Résumé

Water Carrier, Rice Lumber Company, Everett, WA, 1901. (See R.L. Polk and Company'sEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1901, p. 121.)

Wood Turner, W-W Company, Everett, WA, 1903. (SeeR.L. Polk and Company'sEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1903, p. 122.)

Wood Turner, Everett Turning Works, Everett, WA, 1904. (SeeEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1904, p. 107.)

Partner, Moller and Durfee, Architects, Everett, WA, 1907.

Draftsman, R M Company, Everett, WA, 1908. (See Everett, Washington, City Directory, 1908, p. 120.)

Partner, [Emanuel J.] Bresemann and Durfee, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1909-1912; this firm operated in the Central Building, Room #335 (1909), and Room #401 (1910-1912).

Principal, M. Eugene Durfee, Architect, Douglas, AZ, 09/1918. Durfee had an office in Room #227 of the National Bank Building in Douglas. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Registration State: Arizona; Registration County: Cochise; Roll: 1473300, accessed 04/21/2017.)

Principal, M. Eugene Durfee, Architect, Santa Monica, CA, c. 1930;

Associate, M. Eugene Durfee and William J. Meyer, Architect, Associated Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1933. Meyer worked as an associate architect with Durfee on the Georgian Hotel, Santa Monica, CA, (1933) and a medical building in El Centro, CA, (1934).

School Building Inspector, Long Beach, CA, c. 1940. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation, Year: 1940; Census Place: Long Beach, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T627_369; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 59-61, accessed 04/21/2017.)

Relocation

Born in Arthur, WI, M. Eugene Durfee resided in the lumber town of Everett, WA, in 1900. His father had died, and his mother, Minnie, at age 39, was raising three children on her own in a house at 3110 Hewitt Avenue in Everett. According to the 1900 US Census form, Minnie worked in a reading room, and Morien at a laundry. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Everett, Snohomish, Washington; Roll: 1750; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0214; FHL microfilm: 1241750, accessed 04/21/2017.)

He resided at 3108 1/2 Hewitt Avenue in Everett from at least 1901 until 1903. (See (See R.L. Polk and Company'sEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1901, p. 121 andR.L. Polk and Company'sEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1903, p. 122.) He moved to 2527 Pine Street by 1904. (SeeEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1904, p. 107.) By 1907, he lived at 2619 Rockefeller Avenue in Everett. (SeeEverett, Washington, City Directory, 1904, p. 112.)

As an adult, Morien Eugene Durfee lived a peripatetic life, residing all along the Pacific Coast and in the Desert Southwest.

He resided with his mother and step-father in Seattle, at 930 North 73rd Street in 1910. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 11, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1662; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0189; FHL microfilm: 1375675, accessed 04/21/2017.)

It is likely that he and his wife lived in British Columbia in 1913, where his daughter, Evelyn, was born.

He lived back in Douglas, AZ, in 09/1918, in a residence at 920 10th Street. In 02/1921, Durfee and his wife lived at 3 Zuni Court in Pima, AZ.

Durfee resided in Long Beach, CA, at the age of 54; the 1940 US Census indicated that he worked as a school inspector. He lived with his wife and son in an apartment at 420 Orange Avenue in Long Beach, CA. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation, Year: 1940; Census Place: Long Beach, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T627_369; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 59-61, accessed 04/21/2017.)

Durfee died in 1941 in Long Beach, CA, and was entombed at the Angeles Abbey Mausoleum, Compton, CA.

Parents

His father was Frank Eugene Durfee, his mother, Minerva "Minnie" Jennette Bartingale Durfee Culbertson (born 02/01/1861 in WI-d. 04/17/1951 in San Diego, CA). Minnie had had four children, but only three survived in 1900. They were Hope Irene Durfee (born c. 09/1883 in WI), Morien, and Ruth (born 09/1889 in WI).

In 1880, Minnie was a single, 19-year-old woman working as a seamstress in the town of Eagle Point, WI. Her parents had come from England. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Eagle Point, Chippewa, Wisconsin; Roll: 1419; Family History Film: 1255419; Page: 293D; Enumeration District: 184, accessed 04/21/2017.)

She married Robert M. Culbertson (born c. 1861 in MI), who lived in Seattle, WA, in 1910, and became a citrus farmer living in Escondido, CA, by 1920.

Spouse

He wed Lily Anne Emily Altnow Durfee (b. 06/16/1888 in MN-d. 01/20/1950 in Los Angeles, CA). They married in Seattle, WA, on 08/27/1907.

Children

He had a son, Morien Eugene Durfee, Jr., (born 02/03/1921 in Pima, AZ-d. 08/29/1943 in Los Angeles, CA) and a daughter, Evelyn Hope Durfee, (born 12/20/1913 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada-d. 11/11/1971 in San Bernardino, CA). Morien passed away due to complications of polio. (Thank you to Durfee's grandson, Carl Peters, for informing me of his mother in an email of 11/11/2018.)

Biographical Notes

There has been some confusion as to Morien E. Durfee, Sr.'s place of birth. One source, Durfee's World War I draft registration form indicated that he had been born in Douglas, AZ, although this was incorrect. Other sources indicate that he had been born in WI, including the California Death Index; this listing stated that Durfee had been born in WI, on 12/31/1885. An AZ birth certificate for his son also indicated that he had been born in the State of WI. A birth certificate listed in Ancestry.com also stated that the son of Minerva Janet Bartingale and Frank Eugene Durfee, "Marian [sic] Eugene Durfee," had been born in Arthur, Chippewa County, WI on 12/31/1885.

In 1923, Durfee filed a lawsuit against Edward J. Koerner, a developer, regarding payment of $1375 that Durfee did not collect over the plans for a 10-story Santa Ana hotel;

• Arthur, WI (Architect's Birth)
  Arthur, WI

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