Edmond Franklin Durfee

(1866 – 1942)

Edmond Franklin Durfee was born October 5, 1861 in Springville, Utah County, Utah. He moved to Aurora,with his family in 1875 when his father, Jabez Durfee, was called to be the first Bishop of all Aurora, Sevier County, Utah, which office he held until his death. From May 1883 through 1884, Edmond served a mission in what was then called the Northern States mission. The sum contributed to him by his friends amounted to $11.50. He labored in Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois.

One year after his return home he married Nancy: on December 10, 1885 in the Logan Temple. During the next five years they lived on the farm and did some freighting by teams. They also had been blessed with two boys and two girls, but one of each was taken by death.

In the spring of 1891 they decided to move to Mexico. Ellen’s mother, Catherine Fahy Martin, left in May. The following summer was spent preparing for the move, and on October 9 they left by train and chartered some cars. On November 9, 1891 they arrived to brother Franklin Spencer’s home in the Corrales (Pacheco), Mexico having traveled by team and wagon from Deming, New Mexico onto Corrales where they were met by Mother Martin and Ellen’s sister, Hannah Jane Spencer. On the last lap of the trip before reaching Corrales, Edmond was kicked by one of the horses and got his leg broken. He was administered to buy brother Spencer and George Teasdale, who anointed the leg with oil, the pain ceased, but for six weeks he could not walk on it. Before leaving Utah he had learned the profession of cobbler, and goodness knows there were many who needed shoes, so he lost no time in filling the needs and shoeing bare feet. He was fond of reading and of doing his duties in the Church.

From his diary:

Fast Sunday) brother Spencer and family, Mother Martin, Apostle George Teasdale, myself and family went to Pacheco to meeting, and ate dinner with the John Kartchners. After six weeks I was back to farming and making ditches and reservoirs. At Conference in February 1892 I was called to be a home missionary in my life, Nancy Ellen, to be counselor to the Stake President of the YWMIA.. We lived in a two-room house in November 1892.

He was called to be Counselor to the Superintendent of Sunday School in Pacheco. On December 24, the Sisters work at having a public Christmas tree. It was beautiful and was loaded with presents (home-made). Edmond made and gave thirteen pairs of shoes and carpet slippers to children and elderly people. He was the first Santa Claus of the mountain colonies. Each person received a present. He spent his time in farming, shoemaking, and church duties as Ward Teacher, Home Missionary, second counselor in the YMMIA and Second Counselor brother Samuel W. Jarvis of the Sunday School.

In the spring of 1893 he rented land and planted on his own, hoping to raise a good crop; but with a late spring, and very little rain, and hot sun with an early frost in the fall, the farm was a failure. He hired two men to cut the corn for feed. He went Colonia Juarez to hunt work and to get flour. They had been living on cornbread mostly, even corn gravy and very little of it; not Adesa flour in the house for months. He got a job on a thrasher and was away from home on his job at Christmas time.

From his diary again: Now I will have my wife tell of an incident that happened in my absence:

December 25, 1893 Christmas morning at half came in my door and I opened it. I saw Patriarch Henry Lunu on a horse, he was well wrapped for it was early and very cold; he asked if brother Durfee was in, I answered, “He is in the valley trying to get or earn some flour” and I insisted on him coming in, but he said, “No, no, Dear Sister I have come with a message from the Lord to him. Why, bless my heart, I had no idea of hunger and suffering you have endured until the Lord showed it all to me last night and I have walked the floor, waiting for daylight that I might come and deliver the blessing of the Lord promised you. Tell brother Durfee that the Lord is pleased with him in the way he had shared his scanty portion with others. Get in a good lot of seed, plant every foot of land he can, every hill of corn, squash, potatoes and beans he can, for the Lord is going to give him a bounteous harvest, and bless your heart, help him all you can and I bring you the promise that you shall never suffer for food, neither you nor your animals in the future as you have in the past, and you shall be able to pay all obligations and live.” As soon as Brother Durfee came I told him and did all I could to help plant the seeds and rejoice in the blessing and had faith it would be fulfilled

While working I was successful in earning wheat took it to the mill and went home rejoicing with flour for my family. When I reached home and heard of the blessing promised, I did as I was bid. In February 1894 I took my wife, Nancy Ellen, and children to Conference at Colonia Juarez.  We attended both meetings. Apostles John Henry Smith, George Teasdale and Brigham Young, Jr. were all present. We had a time of rejoicing, a feast of the spirit. Sunday we attended both meetings and the evening meeting Monday, February 26. My wife was set apart by apostle George Teasdale as Second Counselor to sister Dora W. Pratt over the Y.W.M.I.A. of the Mexican Mission.  June 28 came the first showing of rain, but the crops were growing good. That fall we had a bounteous harvest. When the plow ran down the rows potatoes, the ground was nearly covered with large white potatoes, our crop being over 400 bushels and we sold them all but our seed and our family needs for 4 cents a pound. We paid off all our debts and obligations. I testify that the promise was fulfilled.

