Résumé

Clerk, Dry goods store, Berkeley, CA, c. 1900.

President, Mason-McDuffie Company, Incorporated, Berkeley, CA, 1905-1951. In 1942, the Mason-McDuffie Company had its office at 2101 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley.

Administrator, US Food Administration, Washington, DC, 1918. According to his World War I draft card, he worked for the US Food Administration in Washington, DC. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Alameda Source Information: U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 11/16/2021.)

President, Garden Homes Company, Berkeley, CA, c. 1921.

President, Berkeley Development Company, Berkeley, CA.

President, Westgate Park Company, Berkeley, CA.

President, Saint Francis Home Building Company, San Francisco, CA.

McDuffie developed the following residential tracts in Berkeley, CA: Claremont Park, Claremont Court, and Northbrae; in San Francisco, he created the plush Saint Francis Woods development.

Cornelius Amory Pugsley Silver Medal, 1928, for service to the California State Parks Commission. McDuffie worked closely with Governor Clement Calhoun Young (1869-1947), a personal friend, to establish the State Parks System. At one time, Young had worked as a high school teacher and real estate agent and, following his gubernatorial term, became a Vice-President for the Mason-McDuffie Company in Berkeley, CA.

High School / College

Graduate, High school, Santa Barbara, CA.

B.S., University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Berkeley, CA, 1899. At the UCB, McDuffie was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He served as the Secretary of his senior class for the first term of the 1899 school year. (See University of California, Blue and Gold Yearbook, 1899, p. 43.) He also was one of six Assistant Managers for the Blue and Gold Yearbook in 1899. (See University of California, Blue and Gold Yearbook, 1899, Editor's page.)

Relocation

Born in Jefferson, IA, McDuffie lived in relative comfort in Jefferson, IA. In 1880, his parents had had two children and lived with two servants, Lilly Fetzer (born c. 1860 in IN) and William Stocking (born c. 1858 in NY). Additionally, the McDuffies seem to have had a roomer in 1880, Charles M. McLaury (born c. 1849 in WI). At this time, the McDuffies lived next door to Thomas Fowler (born c. 1838 in IN), the local sheriff. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Jefferson, Greene, Iowa; Roll: 341; Page: 287C; Enumeration District: 093, accessed 11/16/2021.) The 1885 Iowa Census listed their residence as being at the intersection of West Harrison Street and South Pinet Street in Jefferson. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Iowa, U.S., State Census Collection, 1836-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007, accessed 11/16/2021.)

As a child, after 1888 and before 1896, he relocated to Santa Barbara, CA, with his family, where he attended high school.

He matriculated at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB), from c. 1895-1899. He lived at 2222 Chapel Street in Oakland, CA, in 1897 and in a rooming house at 2401 Durant Avenue during 1898 and 1899. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1897, p. 653 and

Voter records confirmed that McDuffie maintained his domicile at 2403 Telegraph Avenue in 1904. Two year later, he worked as a real estate broker, and lived with his brother Robert at 2345 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. Robert also worked as a broker at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 11/17/2021.) He and Robert worked together at the Mason-McDuffie Company in 1909, the former as President, the latter as salesman, and they continued to reside together at 2345 Telegraph. (See Polk-Husted Company's Oakland, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 1114.) The next year, Duncan could afford to build himself a new residence off of Tunnel Road.

Before 1910, he had begun to develop the Claremont tract and set up his own estate there. Voter records indicated that he lived at 156 Tunnel Road in 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 11/17/2021.) He remained at this address between 1910 and 1925, when erected a new and larger residence at 22 Roble Road in Berkeley, designed by Willis W. Polk (1887-1924).

While living in Washington, DC., in 1917, McDuffie resided at 1762 Corcoran Avenue.

McDuffie died at age 73 in Berkeley, CA, and was buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, CA.

Parents

His father was Marshall Burnap McDuffie (born c. 1842 in NY-d. 12/10/1917 in Nerkeley, CA), a banker in 1885. His mother was Sophia B. Warner McDuffie (born c. 1848 in NY). who maintained the household. According to his will, the "probable value of [M.B. McDuffie's] estate... is stated to be less than ten thousand ($10000.00) dollars....." It was left to his widow, and in the event of her death, in varying percentages to each child.

