History of Tiverton, (Newport County) Rhode Island United States of America

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Biographies:

Job Durfee, jurist, was born in Tiverton, R.I., Sept. 20, 1790; son of Thomas and Mary (Louden) Durfee; and a descendant from Thomas Durfee who came from England about 1650 and settled on the island of Rhode Island. Job's father was a soldier of the Revolution, a member of the council of Governor Hancock, and chief justice of the court of common pleas of Newport county, 1820-29. Job was graduated with honor at Brown in 1813. He studied law with his father, was admitted to the bar in 1817, and was a representative in the general assembly, 1816-20. He was a representative in the 17th and 18th congresses, 1821-25. He was again a representative in the general assembly, 1826-29, and speaker, 1828-29. In 1833 he was again a state representative; was associate judge of the supreme court of the state, 1833-35, and chief justice, 1835-47. He received the degree of LL.D. from Brown in 1845, and was a trustee, 1837-47. He was married in 1820 to Judith, daughter of Simeon Borden, and their son, Thomas Durfee, afterward chief justice of the supreme court of Rhode Island, prepared Complete Works of Job Durfee, with a Memoir of His Life (1849). His memorable charge on treason, delivered to the grand jury at the time of the "Dorr War," was printed and widely circulated. He published: What Cheer, a poem (1832), and Panidea (1846). He died at Tiverton, R.I., July 26, 1847.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Benjamin Howland, senator, was born in Tiverton, R.I., in 1756. He was elected to the general assembly, to various town offices, and in 1804 to the U.S. senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Samuel J. Potter. He served in the senate from Dec. 5, 1804, to March 4, 1809. He died in Tiverton, R.I., May 9, 1821.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Nathaniel Briggs Durfee, representative, was born at Tiverton, R.I., Sept. 29, 1812; son of David and Patience (Cock) Briggs Durfee; grandson of David Durfee and of Col. John Cock of Tiverton, R.I.; and a descendant of Thomas Durfee, one of the early settlers of Portsmouth, R.I. His mother was a widow when she married David Durfee, having been previously married to Nathaniel Briggs of Tiverton. Nathaniel was educated at Newport, R.I., and engaged in farming in his native place. He was a member of the Rhode Island assembly for eleven years, and was a representative in the 34th and 35th congresses, 1855-59. He died at Tiverton, R.I., Nov. 9, 1872.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Thomas Durfee, jurist, was born in Tiverton, R.I., Feb. 6, 1826; son of Judge Job and Judith (Borden) Durfee; and grandson of Thomas Durfee and of Simeon Borden, both of them descendants of early settlers in Rhode Island. He was graduated at Brown university in 1846 and was admitted to the bar in 1848, settling in Providence. He was reporter of the supreme court of Rhode Island, 1849-53, and he served in the court of magistrates of the city of Providence, 1854-60, one year as associate and five years as presiding magistrate In 1863 he was representative in the general assembly from Providence, and speaker of the house. In 1864 he was chairman of the Rhode Island delegation to the convention that nominated Abraham Lincoln for President in 1864. In 1865 he was state senator. On June 1, 1865, he was chosen associate justice of the supreme court of Rhode Island and in 1875 was elected chief justice, retiring in 1891. In 1897 he was one of a commission of fifteen, appointed by the governor of Rhode Island, under a resolution of the general assembly, to revise the constitution of the state, and was chairman of the commission. The revision reported by it received the almost unanimous approval of two successive General assemblies, but when submitted to the people failed of adoption by the three-fifths vote required, though there was a large majority in its favor. He was made a trustee of Brown university in 1875, was chancellor, 1879-88, and a fellow from 1888. He was married, Oct. 29, 1857, to Sarah J., daughter of John and Sarah (Tiffany) Slater, and had one son. Samuel Slater Durfee, who was graduated from Brown university in 1880 and became a lawyer in Providence. Judge Durfee received from Brown university the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1875. He published: Reports of Cases in Supreme Court of Rhode Island (2 vols., 1851-53); Treatise on the Law of Highways (with J. K. Angell, 1857); The Village Picnic, and Other Poems (1872); Gleanings from the Judicial History of Rhode Island (1883); Some Thoughts on the Constitution of Rhode Island (1884); and Historical Discourse on the 250th Anniversary of the Planting of Providence (1887). In December, 1877, he delivered an oration at the dedication of the Providence county court-house, and in June, 1894, an oration at the dedication of the statue of Ebenezer Knight Dexter in Providence. He died in Providence, June 6, 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor