maria.[10]
[1] Service Files, in National Archives War of 1812.
[2] Ontario County, NY Grantee Deed Index, 1789–1845.
[3] Ontario County, NY Grantee Deed Index, 1789–1845.
[4] Mary Durfee Diary.
[5] Mary Durfee Diary.
[6] Mary Durfee Diary.
[7] Mary Durfee Diary.
[8] Porter, “Dissertation: A Study of the Origins of the LDS Church in New York and Pennsylvania,” p. 107; Vogel, Early Mormon Documents, 2:49.
[9] “Died,” Palmyra Courier, February 27, 1850, in Durfee Scrapbook, No. 1, 1831–1863; Lemuel Durfee Sr. Bible.
[10] Old Durfee Burying Ground in Palmyra, NY.