Legislator Details
Portrait of William James Duff scanned from Men of Progress p.400.
Vital Records Information:
Marital Information:
married Mrs. Minnie Finney, dau. of Mr. Ross, of Hamilton, Ontario, in Sedalia, MO, 6/1/1899; children: 1, William R.
Number of Children: 1
Background
Education:
Public school in Pittsburg, PA; Detroit, MI; and Port Huron, MI; graduated from Medical School at University of Michigan
Biographical Sketch:
Of Scottish ancestry. Son of George and Sarah (Mercer) Duff. When the Spanish American War occurred, Dr. Duff, a member of the Michigan National Guard, and at different times was 1st and 2nd lieutenant and captain of Company F, 3rd Michigan N. G., enlisted as a private soldier in Co. F, 33rd Michigan Volunteer Infantry, when his company was mustered into the United States service. Although he was ill most of the time that his regiment was in Cuba, he managed to keep out of the hospital and attend to his duties as a soldier, but the campaign caused him to lose weight rapidly so that although he weighed 176 pounds when he went away he came home weighing 101 pounds. He was confined to his bed from Sept. 4 to Nov. 28, after his return from Cuba, during which time he was elected to the legislature. he served as Port Huron's city health officer. He practiced in Port Huron. Member of the Masons, Elks and Maccabees.
Notable Facts:
President for two terms of the board of health in Port Huron. Nominated for office by Republican party, but he was so popular the Democrats refused to put up any man against him and every vote cast was for Dr. Duff. While the regiment was in Cuba, all of the surgeons, were detached from duty, leaving the regiment wholly without medical attendance, so in addition to his regular duties as a non-commissioned officer, Dr. Duff volunteered to care for the men. Consequently, the citizens of St. Clair county presented him with a diamond studded gold medal of appropriate emblematic character.