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BRAXTON COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
November 26, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 316
EMERY B. DUFFIELD. It was at a time when development
and progress were Just reaching their full force that Emery
B. Duffield located at Burnsville. He had already demon-
strated business ability and shown foresight in fostering
and furthering enterprises in several sections where be had
a tentative home, but it was not until he located at Burns-
ville that he permitted his progressive ideas full scope for
expression which resulted in the founding and solid upbuild-
ing of a successful hardware enterprise. Like many another
successful man, he began at the bottom of the ladder, being
first a rural school teacher, and when he left that calling
worked with his hands, a fact of which he has never been
ashamed.
Mr. Duffield was born on a farm in Braxton County, West
Virginia, November 17, 1873, and is a son of Jonathan and
Martha (Hamric) Duffield. His father was born in the
same neighborhood, in 1848, and received his education in
the country schools, following which he helped his father
on the home farm until his marriage to Miss Hamric, who
was born in his home locality in 1844, and who, like her
husband, had a common school education. Following their
marriage they settled on a farm situated nine miles south-
west of Sutton, where Mr. Duffield through industry and
good management accumulated a good property, on which he
installed valuable and substantial improvements and there
rounded out a long, useful and worthy life, passing away
in 1900, when fifty-two years of age. A man of integrity
and public spirit, he had the respect and esteem of his
fellow citizens. He was a democrat in his political allegi-
ance. His religious faith was that of the Baptist Church, to
which belongs Mrs. Duffield, who survived him at the ad-
vanced age of seventy-eight years. They were the parents
of four children, of whom three are living in 1922: Henry
C., of Sutton; Tabitha, the wife of J. E. Baughman, of
that city and Emery B.
Emery B. Duffield received his education in the pub-
lic schools and resided on the home farm until he was
twenty-seven years of age. In the summer months he as-
sisted his father, but in the winter terms, from the time he
was sixteen years of age, he taught in the neighborhood
schools, and became widely and popularly known as an
educator. In 1903 he was elected superintendent of schools
of Braxton County, an office which he filled with credit
until 1907, in which year he located at Sutton and estab-
lished himself in the insurance business. This venture
occupied his time and attention until 1912, in which year
he came to Burnsville and established himself in the hard-
ware business, a line which he has followed with gratifying
success to the present time. In his modern and well-
arranged establishment Mr. Duffield carries a full line of
shelf and heavy hardware, furnaces, stoves, tinware, etc.,
and enjoys a large trade, attracted alike by the modern
stock, the popular prices and the genial and obliging na-
ture of the proprietor. Among his associates Mr. Duffield
is accounted a strictly reliable and capable man of busi-
ness and one who has succeeded through none of the prac-
tices of the business charlatan, but along strictly legitimate
channels of trade.
On December 27, 1902, Mr. Duffield was united in mar-
riage with Miss Nettie Shaver, and to this union there
were born two sons: Vanghn H. and Henry K., the for-
mer now attending Broaddus College. Mrs. Duffield died
in February, 1908, and Mr. Duffield married Miss Cora
Dulin. They have two daughters: Ethel and Martha.
Mr. and Mrs. Duffield are members of the Baptist Church,
in which he is a deacon and clerk, and in the work of which
he has been helpfully active. As a fraternalist he holds
membership in Crystal Lodge No. 125, I. O. O. F., and the
Grand Lodge. His political sentiments cause him to sup-
port the democratic party.
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