California Biographies Mendocino and Lake Counties, California Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914 JESSE C. DUFFIELD.� The manager of the hardware department of the Irvine & Muir Lumber Company at Willits has lived in California since 1885 and in Mendocino county since 1901. A native of Kansas, he was born at Walton, Harvey county, July 8, 1874, and is a son of W. H. and Sarah J. (Ogden) Duffield, natives of Illinois, the latter now a resident of Willits. The father, who served in an Illinois regiment during the Civil war and received serious wounds in the service of his country, afterward took up land on the frontier of Kansas and soon became engaged in general merchandising at Walton. After many years in the same town, during 1885 he brought his family to the west and settled at Arbuckle, Colusa county, where he carried on a general store. Coming to Willits in 1901, he started a mercantile store on Main street. Later he conducted a similar establishment at Ukiah, where he died in 1906. His fraternities were the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Ancient Order of United Workmen and Grand Army of the Republic. Sur- viving him are the widow and four children, namely: Mrs. Hattie Watten- burg, of Laurel Dell, Lake county; Mrs. Myrtle Saxon, of Willits; Jesse C, of Willits; and his twin sister, Mrs. Bessie Tibbitts, of Los Angeles. The only son in the family began to assist his father in the mercantile business at a very early age and it was not until 1903 that he engaged in any occupation other than merchandising. From that year until 1907 he was employed as airbrake inspector for the Northwestern Railroad. During the fall of 1907 he became manager of the hardware department for the Irvine & Muir Lumber Company and to this responsible position he has since given his attention. The residence erected by Mr. Duffield on North street is presided over hospitably by his wife, formerly Miss Nettie Bahn, who was born in Rock Tree valley, Mendocino county, and is a daughter of Fred Bahn, a well-known pioneer. In childhood she attended the schools of Willits and laid the foun- dation there of an excellent education. In religion she is associated with the Baptist denomination. The four children in the family are William, Ernest, Veva and Lawrence. Politically a Republican, in 1911 Mr. Duffield was ap- pointed city clerk to fill a vacancy in the office and in April of the following year he was duly elected to the position, which since he has filled with char- acteristic efficiency and tact. His fraternities are the Moose, Knights of the Maccabees and Knights of Pythias at Willits, in which he has been not only an active worker, but at times an officer. A man of much worth, he is recog- nized as one of the leading citizens of Willits and his popularity and promi- nence are the result of long association with interests tending to promote the local progress.