Cynthia Olive (Kellogg) Duff (1820-1907)

KELLOGG, DUFF, MCCULLUM, BATMAN, GREGG, GOBLE

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 4/4/2023 at 21:46:44

From Nevada Evening Journal May 8, 1907 (page 3)

Obituary of Cynthia O. Duff

Special to The Journal.
AMES, May 8.--Cynthia O. Kellogg, daughter of Pearl and Lucy Kellogg was born Dec. 15, 1820, at Fayetteville, Onondaga county, N. Y., and died Sunday, May 5, 1907, at 5 p. m., at the Story county farm. She was one of ten children, one of whom survives her, being May R. D. Kellogg of Des Moines at present located at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

She was united in marriage to Alexander Duff Feb. 15, 1849, at the place of her birth and went to Syracuse to establish a new home. There they lived until 1863 when they came westward to Iowa and settled on the well known Duff farm now adjoining and forming a part of the city. Mrs. Duff was not blessed with children of her own, but reared with a tender devotion, Mr. Duff's children by a former marriage and bestowed a mother's love upon an adopted daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth McCullum now of Ottawa, Ill., whom she reared from infancy. Other surviving members of the Duff family are Mrs. Jennie Batman, of Nevada and Mrs. Cassie Gregg of Ames, both granddaughters of Mr. Duff, and a son, Alexander Duff, of Leavenworth, Kansas. Mrs. H. S. Goble of this city is a niece of Mrs. Duff.

At the death of Mrs. Duff the minds of older residents of the city revert to the pioneer days when the subject of this sketch, one of the first settlers in this locality, was instrumental in securing the tract of land for the site of the city, and gave generously of her time, strength, and means to its upbuilding.

She, with her worthy husband, left New York in the spring of 1863, shipping to Marshalltown, that being the terminal of the railroad. From there they came with teams to their farm of 160 acres previously purchased of Mrs. Brooks, a Mormon. the place has on it a small house, which was afterward added by Mr. Duff, the materials for which were hauled overland by Mrs. Duff from State Center, after the railroad had reached that point.

The same year of their coming to Story county the first Sunday school was organized, followed soon by preaching services and in 1865 the organization of First Congregation church of which Mrs. Duff was a charter member. Her name is still on the membership roll, though it has been transferred several times to other places, and as many times returned to its home church. In her church work her chosen field was the Sunday school where she labored as a teacher for fifty years of her life, and many of the older residents of the city can say today, "She was my first Sunday school teacher."

In 1865 John O. Blair of the Cedar Rapids a & Missouri railroad wishing to establish a station here sought the counsel of Mrs. Duff and appointed her acting agent to buy a strip of land for the company. Accordingly she bought 320 acres of land, 40 of which were set aside for the town site. In December of that year the depot was built and Mrs. Duff boarded the carpenters while engaged in the work. Mrs. Duff was desirous of naming the town Onondaga after her New York home, but Mr. Blair wishing to immortalize the name of his life long friend Oakes Ames, a courteous compromise was made, the town being called Ames, and its principal street, Onondaga. Mrs. Duff also gave the names to the other older streets of the town. The town fairly started, attention was turned to the church building project and to the untiring efforts of Mrs. Duff in this enterprise, the Congregationalists of Ames are indebted for their first house of worship. Through her influence two lots were deeded to the society by the Cedar Rapids and Missouri railroad, also $300 in money. The church was ready for occupancy in September 1866, Mrs. Duff and a few other women helping materially in the in the sash and puttying in the windows. The first communion service of the church from a personal friend, Mrs. Thurber. This service was used for thirty-six years or until is was replaced by individual cups.

Unlike most pioneers, Mr. and Mrs. Duff had abundant means when they came here, and by their industry and economy added to their fortune. They lived here continuously for many years always maintaining their home here, though several years were spent at Nevada, Des Moines and elsewhere.

Mrs. Duff was bereft of her husband Feb. 6, 1896, his death occurring at Ottawa, Ill., at the home of Mrs. McCullum. Left enfeebled in mind and body and with the greater part of her fortune gone she again returned to Ames. The remaining years of her life were spent where she believed she was called by duty, going here and there to administer to the ills of others less fortunate. By many she was considered eccentric, but those who knew her best realized her true worth. She was generous to a fault and to this generosity is due in part the poverty of her declining years.

About three years ago she returned from Salt Lake City, Utah where she had gone a short time before to make her home with relatives. She spent a few weeks with friends here and at Nevada and then was admitted to the county farm as an inmate. During her stay there, though rapidly failing under the weight of years. She exhibited her usual spirit of bravery and patience, never complaining of her misfortune. She was accorded the kindest treatment by those who attended her and she passed away peacefully.

Funeral services were conducted from the Congregational church yesterday at 10 a. m. by the pastor, Rev. W. J. Minchin and interment was made here.