woman Edith Adelia DUFUR‏‎, daughter of Enoch Burnham DUFUR and Frances Susan ZIMMERMAN‏.
Born ‎ Feb 2, 1869 at Dufur, OR.---see notes, died ‎ Jun 20, 1919 at Cer. reg # 659, Spokane, WA. birth, marriage, parents, deathdates‎, 50 years, cause of death: sclerosis of liver, possibly riddled w/ cancer
Baptism: 05 MAR 1983 JRIVE

Endowment: 12 APR 1983 JRIVE

Sealing to Parents: 22 APR 1983 JRIVE
06 SEP 2005 SNOWF sealed, spouse




Death certificate shows Cirrhosis of the liver, but my dad was still living with her [not yet married to mom when she died] and said when she had an exploratory surgery 6 weeks before she died, that the doctor said she was so riddled with cancer [started as uterine cancer] that they could do nothing for her. They thought she had between 2 weeks and 6 months to live. Aunt Verna was called when she was dying. Edith was unconscious and during the night Aunt Verna heard her name being called. She went into her mother's bedroom, her mother opened her eyes and said, "I'm so glad you are here." It was the last thing she said, lapsing into another coma and dying shortly afterwards.

She was divorced from my grandfather, Frank. He remarried but she never remarried. Frank raised Aunt Verna, [who claimed her father "kidnapped" her, not returning her from a visit]. Frank was prominent as an attorney and business man, and I suppose he felt he could give her an easier life. Dad was raised by his mother Edith. She didn't have an easy time of it as her father, E. B. Dufur, had used all his money by illness in his last years, and had none left for her. Also EB had remarried and had a new family. Apparently there was no divorce settlement because her family was wealthy at the time of their divorce.Death certificate shows Cirrhosis of the liver, but my dad was still living with her [not yet married to mom when she died] and said when she had an exploratory surgery 6 weeks before she died that the doctor said she was so riddled with cancer [started as uterine cancer] that they could do nothing for her. They thought she had between 2 weeks and 6 months to live. Aunt Verna was called when she was dying. Edith was unconscious and during the night Aunt Verna heard her name being called. She went into her mother's bedroom, her mother opened her eyes and said, "I'm so glad you are here." It was the last thing she said, lapsing into another coma and dying shortly afterwards. She was divorced from my grandfather, Frank. He remarried but she never remarried. Frank raised Aunt Verna, [who claimed her father "kidnapped" her, not returning her from a visit]. Frank was prominent as an attorney and business man, and I suppose he felt he could give her an easier life. Dad was raised by his mother Edith. She didn't have an easy time of it as her father, E. B. Dufur, had used all his money by illness in his last years, and had none left for her. Apparently there was no divorce settlement because her family was wealthy at the time of their divorce.

Married ‎ Nov 6, 1889 at Fairview, Coos, OR. USA (29 years married) to:

man Frank John Franklin MENEFEE‏‎, son of William Reynolds MENEFEE and Nancy Jane BENEFIEL‏.
Born ‎ Jan 31, 1866 at Dufur, Wasco, OR.---see notes, died ‎ Jul 16, 1926 at d. cert. rec # 133, reg # 89 WA. verifies birth, death dates‎, 60 years, ‎1st marriage to: Edith Adelia DUFUR, 2nd marriage to: Mabel Cowles



Baptism: 19 MAY 2005 ARIZO

Endowment: 28 JUL 2005 NAUV2

Sealing to Parents: 06 SEP 2005 SNOWF

William Reynolds MENEFEE / Nancy Jane BENEFIEL
06 SEP 2005 SNOWF

Edith Adelia DUFUR

Oregon Republican League:

Republican League Register of Oregon, The Register Publishing Company,
1896, page 245.


MENEFEE, HON. FRANK, of The Dalles, was born in that city January 31,
1866. He is one of the leading young Republicans of the state. He was a
delegate to the last three conventions, and the State League. In 1891 he
was elected City Recorder, and again in 1892. In March, 1895, he was
appointed Mayor by the council to fill a vacancy and in the following
June was elected to the same honorable office by the people.

