The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 692
A portrait of Edward H. Duffy appears in this publication.

EDWARD H. DUFFY.

Edward H. Duffy, of Midvale, has not only been successful along agricultural
lines but also been in mercantile enterprises. Moreover, he has assisted in
promoting social and public life and has become particularly well known in
connection with the Knights of Pythias lodge in Yakima, which he helped to
organize. He is a well informed and well read man who has gained much experience
and knowledge through travel, having visited most parts of the United States. A
native of Pennsylvania, he was born near Darlington, in Beaver county, January
10, 1866, his parents being John and Mary (Haddie) Duffy, the former a native of
Ireland, while the latter was born in Scotland. The parents were married in the
land of hills and heather but in 1862 decided to emigrate to the new world and
in that year went to Pennsylvania, where they made their home throughout the
remainder of their lives, both passing away in that state. Although the father
was a- butcher by trade he also took up agricultural labors and was quite
successful along both lines of occupation.

Edward H. Duffy was reared in Pennsylvania and in that state attended the public
schools. After laying aside his textbooks he took up the boilermakers' trade,
which he thoroughly learned, but subsequently decided not to follow that
vocation and at the age of eighteen removed westward to Illinois, where he
worked on farms for wages for a short time. In the same year, 1884, having heard
favorable reports in regard to New Mexico, he decided to go to that state and
there was engaged in mining for two years. Fortunes being made in old Mexico,
these reports decided him to try his luck in that country, which remained his
home for a year and a half, being engaged in mining at Durango. He subsequently
returned to New Mexico, where he continued to follow the same line of
occupation. Another change took him to Wyoming, where he was connected with a
cattle ranch, and subsequently he obtained a position in connection with the
smelters in Anaconda, Montana. All these removals covered about four years, his
entrance into the state of Washington taking place on February 28, 1888, when he
located in Roslyn, where for about four years he was engaged in mining. The year
1892 finds him again in Montana, but later he returned to Roslyn and in April,
1898, undertook the hazardous trip to Alaska, being for four and a half years
connected with that far northern empire of riches. While he did not acquire
millions in the north he did fairly well, far outstripping the average, and in
the fall of 1902 returned southward, taking up a homestead in October of that
year, buying a relinquishment. This land, comprising one hundred and sixty
acres, situated two miles south of Sunnyside, had been homesteaded seven times
before and everyone else had given up the work of further cultivation. However,
the enterprising spirit of Mr. Duffy was not so easily conquered. On the
contrary he set himself seriously to the task of making this a valuable property
and how well he has succeeded is evident from its present value. He now has
water for about one hundred acres and forty acres are in a high state of
cultivation. In 1907 the Union Pacific Railroad Company built a track across the
farm and put a station here called Midvale. Mr. Duffy has opened a country store
here and in July, 1915, a postoffice was established and he has since been
postmaster. As the years have gone by he has rapidly developed his property, not
passing up anything that may be of value to its further improvement. He built a
good house, suitable and commodious barns and other outbuildings, which
unfortunately were destroyed by fire in 1919. He has installed modern machinery
and other equipment which make his a modern, twentieth century farming
establishment. He raises alfalfa, potatoes, rutabagas and beets and also gives
considerable attention to apiaries, marketing a high grade of honey. Moreover,
he acts as assistant at the depot.

In 1906 Mr. Duffy was married to Mrs. Alma (Neuling) Delea, a native of New
Jersey and a daughter of August and Clara Neuling. To this union three children
were born: Tessie, Ray and May. Mrs. Duffy also has a son by her former
marriage, Eugene, who is thirteen years of age.

Mr. Duffs has always taken a helpful part in public affairs and has ever had at
heart the progress and development of his section of the state. He is a democrat
in his political affiliations and has ever supported the principles and
candidates of that party but has never sought office for himself. Fraternally he
stands high in the Knights of Pythias, of which he has now been a member for
thirty years, having held all of the chairs in the lodge. He helped to organize
the local lodge at Yakima and also was a representative to the Grand Lodge at
Olympia, Washington, in 1894. He is a member of the Grange, where he meets those
from whom he receives valuable information, giving out as well from his own
rich store of experiences. He is a successful rancher and merchant, a loyal
American and a man who has become thoroughly imbued with the western spirit of
enterprise. Although his educational privileges were limited in his youth he has
become a well informed man, having traveled extensively in this country and
possessing the valuable gift of ready observation and assimilation.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in December 2007 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.