Guide to the Papers of the Duff Family, 1859-1922
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of the Duff Family
- Creator
- Duff family
- Collection Number
- MSS#133
- Extent
- .25 cubic feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1859-1922
- Abstract
- Little is known of the Duff Family, a Pittsburgh family that included lawyers, public servants and businessmen among its ranks. James B. Duff (?-c1905) was a lithographer in Pittsburgh during the second half of the 19th century. Bedford Duff was a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania lawyer who attended the Pittsburgh Law School in 1903. These papers include correspondence, deeds, land indentures, newspaper clippings, photographs, documents pertaining to the amusement industry, and other miscellaneous material. These papers primarily document the business and civic careers of James Duff and Bedford Duff.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
Biographical Sketch of the Duff Family
Little is known of the Duff Family, a Pittsburgh family that included lawyers, public servants and businessmen among its ranks. James B. Duff (?-c1905) was a lithographer in Pittsburgh during the second half of the 19th century. He worked with the firm Duff and Hani, and in 1872, founded Duff and Wettach. In the 1880s, James Duff worked for Duff Manufacturing of Pittsburgh, producer of jacks, presses, and other mechanical products. In 1890, Duff was appointed superintendent of the East End Station (Pittsburgh, Pa.) of the United States Postal Service by the new postmaster of Pennsylvania. He remained in the position until April 1894. By June 1905, James Duff became ill and died shortly thereafter at his home in Wilkinsburg (Allegheny County), Pennsylvania. He was survived by his wife, Nancy, and by at least one son, Howard Bedford Duff (c1878-?).
H. Bedford Duff was a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania lawyer who attended the Pittsburgh Law School in 1903. In August 1905, Bedford was elected secretary and manager of the Interstate Fair Association of Johnstown (Cambria County), Pennsylvania. Duff was responsible for most of the preliminary arrangements for the fair held at Luna Park in Johnstown in September of that year. According to one newspaper article, Bedford already had "wide experience in fair and other amusement enterprises," prior to his election to the Fair Association. Duff spent much of 1906 in Little Rock, Arkansas at the request of the Ingersoll Amusement Company, for whom he worked as both attorney and as manager of a roller coaster. In June 1905, Bedford Duff married Ruby King and within two years, served as lawyer for his wife's family in the settlement of her grandfather's estate. Throughout this time period, Bedford also acted in community plays, including those presented in 1909 by the King's School of Oratory (Pittsburgh?). The Duffs lived in Ben Avon (Allegheny County), Pennsylvania, during 1911, and within six years, moved to Erie, Pennsylvania, where Bedford established a law practice.
Scope and Content Notes
These papers include correspondence, deeds, land indentures, newspaper clippings, photographs, documents pertaining to the amusement industry, and other miscellaneous material. These papers primarily document the business and civic careers of James Duff and Bedford Duff. Correspondence includes a few personal letters, but primarily is comprised of letters related to James B. Duff's career as postmaster of the East End Station, Pittsburgh (1890-1894) and to Bedford Duff's law practice. Some of the letters and legal materials document the settlement of the Thomas King Estate, a case taken by Bedford Duff for his in-laws. Another case handled by Bedford was a suit brought by Bessie Gibson Stewart, who sought damages for the mishandling of her portion of an estate while she was a minor. Also included are documents for a lawsuit brought by a company specializing in hair goods and services against a young associate in the company who attempted to form an independent business and "steal" customers in the process. The relationship between that lawsuit and Bedford Duff is not apparent from these papers. Other legal documents appear to be unrelated to these cases and are too scattered to document any case or activity fully. Miscellaneous materials primarily concern Bedford Duff's work with amusement companies and as secretary of the Interstate Fair Association in 1905. Included are detailed receipts for the fair held in Johnstown during that same year. Other miscellaneous materials include a patent, a pamphlet suggesting policies to end prostitution in Erie, a tax worksheet from 1918, and a collection of colorful business cards. While not fully documenting any one aspect of the Duff Family's commercial and civic careers in the Pittsburgh region, these papers provide interesting insight into a number of activities and issues facing the region in the early twentieth century.
Arrangement
The Duff Family Papers are housed in one archival box and are arranged alphabetically by folder title.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials came in one accession in 1966.
Acc# 1966x Gift of Mrs. H. Bedford Duff, (Papers).
Preferred Citation
Papers of the Duff Family, 1859-1922, MSS# 133, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Historical Society Staff in c1966. Papers rearranged and inventory rewrtitten by Fiona Seels in July 25, 1994.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Doug MacGregor on May 16, 2001.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- National Stockman and Farmer (Newspaper: Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Interstate Fair Association (Johnstown, Pa.)
- Duff, H. Bedford (c1878-?).
- Duff, James (-c1905).
- King, Thomas.
- Postal Service -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Johnstown (Pa.) -- Social Life and Customs
- Johnstown (Pa.) -- Recreation
- Erie (Pa.) -- Social Life and Customs
- Amusements -- Pennsylvania -- Johnstown
- Fairs -- Pennsylvania -- Johnstown
- Hair Preparations Industry -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Lawyers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Newspapers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Postal Service -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Prostitution -- Pennsylvania -- Erie
- Recreation -- Pennsylvania -- Johnstown
- Women -- Pennsylvania -- Erie
- Luna Park (Johnstown, Pa.)