-Tony Larson
Transcribed by Clifford S. Cowles


From the History of Central Oregon, published 1905


Frank Menefee, District Attorney of the 7th Judicial District of Oregon, of the firm of Menefee & Wilson, resides at The Dalles, where he was born January 31, 1866. He is the son of Wm. R. and Nancy J. [Benefiel] Menefee, the father a native of Virginia and the mother of Indiana, who are also mentioned in this volume.

William R. Menefee is from an old and distinguished Virginia family. Jonas Menefee, one of the ancestors, was a lieutenant in the British Army, under Captain John Smith, whose life was saved by the Indian maiden, Pocahontas. He married Capt. John Smith's sister, Hannah. [ My addition: This had to be another Menifee possibly from whom we descend, not Jonas. Jonas was born in cir 1720, died cir 1782. George was the first Menefee of record, @ 1622. The Menefees' were, the majority of them, planters. At the present day the members of the later generation are prominent in Judicial circles and in commercial life, throughout Viginia and elsewhere. [Copied verbatim]




[NOTE] The first Menefee [ Menefie, Menifye etc.] of record is GEORGE, a merchant and attorney, who arrived at Jamestown in July 1622 aboard the ship Samuell. George was from the Weston area, near Bristol. He had three wives, [1] Elizabeth, [2] Izabella, and [3] Mary. Three other Menefees were in Jamestown by 1639 - Henry, Charles and William - who were probably brothers, sons or nephews of George. A William Menefee witnessed a will in Westmoreland in 1716 and a John Menefee signed papers on record at the Spotsylvania Historical Society in about 1750. These latter no doubt derive from the 3 late comers to Jamestown. ] [The husband of George's daughter, Elizabeth, said she had a brother named George in England. He would have had a settlement made for him when his mother died; he came to the colonies after George the father died; Elizabeth inherited her father's estate and was probably a half-sister to the latter George. I do hope the 2 missing generations from George I to Jonas is someday discovered. See notes under George Menifee]


Frank Menefee, our subject, was reared in Wasco County on his father's stock ranch. He was educated at the Wasco Independent Academy, at the Dalles, read law with E.B. Dufur commencing in 1887 and in 1889 was admitted to practice. He was elected City Recorder in 1891, served two years, and then formed a law partnership with E.B. Dufur, which was continued until 1900. After that period he was elected district attorney and entered into partnership with Fred W. Wilson. Mr. Menefee has served two terms as Mayor of the Dalles, in 1895 and 1896. Politically he is a staunch and influential member of the Republican party, had frequently been a delegate to the county conventions, and was two years chairman of the Mckinley Club, and two years a member of the County Republican Central Committee.

January 6th, 1903, at St. Paul, Minnesota, our subject was united in marriage to Mabel Cowles, born in Chardon, Ohio. Her father, Clifford S. Cowles, is the general agent of the Royal Insurance Company, residing at St. Paul, Minnesota. The mother, Eliza B. [Canfield] Cowles, native of Chardon, Ohio, is with her husband. Mrs. Menefee has one sister, Mary, wife of Harry Humason, Assistant Cashier of the American National Bank, St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Menefee is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 9, K. of P., of which he is past C.C. and also a member of the Grand Lodge; Cascade Lodge No. 303, B.P.O.E. at the Dalles; Wasco Tribe No. 16, I.O.R.M., of which he is Past Sachem, and has been Keeper of the Wampum since its organization; the W.O.T.W.; the K.O.T.M. and the Rathbone Sisters. [It sounds as if Mabel had a lot of influence with the writer. I later discovered her brother wrote it.]