In 1895 he was made Superintendent of the Sunday School. During this time they were blessed with another son and daughter. They were both born in Corrales. In August, 1895 he took his wife and baby, all of us, and a load of potatoes to Chihuahua City to sell. They went by way of Galeana where Brother Spencer and two wives were located. After spending a few days looking at lands and visiting, they decided to go in with Brother Spencer and buy some land. They returned to Corrales for their household goods. On May 5, 1896 (Mexican National holiday). After a jolly good time, they packed and move down to the Valley and lived on the farm called El Torreon near the Mexican town of Galeana. They bought the farm with an old Mexican Hacienda on it, which consisted of large adobe rooms built around a square, all opening to the inner yard or patio with a water well in the center. It had large double doors to go out and in on the east and west. The old house was built on the point of the hill and was used formally in Indian times for a tower to overlook the valley. Some rooms were in good repair, others were not. There were beautiful clear springs that came from a hill about 3 miles above the house. Thousands of dollars had been spent by town people to get water to this house, but failed. Because of this failure Edmond and brother Spencer secured a right-of-way, in writing, free of charge, to cross the farms of other landowners.

Because of his knowledge of surveying and ditch making Edmond brought the water directly to the house as well as to all parts of the farm for irrigation. It was a great opportunity for him to teach the natives how to irrigate to raise gardens. After the water problem was solved he went to Juarez to Conference, and got a wagon load of trees, berry fruits, grape cuttings, and flour roots and seeds. That place soon began to “blossom like the rose.”

That winter Mother Martin and Chloe C. Spencer and Joseph A. Spencer, the two wives of Brother Spencer, and his son and wife all moved down and lived in the Mexican Hacienda. They had peace, love and harmony, endeavoring to keep the commandments of God and set a worthy example. During the winter months the children attended school in Colonia Dublan. Edmond bought a thresher and introduced a better way of threshing than running horses in a circle to stomp the wheat out of the straw with so much waste. August 1897 they were threshing in El Valle when a man came with a message for his wife from her sister, Hannah J. Spencer, stating that Mother Martin was very sick.

From his diary:

I took my wife and family and went as fast as possible to Galeana. She was very sick and September 17, 1897 passed away, leaving a great vacancy in the heart of all who know her, such a patient, cheerful, helpful, sweet disposition woman. October 21, 1898 we had a new baby girl join us; Angeline, born in Galeana. Each years labors were much a routine of the past year.

In the fall of 1900 he rented a house and moved his wife and family over to Dublan. Her health was very poor and she was an expectant mother. February 2, 1901 they were blessed with a fine boy, Ralph. In the fall of 1902 not being able to find a house to rent, they moved to an upstairs room over Erastus Durfee’s blacksmith shop in Dublan, climbing up and down a ladder, there being no stairway. Every drop of water had to be carried one-half block and up the ladder. The heat came from a small camp stove, besides heating water for bathing, washing and cooking the meals for a family of seven. After using the water it had to be carried down the ladder and thrown out. All day long the Bellows report as the flames sent the fumes and smoke of the buffalo chips straight into  the roof. The clang of the anvil rang through the air as the hammer pounded the irons into shape. There was no north wall or petition to stop the sound or smoke. They lived there all winter.

From his diary read:

We had worked in company with brother Spencer from the time we bought the place, but decided not to set a price and give or take; so he and son Joseph bought me out. So when I move back to Galeana for the summer I moved into a house known as Altita nearer Galeana town.  In 1902 we took a little Mexican girl to raise. I rented cows and ran a farm and my bees, made molasses and ran the pressure. During the summer we built a brick house into Dublan and that fall we moved in with boards laid on the floor supports to walk on and a wagon cover overhead and they continued building while we were living there.

