Abraham and Ursula Curtis Durfee

Abraham, the eleventh child of Edmund and Lana Durfee, was born 14 Nov 1826, in Amboy, Oswego County, New York.  Ursula, the 12^th child of Enos and Ruth Curtis, was born 14 Dec 1926, in Sullivan, Tioga, PA.  He was 4 and she probably about the same age when their parents were baptized, so they grew up in the Church, albeit during the extremely volatile early years of the Church. 

He was apparently baptized in 1839, at the age of 13, and they were sealed 5 May 1853, at the age of 27.  We apparently have no record of her baptism.  No doubt as a consequence of incomplete records, temple ordinances were performed for them by proxy, he was baptized 12 May 1934, endowed 22 Feb 1935, and sealed to his parents 31 May 1952.  On 4 Jan 1882, at the age of 55, she was sealed to her parents in the St. George Temple.  In the Salt Lake Temple, she was baptized and endowed 11 June 1931 by proxy. 

Abraham and Ursula were each 19 when they married in 1846 in Carterville, Pottawattamie, Iowa.   

Abraham had two additional wives, Mary Langley Turner, married 5 May 1853 in SLC, and Alas Langley, married 7 Apr 1857, SLC.  Mary Turner bn abt 1836 at Williamstown, Oswego.  Alas Langley bn abt 1839 at Williamstown, Oswego, NY.   Married Ursula Curtis, 1846, (div) ss 5 May 1853 ehous.  26 august 2013 by colescottcameron1

Ursula died 20 Jun 1902, at the age of 75, in Springdale, Washington County, UT, and Abraham died 14 Dec 1905 in Lava Hot Springs, ID, at the age of 79, if he was born in 1826, but his obituary said he was 83. 

Wife #1 (Ursula) & her family considered Abraham "dead" after he was excom & divorced in early 1860's-apparently using that date as his death date. Abraham is found in 1880 Census in Provo, UT. A cousin found him in Army during Civil War in Nevada-then Malad. Years ago I came across a very old hand-written genealogical sheet in "old," archives in SLC with the death date of "1909 in McCammon, Idaho" WITH A QUESTION MARK. Probably was submitted by a descendent of wife #2 who was lost to Wife #1's family. (I heard suggestions they may have settled in Washington, but by hunch, I "suspect" eastern Wyoming) I was told in a telephone visit with Abraham's eldest living granddaughter (through his son, Gus) in 1970's that she remembered her grandfather visiting the family in Lovell, Wyo in abt 1909 when she was abt 5. She was frightened because he was very old, long beard, stranger, and walked with a cane. An Abraham Durfee lived around the Oxford, Idaho area about that time-it's close to McCammon. Any ideas NOTE: Abraham's first wife, Ursula Curtis Durfee Gifford was buried in Shonesburg close to Springdale, Washington, Utah -- but Abraham lived around the Oxford, Idaho, Lava, Idaho, Pocatello, Idaho area and more than likely he wouldn't be in the Springdale, Shonesburg area -- unless by chance he visited the area to see his children. Does anyone have a source of a sure death date and place as with a sure burial date and place? 10 August 2010 by Larry K Coleman

Abraham durfee was buried by the "Grand Army of the Republic". G.A.R. in Richland twp, Vestaburg, Montcalm co., Michigan He was in the Army in Ohio and the Nevada Volunteer Calvary. Discharged 20 June 1866.  Lived in Lava, Id. Got Pneumonia.  Dr. Bean and two friends came to Lava and brought him to Pocatello, Idaho, where he died 14 December 1905.  26 August 2013 by JulieMiller1

He may have been born June 3, 1824. One researcher states incorrectly that he died in IL, in 1862. According to Phyllis Elmore he died in Idaho, and lived in the area of McCammon or Malad, IdahoTerritory. Her e mail address in March 2001 was pwelmore@esva.net. When the U. S. 1850 census of District # 21, Pottawattamie County, IA, was taken Abram Durphy's family was Abram 25, born VT, Shuler (Ursula) 22, born VT, and Shuler (Ursula) 4, born IL, also a Juliett Avery 10, born IL. Living nearby in that same district were John's widow Sarah and Abraham's brothers Nephi, and Ephraim. Abraham was also listed on the U. S. 1850 census in Provo, Utah County, UT. He was a farmer and there were 3 people in his family. When the U. S. 1870 census of Springville, Utah County, UT, was taken, Jabez's family was Jabez, Jabez E., Enos C. (prob. Eliel), Almira D., Celestia, Mahala (poss. John Davaldi?), Maria E., Ursula, and Ursula J.  Ursula and Ursula J. were the wife and daughter of Abraham. When the U. S. 1860 census of Fairfield, Cedar County, UT, Abraham's family was Cementha, George, Mary, Melvin, Parley, and Sarah D.  On June 21, 1863, Abraham enlisted as a private in B Company, 1^st Battalion, Nevada Volunteer Cavalry. He was discharged June 20, 1866. On March 20, 1880, he applied for a pension based on that service. National Archives Civil War Pension Files. Abraham was listed on the 1870 census in Provo, Utah County, UT, and was a carpenter. He had seven people in his family and was age 45. Some of the information on this family is from Mrs. Joyce Calvello of Bakersfield, Kern County, CA, in 1985, and Mrs. A. N. Fontana of Portland, Multnomah County, OR, in 1985.

26 August 2013 by WarnkeKayeLucille14 [cdurfee3881940]

They had six children.  Their first, Clestia Ann, was born 21 Sep 1847, in Carterville, Pottowattomie, IA (Winter Quarters), but died 6 Jul 1850 just after their second, Mahala Ruth, was born 17 May 1850, in Carterville, Pottowattomie, IA.