[Note: Frank Menefee first married Edith Adelia Dufur at Fairview, Oregon on 6 November, 1889. Edith was the daughter of Enoch Burnham Dufur, [with whom Frank first read law] and Frances Susan Zimmerman Dufur. from the Dufur-Menefee marriage was born Glenn Dufur Menefee, 09-11-1892, and Verna Frances Menefee, born 14 January 1894. They had another boy who died at birth; I used to play with the clothing my grandmother had prepared for him, beautiful long dresses which she carefully saved and fit my doll which was about a year size. Mom says when she married dad, he had her trunk full of beautiful silk quilts which had never been used and crumbled from age when she looked at them. The Menefee- Dufur marriage ended in divorce in circa 1900 and Frank relocated in Portland before his second marriage, which was not as happy as portrayed. My dad [Glenn] did not like going to see Mabel. Frank was one of the 10 most important men in Oregon, with a full page and picture devoted to him in a volume of Oregon history, 1910. It tells of him forming a company manufacturing cash registers, of which he was the treasurer. When one of his partners absconded with funds, my grandfather went to prison because "he should have known about the fraud" since he was treasurer. My mother claims he was absolutely innocent, and she does not manufacture untruths. She liked Frank and says he was one of the kindest and gentle of men. When my grandfather came out of prison, Mabel had a "boarder", with whom she was sharing her bedroom. My grandfather lived at his home for a while, [in Portland], but lived in an apartment with his sister in Olympia, WA. when he died from acute heart failure July 14, 1926. Since dad [Glenn] never talked about his family, I always assumed he did not like his dad, but mom tells me he loved him deeply. Dad never talked about any of his family, leading to my supposition. He loved his mother deeply and purchased three cemetery plots in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, one for him, his second wife Vera, [buried in CA.] and planned to have his mother taken from the cemetery in Spokane, WA., and have her buried next to him.

Children:

1.
man Douglas Menefee‏‎
Born ‎± 1890 at died in infancy, died ‎± 1890‎, approximately 1 years
2.
man Glenn Dufur MENEFEE‏
Born ‎ Sep 11, 1892 at The Dalles, OR. Wasco Co., died ‎ Nov 6, 1962 at Coeur d' Alene, ID.‎, 70 years, buried ‎ at Coeur d' Alene, ID.
Baptism: 19 MAY 2005 ARIZO

Endowment: 22 JUL 2005 PALMY

Sealing to Parents: 06 SEP 2005 SNOWF

Dear Mr. Meneffe

Thank you for your letter of Jan 6th. I have done so much writing since becoming interested in the family history that I have at last been out this afternoon and bought a typewriter, and to you fall the somewhat doubtful privilege of receiving my first typewritten letter, so I ask you to bear with me.
I have particulars of about 56 Minifie wills, practically all of then in the vicinity of Honiton. I have copied out three of them, George, the Honiton tailor, his father, William, and the first George to die in America?
They come from the collection of Richard Minifie Pratt, at Exeter Library.
With regard to the Marshall's statue, I thought I would send a letter to the French Embassy in London enquiring if they could suggest somewhere in France I make son enquiries.
Reverting to the wills, I have been careful to copy the spelling accurately.
My genealogist friend, whom I think I have mentioned to you in a previous letter, and who acts as my guide and mentor, will have nothing to do with claim made by some members of the family, to be related to Bishop Wynnifie. Mr. J. E. Minifie of Woodbridge in Suffolk is very attached to this claim, largely I have always felt due to the fact that his grandfather (J.E. M.'s) was born in Sherborne Dorset, as was the good Bishop Wynnifie. I have read somewhere the heraldic details of his coat of arms, which are quite different to those of the Menyfee's who came from Pohill in Kent to Devonshire about 1540.
The particulars of the Menyfees who came from Kent are to be found in Vivyan''s "Visitations in Devon" published in 1895.
I also have particulars of the purchase of Northcote Manor Honiton in 1540, by John Menyfee of London, yeoman, details furnished by the Public Records Office in London.
Thirdly, Prince's "Worthys of Devon" states that a Jerome Menyfee of Burwash in Sussex also came to Devon circa 1540.
I feel convinced that these three must have been related (although as yet I cannot prove this theory). Furthermore, I feel that all the Minifies in Devon must have descended from these three families.
The Mrs. Gilmore you mention (the owner of "the happy ascetic") was the sister of the grandfather of J. E. Minifie of Woodbridge Suffolk. As yet I am unable to prove any relationship between the Dorset Minifies and the Minifies of Devon, although I am certain it must exist.
Mark Minifie was the first cousin of my grandfather Robert.
Digressing for a moment, I am intrigued somewhat by the stature of some Minifies. I have seen a reference to the fact that the Rev. Benjamin Minifie of New York is 6 ft. 4 in., and that Mr. Seldon Menefee of California called on him some years ago and that he was a very tall man. The late Mark Minifie was 6 ft. 1 in. as I myself am.
I have also seen a reference by Richard Minifie Pratt to the effect that Mark Minifie was almost the exact double of William Minifie of Honiton, although no one has yet been able to prove any relationship between the Broadhembury family and the Honiton family.
I hope in the near future to be able to pay another visit to Exeter. Mr. Routledge (my genealogist friend) has suggested that I try the registers of some of the Parishes in the city of Exeter.
In the 17th and 18th centuries Devon was swarming with Minifies. There are 120 references in the parish register of Ottery St. Mary alone. As you may imagine, William was a very popular name which does not help matters.
However, I certainly hope I can at least get back one more generation as I have been stuck for over a year now on 1621 and it becomes more difficult to keep one's interest alive.
To my surprise I find the time is now 1:45am, As I started this at about 9pm, you can guess that I am not likely to carry off any prize for typing speed.

