JOSEPH DUFPHEY
Joseph H. Dufphey was born in Grayson County, Virginia, September 22, 1851. He was one of a family of five boys and three girls. The whole family eventually came to Madison County, married, had families, died, and are buried in this locality.
Joseph — or Joe as he was generally known — came to Hamburg Iowa in 1872. Another Graysonite had preceded him there. This was Troy Hale, one of a large family who later came to Madison County and settled in and around Battle Creek.
Joe left Hamburg and came to Nebraska in 1873. He took a homestead southwest of Battle Creek. In 1879 he returned to Virginia and married Amelia Brown. He was accompanied on this trip by C. H. Reeves, who also had a sweetheart back in Virginia. There was a double wedding and the two couples started back to the place that was to be their home the rest of their lives. With them was a young lady who was the future bride of J. D. Hale, then living in Madison County. The two couples arrived in Columbus where they were met by Hale and he and his sweetheart were married. They celebrated the wedding by driving on to Madison and having dinner at the Prince House.
In the period between his coming to Madison County and his return to Virginia to be married, he made two trips to the Black Hills. His companion on these trips was Jack Hale, a brother of J. D. Hale. The first trip was to drive a herd of hogs to Deadwood. These hogs were driven across country and they were fattened on the way. They brought a good price in Deadwood.
The second trip was also made with Jack Hale. This was moving the Big Sioux tribe of Indians from the reservation to Ponca, Nebraska. The contract for this move was made by the U. S. Government and Jack. It involved moving 12,000 Indians and their ponies. The contract called for the furnishing of provisions to the Indians and Hale was the man to take care of this.
They traveled about ten miles a day for a total of 300 miles. The Indians didn't like the new location, refused to go on, and finally had to be returned to their old reservation.
Mr. Dufphey left the farm in 1892 and moved to Battle Creek. Here he established a home and a business. In 1905 he sold his business and retired. He continued to be active in the management of his farms.
He died in April, 1927 at the age of 75. He was survived by his widow, a son John B. Dufphey of Battle Creek, and a daughter Mrs. P. R. Thomas of Waterville, Kansas and five grandchildren. His widow continued to live in the home until her death in 1942, aged ninety years.
—Mrs. J. B. Dufphy
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