Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 2nd ed., 1885,
Butler Co.

WILLIAM L. DURKEE, Butler County, was born in Dalton, Mass., March 13, 
1832.  His father, Amasa Durkee, was of Scotch parentage, and for many 
years a boot and shoe dealer in Dalton, Mass.; he died in 1873, aged 
seventy-five years.  The mother, Mary (Lester) Durkee, was of English 
extraction; she died in 1840, leaving eight ehildren: Sarah, Mary, John 
W., Henry S., James., William L., Orpha E. and Emily A.  After the death 
of his mother William L. Durkee remained with his father until the age 
of fourteen years, then lived with William Sprague four years, after 
which he was employed in a handle factory in Monson, Mass., for two 
years; later he leased some land and farmed for five years, and within 
those five years married Nancy M. Beebe, of Monson, Mass.  They have 
been blessed with two children: Mary A. (deceased), and George A.  After 
marriage Mr. Durkee moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where he was made foreman 
in the Woolworth Handle Manufactory, a position which he held for a 
year, then took up painting, which he followed until 1873, since which 
he been foreman in the Woolworth Manufacturing Company's shops at Mound 
City, Ill., St. Louis, Mo., and Woodbury and Rochester, Ky., and has 
been employed by the same company in the same business for the last 
twelve years.  Mr. Durkee is, politically, a Democrat, but attends to 
business rather than politics; he is a member of the order of G. T. 
and of A. M.  He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
South, in which he holds the office of steward.

Durkee Lester Sprague Beebe
=
MA OH IL MO

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/butler/durkee.wl.txt