P.S. Have not forgotten my promise to send on a detailed tree. E. M.


Yours very sincerely,
(signed) E. R. Minifie
(copy of letter sent to FNM.)

Bill J. Douglass (typist)

3.
woman Verna Frances Menefee‏
Born ‎ Jan 14, 1894 at The Dalles, OR., died ‎ Oct 17, 1977 at certif. #146-81 26160 CA. contra Costa Co.‎, 83 years, cause of death: acute senility, Heart attack
From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."
__________________________________
e-mail to Kurt Harms from Glenna Inglis after Nancy Plummer Harms passed away so he would have some information for her funeral:

Our Great grandfather [Aunt Birdie's grandfather], E.B. Dufur, was instrumental in getting state hood for Oregon. He went to the US Congress and presented them with the reasons why Oregon should no longer be a territory. He was an attorney, studying law while watching sheep for the family as a young man, before he married.

My brother, Ed, read a case he had either prosecuted or defended [I do not remember which; it was while he was in the service for WWII and I was too young to know the difference] in True Stories Magazine.

He taught law to my grandfather Frank Menefee. They dissolved their partnership when Edith Dufur and he were divorced, about 1901. Aunt Verna was graduated from Reed College, which the Dufur's founded. We have their piano, the first grand piano in Oregon territory. It is an upright grand and, according to Aunt Birdie, came around the Horn, as they had come across the plains and too many things were lost.

I started to tell you yesterday that when Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee drove in the wagon train, William Reynolds Menefee, her husband, had sent money for her to secure passage on a ship around the Horn [not always a safe method, either]. I guess you can see where Aunt Birdie and the rest of us have gotten our independence.

I hope you don't get inundated by family stories, but not all of it is written [I have tried my best], but after I'm gone, I want your side to know, too. Just let me know if it's too much, or if you want more info., but I thought this would be possibly be needed for the memorial.From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."

Our Great grandfather [Aunt Birdie's grandfather], E.B. Dufur, was instrumental in getting state hood for Oregon. He went to the US Congress and presented them with the reasons why Oregon should no longer be a territory. He was an attorney, studying law while watching sheep for the family as a young man, before he married.

My brother, Ed, read a case he had either prosecuted or defended [I do not remember which; it was while he was in the service for WWII and I was too young to know the difference] in True Stories Magazine.

