Henry Duffett left England in his 16th year AD, 1848, took shipping May 21, landed at Orleans July 12, came to Richmond, Ray County,Missouri. He was born in Stalbridge; Dorsetshire, England.
Henry was the second of that name and the youngest child in the family. In 1848, accompanied by his wife and children, the father immigrated to the United States and came at once to Richmond, Missouri, where three weeks after his arrival he died at age of about 70. Six weeks after his demise, his wife passed away, when about 62 years old.
(Henry Duffett's mother and father were buried at the old Mormon Cemetery, north of Richmond on way to Milligan house.)
The death of his parents left our subject, at age of 16, orphaned in a strange land and among strangers. Forced to become self-supporting, he worked out by the day at whatever work he could find to do, and after a time learned the carpenters trade, which he followed for one year. Afterward he learned the blacksmith trade, at which he was engaged for three years. In 1853, the California fever seized him as it had so many thousands prior to that time, and with an ox-team, in company with forty companions, he crossed the great plains; leaving his home in May and reaching his destination in December. Locating in Los Angeles County in California, he worked at his trade until 1857, chiefly in the mountain sawmill. In 1857 he returned overland to Ray County where he established his home and raised his family.
Henry Duffett, a native of England (Dorsetshire) and Mary Ann (Molly), daughter of David and Almira Reavis, natives of the state of Tennessee. Mrs. Duffett was born in Missouri and her union resulted in the birth of 11 children, namely; George D., Alice A. (wife of George Hurst), Mary A (I.) (Mrs. Louis Snowden, Henry Snowden's mother), Emma J. (wife of John Reardon, Myrel Meador's mother), John William (deceased), Ellen (wife of William R Hardey, Esther Deeken's mother), David E., Charles W. who died at age 7 years, Ida Florence (mother of Roy, Milford, Emma, Allen and Gerald Stigall, the wife of Fred Stigall). Emma Florence Hurst was named after her, and Landrum Luther.
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