Obituary Sunday~Jim McDuffie Lost

JIM McDUFFIE LOST
Jim McDuffie, who lived on the Cheraw-Morven road near the Britt school House not far from the North Carolina line, has wandered away from home.
His mind unbalanced, Jim McDuffie left home Tuesday, taking his little boy with him. The following Thursday the two were found in the woods not far from home. The boy was taken home but the father refused to come. It was thought that he would soon follow but he failed to do so and Sheriff J. T. Grant and his deputy, Mr. C. J. Sellers were notified.
A posse of bout 40 men was formed and the woods were searched Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, day and night, but no trace of him was found.
Though demented he is considered harmless. He is about 55 years of age and when last seen was wearing a black hat, blue shirt and yellow corduroy pants, and was barefooted. He has a cancer on one side of his face and nose; is about 5 feet and 6 inches in height; weighs about 140 pounds and had dark mustache.
The Sheriff requests that he be notified by anyone seeing this man.
[Chronicling America, The Chesterfield Advertiser, 8 September 1921, FrontPage, column 6. ]

James Daniel McDuffie was born in Sept 1865, a son of John William McDuffie and Elizabeth Morris of Anson County, North Carolina. In 1889, he married Mary Melissa Morris, a daughter of Joseph Morris and Jane “Jenny” Burr.

After the birth of 6 children, Mary Melissa passed away about August 1909. All indications are that she died shortly after the birth of her sixth child, Paul Joseph McDuffie on 31 August 1909. Her death left James Daniel was 6 children ranging in age from 17 to the baby just born.

The article above states that “His mind unbalanced, Jim McDuffie left home Tuesday, taking his little boy with him.“ The small boy most likely was either Daniel or Paul Joseph. The sheriff found both Jim and his son. They took the son with them and left Jim alone where they found him. The decision to leave Jim resulted in the loss of his life as indicated with the below Death Certificate. 

James McDuffie died on 11 September 1921 after leaving home 4 days earlier. 

James Daniel McDuffie was my 1st Cousin 3 times removed.





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1. 1900 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Cole Hill, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0019, Page: 8/66 (stamped); Line 88, Dwelling 161, Family 162, Household of and James D. McDUFFIE; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 25 April 2019); citing National Archives Microfilm  T623_1523.
2. 1910  U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 0036, Page: 13B/116 (stamped); Line 86, Dwelling 223, Family 225, Household of James M. McDUFFIE; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 25 April 2019); citing National Archives Microfilm T624, Roll 1455.
  3. 1920 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Court House, Chesterfield, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) 039, _1690; Enumeration District: 39; Page: 13B/148 (stamped); Line 68, Dwelling 226, Family 233, Household of James M. McDUFFY; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 25 April 2019); citing National Archives Microfilm T625_1690.
4. James McDuffie, death certificate #13768 (11 September 1921), Vital Records, Department of Health and Environmental Control, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina.5
5. "Jim McDuffie Lost," The Chesterfield Advertiser, Cheraw, Chesterfield County, SC, 8 September 1921, Front Page, column 6, Father and small son lost. Source: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.
6. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed  3 January 2020); Memorial page for James McDuffie; (11 September 1865–September 1921); Find a Grave memorial # 208409879, Citing Sandy Plains United Methodist Church Cemetery; Anson County, North Carolina.