He taught law to my grandfather Frank Menefee. They dissolved their partnership when Edith Dufur and he were divorced, about 1901. Aunt Verna was graduated from Reed College, which the Dufur's founded. We have their piano, the first grand piano in Oregon territory. It is an upright grand and, according to Aunt Birdie, came around the Horn, as they had come across the plains and too many things were lost.

I started to tell you yesterday that when Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee drove in the wagon train, William Reynolds Menefee, her husband, had sent money for her to secure passage on a ship around the Horn [not always a safe method, either]. I guess you can see where Aunt Birdie and the rest of us have gotten our independence.

I hope you don't get inundated by family stories, but not all of it is written [I have tried my best], but after I'm gone, I want your side to know, too. Just let me know if it's too much, or if you want more info., but I thought this would be possibly be needed for the memorial.


2nd marriage
woman Edith Adelia DUFUR‏‎, daughter of Enoch Burnham DUFUR and Frances Susan ZIMMERMAN‏.

Married ‎ Nov 6, 1889 at Fairview, OR. (29 years married) to:

man "Frank" John Franklin MENEFEE‏‎, son of William Reynolds MENEFEE and Nancy Jane BENEFIEL‏.
Born ‎ Jan 31, 1866 at Dufur, OR.---see notes, died ‎ Jul 16, 1926 at d. cert. rec # 133, reg # 89 WA. verifies birth, death dates‎, 60 years, ‎1st marriage to: Edith Adelia DUFUR, 2nd marriage to: Mabel Cowles
Transcribed by Clifford S. Cowles


From the History of Central Oregon, published 1905


Frank Menefee, District Attorney of the 7th Judicial District of Oregon, of the firm of Menefee & Wilson, resides at The Dalles, where he was born January 31, 1866. He is the son of Wm. R. and Nancy J. [Benefiel] Menefee, the father a native of Virginia and the mother of Indiana, who are also mentioned in this volume.

William R. Menefee is from an old and distinguished Virginia family. Jonas Menefee, one of the ancestors, was a lieutenant in the British Army, under Captain John Smith, whose life was saved by the Indian maiden, Pocahontas. He married Capt. John Smith's sister, Hannah. [ My addition: This had to be another Menifee possibly from whom we descend, not Jonas. Jonas was born in cir 1720, died cir 1782. George was the first Menefee of record, @ 1623. The Menefee were, the majority of them, planters. At the present day the members of the later generation are prominent in Judicial circles and in commercial life, throughout Viginia and elsewhere. [Copied verbatim]




[NOTE] The first Menefee [ Menefie, Menifye etc.] of record is GEORGE, a merchant and attorney, who arrived at Jamestown in July 1623 aboard the ship Samuell. George was from the Weston area, near Bristol. He had three wives, [1] Elizabeth, [2] Izabella, and [3] Mary. Three other Menefees were in Jamestown by1639 - Henry, Charles and William - who were probably brothers or nephews of George. A William Menefee witnessed a will in Westmoreland in 1716 and a John Menefee signed papers on record at the Spotsylvania Historical Society in about 1750. These latter no doubt derive from the 3 late comers to Jamestown. ]


Frank Menefee, our subject, was reared in Wasco County on his father's stock ranch. He was educated at the Wasco Independent Academy, at the Dalles, read law with E.B. Dufur commencing in 1887 and in 1889 was admitted to practice. He was elected City Recorder in 1891, served two years, and then formed a law partnership with E.B. Dufur, which was continued until 1900. After that period he was elected district attorney and entered into partnership with Fred W. Wilson. Mr. Menefee has served two terms as Mayor of the Dalles, in 1895 and 1896. Politically he is a staunch and influential member of the Republican party, had frequently been a delegate to the county conventions, and was two years chairman of the Mckinley Club, and two years a member of the County Republican Central Committee.