Sophia, often called "Sophie," grew up in Nunda Village, NY, in Livingston County, where her father Lewis B. Warner (born c. 1814 in MA), was a merchant. Her mother Lucretia B. Warner (born c. 1822 in MA) had had four children by 1855. A family led by Hannah E. Warner (born c. 1811 in Orange County, NY) with eight members and a servant, lived next door. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information New York, U.S., State Census, 1855 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013, accessed 11/16/2021.)

Duncan had the following siblings: Lewis Warner McDuffie (born c. 1879 in Jefferson, IA-d. 11/03/1938 in San Joaquin County, CA), Robert E. McDuffie (born 08/27/1881 in Jefferson, IA), Charles Burnap McDuffie (born 10/11/1882 in Jefferson, IA), William Chester McDuffie (born 11/07/1886 in Jefferson, IA) and Edna Buell McDuffie, (born c. 1888 in Jefferson, IA).

In 1909, C.B. McDuffie worked as a civil engineer, Lewis W. McDuffie worked as a confectioner (residing at 2409 Dwight Way) and William C. McDuffie lived at 2413 Dwight Way with no occupation listed in the city directory. (See Polk-Husted Company's Oakland, California, City Directory, 1909, p. 1114.)

His paternal grandfather was Milton H. McDuffie (born c. 1813 in Greene, NY). his grandmother, Julia A. McDuffie (born c. 1819 in Greene, NY). Milton and Julia continued to live in NY after 1870, but had moved to farm acreage near Grant, IA, by 1880.

Spouse

On 06/01/1911, Duncan McDuffie married Jean Stuart Howard (born 09/15/1879 in Philadelphia, PA-d. 05/11/1955 in San Francisco, CA). She had previously married a man named Schoonmaker, but had been widowed by 1910.

Her father, John Lawrence Howard, Sr., (born 09/14/1849 in Philadelphia, PA-d. 01/22/1914 in Oakland, CA) was the president of a fuel company, according to the 1910 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Oakland Ward 5, Alameda, California; Roll: T624_70; Page: 22A; Enumeration District: 0124; FHL microfilm: 1374083, accessed 11/15/2021.)

Biographical Notes

According to Alameda County voter records, McDuffie was a registered Republican in 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 11/17/2021.)

Duncan and Jean McDuffie returned from Europe aboard the Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL) liner S.S. Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm sailing from Cherbourg, France, on 11/26/1911.

His World War I draft card indicated that McDuffie, at age 40, was tall (about 6-foot, 4-inches) and had a medium build. He was Caucasian with gray eyes and brown hair. He was slightly balding at this time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Alameda Source Information: U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 11/16/2021.)

President, Sierra Club, San Francisco, CA, 1928-1931, 1943-1946.

Executive Committee, Sierra Club, San Francisco, CA, 1931-1941.

Chair, Committee on State Park Formation, Save-the-Redwoods League, San Francisco, CA, 1923.

President, Save-the-Redwoods League, San Francisco, CA, 1944.

Chair, California State Parks Council, Sacramento, CA, 1925-1930.

in 1934, McDuffie was active in efforts to build the East Bay Regional Park District in the fire-prone Berkeley Hills. McDuffie suffered from Parkinson's Disease for the last 20 years of his life. According to a US Passport Application of 06/20/1901, McDuffie stood 6 foot 3 and 3/4 inches tall, had an oval face, medium nose and chin, gray eyes and brown hair. He traveled with his sister, Edna, aboard the Kronprinz Wilhelm from Southampton, UK, to New York, NY on 06/23/1909. He and his wife took at trip to Japan in 1929, aboard the S.S. President Pierce.

SSN: 548038169.

• Jefferson, IN (Architect's Birth)
  Jefferson, IN

  ---

  OpenStreetMap (new tab)

  Google Map (new tab)

  

  ---