Duffey Family Tree

(1790-Now)

The first Duffey of my line is first known to us about 1790. His name was John Duffey. He arrived in Virginia on a ship that had left Cornwall, England. The ship records show a John Duffey arrived in Virginia, however boarding the ship was a John Duffield. It is believed this is the same person. Family history has always said John Duffey emigrated from Wales. Some say he came from a family who owned a tin mine in Wales.

John was married to Lady Mary Hall Deeble, who was from England, on March 17, 1796. The story is that Lady Mary Hall married Mr. Deeble against her parent's wishes. He was of the working class, and she bore him two children. Deeble got caught up in emmigration fever and left for Virginia to see if he could make his way. After awhile he sent for his wife and children. It is said that on the voyage over Mary met John and they became fast friends. Upon ariving in Alexandria, Lady Mary discovered her husband had died. The community felt much sympathy for the pretty young widow and found her a place as a teacher in a girl's school. After a time she renewed her friendship with John Duffey and in 1796 they were wed. They lived in Alexandria, Virginia and had at least three children, John, George, and Mary. George Hurd, my ancestor was born on September 11, 1800.

John Duffey advertised himself in Alexandria as a combmaker. In those days combs were often fitted to fine ivory and silver. He was also a silversmith of some note. There is mention of him in "Kovel’s American Silver Marks 1650 to the present", by Ralph and Terry Kovel, published in 1989 by Crown Publishers, Inc. Also in "Silversmith’s of Virginia" by George Barton Cutten. John Duffey made the ceremonial silver trowel that George Washington used to lay the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol building in 1793. This very same trowel went on to lay cornerstones at Smithsonian Institution, Washington National Monument, U.S. Supreme Court, National Cathedral in Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Masonic National Memorial, U.S. Dept of Commerce, Thomas Jefferson Memorial and many other places. This silver trowel, marble and wood gavel, and wood T-Square all crafted by my ancestor are preserved and on display at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria Virginia.

Lady Mary died March 17, 1808 from complications to childbirth. There had been several miscarriages and stillborn babies. John remarried later that year on September 14, 1808 to Mary Kinzell. The next year Mary Kinzell ran away taking many of John's precious belongings. We don't know when John Duffey died though my father was always told he was buried on the grounds of the old Presbytarian Meeting House in Alexandria. Another family story has John leaving Alexandria and moving his family to Philadelphia until his death. At that time his family moved back to Alexandria.

George Hurd Duffey (1800-1855) was also a silversmith though he was probably more known for his bellhanging and locksmithing. He was married to Rosina Lotz (1799-1897) who grew up at Mount Vernon. Her father was a landscape architect for George Washington. By the age of 5 Rosina was orphaned and adopted by her father's replacement at Mt. Vernon. It is said that a few days after her birth, as George Washington lie on his deathbed, he requested that she be brought to him to hold for a short time. At the time of Rosina's death she was the oldest woman living in Alexandria. The census of 1850 lists the following as living in Rosina and George Hurd’s house.

Not living with the family of George H. Duffey in 1850 is his eldest son, George Duffey. The 1850 census lists George and his family as follows.

This George Duffey lived from 1830 to 1896. He was married to the former Sarah C. Steele (1823-1890). All together he and Sarah had 15 children. One of them, a son, Charles Wills Duffey was born in 1854. He was my great grandfather.

George Duffey was also a silversmith. The Civil War broke out across the nation during his lifetime. He became a major and served under General Robert E. Lee in the field artillery. Major Duffey was present at Harper's Ferry, responsible for blowing up a bridge at the Battle of Manassas, and surrendered at Appamatox. During the war years he succeeded in saving the town's earliest records, including the surveyor's map used by Washington when he laid out Alexandria in 1748-49. Robert E. Lee is now buried at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA where there is a museum showcasing many of his belongings. Among these treasures are a pair of silver spurs crafted by Major George Duffey. These were made in garrison with whatever George Duffey could find to work with. Lee prized them highly wearing them for special occassions, including the surrender at Appamatox.

The seventh of Major Duffey's many children was Charles Wills Duffey. He lived from 1854 to 1932. As a youth he served as a Drummer-boy with the Confederacy, probably close by his father's side. Charles Wills married the former Josephine Diamond Hough, (1861-1948). Josephine was a direct decendant of Richard Hough who founded Buck's County, Pennsylvania in 1695 and served in the legislature with William Penn. They had 2 sons, Louis Nelson and Charles Edward as well as 2 daughters, Cora and Mary. Charles Edward Duffey was my grandfather.

Charles Edward Duffey was born in 1883. He died of consumption in 1907 living only 24 years. He was married to the former Mary Catherine Creegan (1886-1957). Charles was the father of two. Nelson Edward Duffey, my father, (1905-1991) and Margaret Duffey. Margaret was married twice but had no children. She did, however, dote on her niece and nephews.

Nelson Duffey was the first Duffey of my direct line to move away from Alexandria, VA since John Duffey first came in 1790. He worked for the government during WWII and met and married the former Doris Ann McGovern (1922-present) in San Francisco. They lived for a short time in Washington D.C. and in 1946 settled in Norfolk, Virginia. Nelson and Doris raised 3 children, Terrence Edward Duffey (1946), Thomas Owen Duffey (1949), and Margaret Ann Duffey (1953).

Nelson spent his years working for the government with the Internal Revenue Service. He died at the age of 86 of pneumonia, brought on by broken ribs received from a fall down the steps.

Terrence Edward Duffey (Terry) married Sandra Pinson Duffey in 1965. They divorced in 1977 and had two children, Theresa Ellen Duffey and Thomas Edward Duffey. He remarried in 1977 to Margaret Rose Hancock. They had no children. Thomas Owen Duffey (Tom) married Jane Douglas Grenfell in 1971. They had three children, Laura Douglas Duffey, Matthew Owen Duffey and Martha Elizabeth Duffey. Margaret Ann Duffey, myself, married Donald Francis Camden(1952) December 19, 1981 and had two children before divorcing in 1997. Their two children are, Kathleen Clair Camden (1982) and Paul Richard Camden (1984)

The Duffey Line

John Duffey (?-1878) Arrived in Virginia in 1790, wed Mary Hall Deeble on March 17, 1796.

George Hurd Duffey (1800-1855) wed to Rosina Lotz (1799-1897).

George Duffey (1820-1896) wed to Sarah Catherine Steele (1828-1890).

Charles Wills Duffey (1854-1932) wed Josephine Diamond Hough (1861-1948).

Charles Edward Duffey (1883-1907) wed Mary Catherine Creegan (1886-1957).

Nelson Edward Duffey (1905-1991) wed Doris Ann McGovern (1922) in 1945.

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Thanks to Pat's Web Graphics for this dogwood background. The Dogwood is the state flower/tree of Virginia.