Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 03.djvu/372

 DUKFEE

DClJir AM

and steel castings under patents i)urehased in Euroi)e. In 1^87 lie was made general manager of the Pennsylvania diamond drill and manu- facturing company of Birdsboro, Pa., where he erected large additions to their plant. He subse- (juently became connected with the C. AV. Hunt manufacturing company of West New Brighton, N.Y., as superintendent, and afterward opened an oJHce as consulting engineer and exjiert in patent causes. He was electetl a member of the Americiiu association for the advancement of science in 1880; of the American institute of mining engineers in 1876; of the American society of mechanical engineers, April 7, 1880, of which he was manager, 1883-86, and vice-presi- dent, 1896-5)8; was elected a member of the Franklin institute in 1871 ; of the Iron and Steel institute of Great Britain in 1875, and an asso- ciate of the U.S. naval institute in 1885. He died at Middletown, X.Y., Nov. 14. is9n.

DURFEE, Zoheth Shearman, manufacturer, was born in Fall River, Mass., April 22, 1831; son of Thomas and Delight (Shearman) Durfee. He was educated at the Friends academy, New- Bedford, and learned the blacksmith trade and afterward was associated with his father and uncle in that business. His investigation of the process of manufacturing steel direct from pig- iron, invented by Joseph Dixon, made at the recjuest of New Bedford capitalists, led him to a careful studj- of the different processes for the manufacture of steel then known, and he decided that William Kelly of Eddyville, Ky., was the original and first inventor of the process claimed by Henry Bessemer of England; and in connec- tion with Capt. E. B. Ward of Detroit, Mich., he at once secured control of Kelly's patent and went to England to purchase Bessemer's rights in the United States. In this he failed, but his investigation disclosed the fact that the inven- tion of Robert Mushet was essential to the suc- cessful conduct of both the Kelly and Bessemer processes. He organized a company on his return to the United States to protect and use Kelly's patent. In 1863 he again visited England and secured control for the United States of the Mashet patent. While in England experimental steel works were erected from the plans and uniler the supervision of his cousin, W. F. Durfee, C.E., at Wyandotte, Mich., and in these works were produceil the ingots from which the first steel rails ma<le in the United States were rolled. Mr. Z. S. Durfee originated the idea of melting the pig-iron for the converter charge in a cupola instead of reverberatory furnace and his experiments led to its general employment for that purpose. In 1866 the rival patentees formed the Pneumatic steel as.sociation and Mr. Durfee became secretary and treasurer, continu-

ing in oflice during tlie remainder of his life. For a time previous to 1868 he superintended the steel works of Wlnslow & Griswold in Troy, N.Y., in addition to his duties as the business secretary of the Pneumatic steel association. He was the pioneer in the introduction of the manu- facture of Bes.semer steel in America and no other man did more effectual work in hastening the day of cheap steel. He held patents for various improvements in the machinery used in the manufacture of iron and steel. He died in Providence, R.I.. June 8, 1880.

DURHAM, John Stephens, diplomatist, was born in Phihuielpliia, Pa., July 18, 1861; son of Samuel and Elizabetli (Stephens) Durham. His parents were well educated negroes, as were his ancestors, two of whom. Clayton and Jeremiah Durham, were associated with Bishop Allen in founding the African Methodist Episcopal church in 1816. His maternal grandfather, William Ste- phens, was run out of Virginia for complicity in the Nat Turner uprising, lived in Philadelphia, and for thirty years was an active worker in the imderground railroad and other abolitionist movements. John was graduated from the In- stitute for colored youth, Philadelphia, Pa., in 1876. He taught school in Penn.sylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and in 1881 entered Towne scientific school. University of Pennsylvania, receiving his B.S. degi-ee in 1886. He was awarded the sophomore declamation prize in his class, was editor of the University Mayazine, reporter on the Philadelphia Times, a night superintendent of registry division in the Philadelphia post-office, and from 1886 to 1890 was a.ssistant editor on the Philadelphia Evenimj BuUitin. In 1890 President Harrison appointed him U.S. consul at Santo Domingo, W.I., and in 1891 to succeed Frederick Douglass as U.S. minister resident and consul- general to Hayti. He resigned in 1893, but the resignation was not accepted by President Cleve- land until later in 1893, when Henry M. Smythe of Virginia was ai)pointeil his successor.

DURHAM, Milton Jamison, representative, was born in Mercer county, Ky., 'Mixy 16, 1824; son of Benjamin and 3Iargaret Durlvam, and grandson of Jolin and Mary (Hurley) Durham. He was graduated from the Indiana Asbury uni- versity in 1844, received his A.M. degree in 1847, and in 1850 was gi-aduated from the Louisville law school. He jiractised law in Danville, Ky., and was a circuit judge, 1801-62. He rei)resented his district in the 43d, 44th and 45th congres.ses, 1873-79. He was first comptroller of the treasury of the United States 1885-89, under appointment of President Cleveland, resuming his law practice in Louisville, Ky., at the end of his term of office and afterward removing to Lexington, Ky., where he continued in practice.