January 6th, 1903, at St. Paul, Minnesota, our subject was united in marriage to Mabel Cowles, born in Chardon, Ohio. Her father, Clifford S. Cowles, is the general agent of the Royal Insurance Company, residing at St. Paul, Minnesota. The mother, Eliza B. [Canfield] Cowles, native of Chardon, Ohio, is with her husband. Mrs. Menefee has one sister, Mary, wife of Harry Humason, Assistant Cashier of the American National Bank, St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Menefee is a member of Friendship Lodge, No. 9, K. of P., of which he is past C.C. and also a member of the Grand Lodge; Cascade Lodge No. 303, B.P.O.E. at the Dalles; Wasco Tribe No. 16, I.O.R.M., of which he is Past Sachem, and has been Keeper of the Wampum since its organization; the W.O.T.W.; the K.O.T.M. and the Rathbone Sisters. [It sounds as if Mabel had a lot of influence with the writer.]

[Note: Frank Menefee first married Edith Adelia Dufur at Fairview, Oregon on 6 November, 1889. Edith was the daughter of Enoch Burnham Dufur, [with whom Frank first read law] and Frances Susan Zimmerman Dufur. from the Dufur-Menefee marriage was born Glenn Dufur Menefee, 09-11-1892, and Verna Frances Menefee, born 14 January 1894. They had another boy who died at birth; I used to play with the clothing my grandmother had prepared for him, beautiful long dresses which she carefully saved and fit my doll which was about a year size. Mom says when she married dad, he had her trunk full of beautiful silk quilts which had never been used and crumbled from age when she looked at them. The Menefee- Dufur marriage ended in divorce in circa 1900 and Frank relocated in Portland before his second marriage, which was not as happy as portrayed. My dad [Glenn] did not like going to see Mabel. Frank was one of the 10 most important men in Oregon, with a full page and picture devoted to him in a volume of Oregon history, 1910. It tells of him forming a company manufacturing cash registers, of which he was the treasurer. When one of his partners absconded with funds, my grandfather went to prison because "he should have known about the fraud" since he was treasurer. My mother claims he was absolutely innocent, and she does not manufacture untruths. She liked Frank and says he was one of the kindest and gentle of men. When my grandfather came out of prison, Mabel had a "boarder", with whom she was sharing her bedroom. My grandfather lived at his home for a while, [in Portland], but lived in an apartment in Olympia, WA. when he died from acute heart failure July 14, 1926. Since dad [Glenn] never talked about his family, I always assumed he did not like his dad, but mom tells me he loved him deeply. Dad never talked about any of his family, leading to my supposition. He loved his mother deeply and purchased three cemetery plots in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, one for him, his second wife Vera,[buried in CA.] and planned to have his mother taken from the cemetery in Spokane, WA., and have her buried next to him.

Children:

1.
man Douglas Menefee‏‎
Born ‎± 1890 at died in infancy, died ‎± 1890‎, approximately 1 years
2.
man Glenn Dufur MENEFEE‏
Born ‎ Sep 11, 1892 at The Dalles, OR. Wasco Co., died ‎ Nov 6, 1962 at Coeur d' Alene, ID.‎, 70 years, buried ‎ at Coeur d' Alene, ID.
Baptism: 19 MAY 2005 ARIZO

