G. W. Duryea

G. W. Duryea, son of Wesley and Elizabeth (Barnum) Duryea, was born at Mt. Sterling, Brown county, Ill., in 1835. His parents were natives of Kentucky, who after marriage, removed to Brown county, Ill., about the year '33, where he continued his profession of law, at which he labored so earnestly that he became totally blind, when our subject was but six years of age. A few months later he passed to the "better land." During his illness his property had been about consumed, and after his death Mrs. Duryea labored hard to keep her family of four children together. Since they have grown up she has made her home with her daughter near Cuba, Ill. G. W. Duryea, when but nine years of age, left home and went to live with a merchant of Mt. Sterling, working in the store there for five years, when he removed to Canton where he was a clerk until '61, when he married Miss Louisa M., daughter of James and Sarah A. (Carver) Turner, who was born in December, '41. Her parents were both natives of Mercer county, Ky., who in '31 and '33 removed to Menard county, Ill., '32 to Fulton county, where they were married April 25, '37. Of their thirteen children, nine are living, three of them in Stark county. (Vide page b75, Fulton county history.) Mr. and Mrs. Duryea began farming in Woodford county, Ill., where they remained for eight years, when they removed to their farm in Valley township about the year '72. In '83 Mr. Duryea, after several months' illness, resolved to go to the Straits of Mackinaw for his health, and, being taken suddenly worse, died at Berrien Springs, June 4 '83. His remains now rest in Pleasant Valley cemetery. He was an active member of the Methodist Protestant church, and in politics a republican, having held various offices of trust in his township. About two years prior to his death he rented the farm and removed to La Harpe to educate his children, but being restless for some occupation he returned to work as partner in a store at St. David. The year following her husband's death Mrs. Duryea returned to their beautiful home on the farm where she still resides. Of her seven children, two died in infancy. Charles E. resides at Washington, D. C, Minnie Blanche, James, Frank, Otto C, Atina, B. C. reside at home. In the history of Fulton county, brief notices of the Turner and Carver families appear.