On December 12, 1908, Edmond was ordained a High Priest in Dublan by Harry M. Payne. About this time his wife was called and set apart as a Mexican Missionary with brother Ammon Tenney as President of the Mexican Mission. The custom was to go in a group for two and three week trips visiting among the people and holding meetings in all the towns they visited. He kept the team and a light carriage always ready to take them on these trips. Brother Tenney often remark he was a missionary of deed, but he didn’t have control of the language.

On June 1, 1908 his wife went Salt Lake City as a representative from the MIA of Juarez Stake of Zion. She was gone two months, leaving two-year-old baby Fahy Martin in her husband’s care. She spent two glorious months enjoying the spiritual uplift of the June Conference, the association with the General Authorities, with her relatives and friends over the state, and returned home again in August, well and happy.

From his diary:

November 1908 I took my wife and daughter Luella and went to Sonora in company with the Stake Presidency. My wife, Nancy Ellen, being appointed to go visit the Y.W.M.I.A. of the Sonora Colonies. We joined the Juarez folks west of Dublan. Counselor Hyrum S. Harris rode with us. We had a nice trip, only cold and windy one day. President Junius Romney and Counselor Charles E. McClellan had great sport hunting and furnishing all the quails we could eat. We saw a bunch of antelope and two nimrods trying to get a shot at them; they got their clothing full of cactus thorns but failed to get the game. We reached Colonia Oaxaca after dark; the hall was all lit up for a dance. We stayed at Bishop Haymore’s and after supper all went to the dance. Arrangements were made to hold meetings on a return trip. Next morning we went to Morelos and my family stayed with my sister, Maria E. Van Leuven and family. We had a good visit with them, attended a meeting that night and the next day and night. Then we returned to Oaxaca, held meetings, reorganize the Y.W.M.I.A. and had a dance at night. All seem to enjoy your visit; we returned home the first week in December. My wife, being a practical nurse, where ever we travelled there were people she could help.

During four years they lived in the midst of war and had heard the cannon roar, the rapid firing machine guns, and army rifle noises when Casas Grandes was taken and had lived in the midst of revolutionists. They never knew what moment there outfits would be seized, but had been blessed up to this time and had been able to live and maintain themselves.

From his diary:

On July 26 and 27 I went to the field, plowing as fast as I could. About 4 p.m. Saturday Clyde Pierce, our neighbor boy, came to tell me and told me that Bishop Thurber had sent him for me. The rebels had surrounded us and we were to deliver up our arms and ammunition to the meeting house where the red-flag officers received them and I was to come and deliver mine! I learned they had a cannon set on our town on the North and South and were surrounded by armed soldiers. When I got to the house I found my wife packing a small trunk, one daughter helping her and the others making cookies and food to take. I gathered up my ammunition that I had hid, the rifle and Mama’s little .38 pistol which she had carried in a pocket from the time she came from Utah. When I reached the meeting house, Demetrio Ponce, the old Mexican we called “Chicken Thief” was headman. The latter had done so much stealing from us at Galeana. Many times my wife had shut over his head to let him know someone was on guard. Now when he saw them (guns) he took one in each hand and looked at them, then it me from head to foot and a satisfied expression came on his face; he had us in his power for he had hundreds of men under his control and us unarmed. I didn’t feel pretty good, and dear Mother felt worse. She prayed our Father in Heaven to protect us until we were safe from them. There are many who remember the last night we spent in Dublan, the spot we loved, the homes we left. But thanks to the Lord for courage to press on.

In the lumber shed at El Paso the Durfee’s gave faithful service. They knew the people from all over the Mission and Stake and were put in as advisors to help people get located and settled. That first night one old man lost his mind and was carried out by policemen. There were many miscarriages and confinements, and the Durfee’s were with them to serve, comfort and bless. Nancy Ellen supervised the cooking of the meals, to see that all able-bodied women and girls have the opportunity and duty to help serve. Being so well known in El Paso, she found jobs for many young women. Many of their friends turned off their help and hired the Mormon girls. She served in the Y.W.M.I.A .until her death May 28, 1916. Edmond Durfee found work in the cantaloupe fields for the boys who were privileged to write out in the luggage or boxcars and he went as supervisor. His last 10 to 15 years were spent working in the Salt Lake Temple for the dead. He died December 12, 1942; father of 10 children, one foster child, and all had temple marriages.

Olive D. curfew, daughter

Stalwarts South Of the Border Nelle Spilsbury Hatch page 137