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Biographical History of Cherokee County, Iowa
W. S. Dunbar & Co., Chigago - 1889

[page 506-507]

    CHARLES A. DURKEE, contractor and house-mover, Cherokee, Iowa, was
    born in Rutland County, Vermont, august 22, 1833, and is the son
    of OEL B. and HARRIET (BAIRD) DURKEE, also natives of the State of
    Vermont.  His father was a carpenter by trade, but in later years
    turned his attention to farming.  In 1844 he removed with his family
    to Wisconsin, and remained there two years; he then went to McHenry
    County, Illinois, where he spent the remainder of his days.  His death
    occurred in Cherokee, February, 1881.  The mother had died when our
    subject was seventeen years old.  CHARLES A. passed his school days
    in Vermont, Wisconsin and Illinois, and when he left school began to
    work at the carpenter's trade.  In 1853 he took a trip to California,
    where he spent seven years.  It was there that he met with the serious
    accident which deprived him of his right hand and eye.  In 1856 there
    was a premature discharge in blasting some rock, of which he was the
    unfortunate victim.  He returned to McHenry County, Illinois, in
    December, 1860.  In 1862 he was married to Miss MARY RYAN, a daughter
    of JOHN RYAN, then a resident of McHenry County, Illinois, but now of
    Cherokee, Iowa.  Her mother's maiden name was NANCY LANNON.  After his
    marriage he settled in McHenry County, and resided there until his
    removal to Butler County, Iowa.  In May, 1869, he came to Cherokee
    and took a homestead in Rock Township, returned to Butler County and
    removed his family to the new home.  Times were hard, and he had little
    money to carry his family through the coming winter.  He secured a job
    of putting the roof on a mill, and labored to a great disadvantage,
    having lost his hand.  However, he was able to complete it, and re-
    ceived for his labor the munificent sum of $10.  He was also a sub-
    ject of the grasshopper raids for two seasons, and after that time
    he was more successful.  He sold his homestead and moved into Cherokee,
    and he began working at the carpenter's trade and gave some attention
    to house-moving.  For this latter enterprise he has fully equipped
    himself, being supplied with all the modern appliances.  His services
    are in demand in adjoining counties, where he has moved stores,
    churches and other large buildings.  He moved the court-house from
    the old town to its present site near the railroad station.  Mr.
    DURKEE is also a skillful stone-mason, and has built many of the
    foundations in Cherokee; he was employed to do this work on the first
    brick building erected in Cherokee.  Politically he is identified with
    the Republican party, and when a candidate for the office of sheriff
    he was defeated by only fifty-five votes.  He owns a good residence
    on Third and Elm streets, and several valuable house and lots in
    Cherokee.  He also holds the deed to a little farm of forty acres
    near the town, which is well improved.  Mr. and Mrs. DURKEE are the
    parents of six children: HATTIE A., OSCAR OEL, IDA E., wife of FRANK
    HINMAN; R. A., an engineer; GEORGE M., CHARLES H. and MAMIE A.  Mr.
    DURKEE is an active, industrious man, and has accomplished a wonderful
    amount of work in his life-time, notwithstanding the loss of his hand.
    He is a good violinist, and plays many of the tunes which carry the
    oldest back to their youthful days.  Many a night has he played for
    the young people of Cherokee, and at the same time called off for
    the merry dance, and to that time many refer as the happiest hours
    of life's young dream.

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