Kentucky:  A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 
1886. Warren County.

JOHN W. DURKEE, superintendent of the Green River Handle Works, at 
Bowling Green, was born at Dalton, Berkshire Co., Mass., September 16, 
1826.  He is a son of Amasa and Mary A. (Lester) Durkee, and is of 
Scotch-Irish extraction.  The Durkee family is traced to three brothers 
who came to America from England some time in the late century and 
settled in Connecticut, and there the father of Mr. Durkee was born in 
1795.  His paternal grandfather was Henry Durkee, also a native of 
Connecticut.  The mother of Mr. Durkee was born in Massachusetts, in 
1797.  The early life of John W. was spent on the farm and in attendance 
at the public schools of his native State.  In 1851 he began the 
manufacture of handles.  In 1856 he went to Sandusky, Erie Co., Ohio, 
and there for seventeen years was engaged in the manufacture of handles 
for James Woolworth.  In 1873 he came to Bowling Green, and established 
the Green River Handle Works, and here has since resided.  This 
enterprise is one of the leading interests of southern Kentucky.  It 
gives employment to 150 persons, and is a credit to its founders, and an 
untold aid to the city of Bowling Green.  The marriage of Mr. Durkee was 
solemnized in 1845, with Hannah Warriner, also a native of 
Massachusetts, born in 1824, daughter of Joseph and Naomi (Cleveland) 
Warriner, the latter a distant relative of President Cleveland.  To Mr. 
and Mrs. Durkee have been born the following children:  Edna A., Emma 
A., Sarah A., Florence M. and John W.  The family is connected with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church.  Mr. Durkee resides one mile from Bowling 
Green.  He is a practical business man and thoroughly public spirited in 
all causes worthy of merit.

Durkee Lester Woolworth Warriner Cleveland
=
Dalton-Berskhire-MA CT Sandusky-Erie-OH

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/warren/durkee.jw.txt