Endowment: 22 JUL 2005 PALMY

Sealing to Parents: 06 SEP 2005 SNOWF

Dear Mr. Meneffe

Thank you for your letter of Jan 6th. I have done so much writing since becoming interested in the family history that I have at last been out this afternoon and bought a typewriter, and to you fall the somewhat doubtful privilege of receiving my first typewritten letter, so I ask you to bear with me.
I have particulars of about 56 Minifie wills, practically all of then in the vicinity of Honiton. I have copied out three of them, George, the Honiton tailor, his father, William, and the first George to die in America?
They come from the collection of Richard Minifie Pratt, at Exeter Library.
With regard to the Marshall's statue, I thought I would send a letter to the French Embassy in London enquiring if they could suggest somewhere in France I make son enquiries.
Reverting to the wills, I have been careful to copy the spelling accurately.
My genealogist friend, whom I think I have mentioned to you in a previous letter, and who acts as my guide and mentor, will have nothing to do with claim made by some members of the family, to be related to Bishop Wynnifie. Mr. J. E. Minifie of Woodbridge in Suffolk is very attached to this claim, largely I have always felt due to the fact that his grandfather (J.E. M.'s) was born in Sherborne Dorset, as was the good Bishop Wynnifie. I have read somewhere the heraldic details of his coat of arms, which are quite different to those of the Menyfee's who came from Pohill in Kent to Devonshire about 1540.
The particulars of the Menyfees who came from Kent are to be found in Vivyan''s "Visitations in Devon" published in 1895.
I also have particulars of the purchase of Northcote Manor Honiton in 1540, by John Menyfee of London, yeoman, details furnished by the Public Records Office in London.
Thirdly, Prince's "Worthys of Devon" states that a Jerome Menyfee of Burwash in Sussex also came to Devon circa 1540.
I feel convinced that these three must have been related (although as yet I cannot prove this theory). Furthermore, I feel that all the Minifies in Devon must have descended from these three families.
The Mrs. Gilmore you mention (the owner of "the happy ascetic") was the sister of the grandfather of J. E. Minifie of Woodbridge Suffolk. As yet I am unable to prove any relationship between the Dorset Minifies and the Minifies of Devon, although I am certain it must exist.
Mark Minifie was the first cousin of my grandfather Robert.
Digressing for a moment, I am intrigued somewhat by the stature of some Minifies. I have seen a reference to the fact that the Rev. Benjamin Minifie of New York is 6 ft. 4 in., and that Mr. Seldon Menefee of California called on him some years ago and that he was a very tall man. The late Mark Minifie was 6 ft. 1 in. as I myself am.
I have also seen a reference by Richard Minifie Pratt to the effect that Mark Minifie was almost the exact double of William Minifie of Honiton, although no one has yet been able to prove any relationship between the Broadhembury family and the Honiton family.
I hope in the near future to be able to pay another visit to Exeter. Mr. Routledge (my genealogist friend) has suggested that I try the registers of some of the Parishes in the city of Exeter.
In the 17th and 18th centuries Devon was swarming with Minifies. There are 120 references in the parish register of Ottery St. Mary alone. As you may imagine, William was a very popular name which does not help matters.
However, I certainly hope I can at least get back one more generation as I have been stuck for over a year now on 1621 and it becomes more difficult to keep one's interest alive.
To my surprise I find the time is now 1:45am, As I started this at about 9pm, you can guess that I am not likely to carry off any prize for typing speed.

P.S. Have not forgotten my promise to send on a detailed tree. E. M.


Yours very sincerely,
(signed) E. R. Minifie
(copy of letter sent to FNM.)

Bill J. Douglass (typist)

3.
woman Verna Frances Menefee‏
Born ‎ Jan 14, 1894 at The Dalles, OR., died ‎ Oct 17, 1977 at certif. #146-81 26160 CA. contra Costa Co.‎, 83 years, cause of death: acute senility, Heart attack
From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."
__________________________________
e-mail to Kurt Harms from Glenna Inglis after Nancy Plummer Harms passed away so he would have some information for her funeral:

Our Great grandfather [Aunt Birdie's grandfather], E.B. Dufur, was instrumental in getting state hood for Oregon. He went to the US Congress and presented them with the reasons why Oregon should no longer be a territory. He was an attorney, studying law while watching sheep for the family as a young man, before he married.

My brother, Ed, read a case he had either prosecuted or defended [I do not remember which; it was while he was in the service for WWII and I was too young to know the difference] in True Stories Magazine.

He taught law to my grandfather Frank Menefee. They dissolved their partnership when Edith Dufur and he were divorced, about 1901. Aunt Verna was graduated from Reed College, which the Dufur's founded. We have their piano, the first grand piano in Oregon territory. It is an upright grand and, according to Aunt Birdie, came around the Horn, as they had come across the plains and too many things were lost.

I started to tell you yesterday that when Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee drove in the wagon train, William Reynolds Menefee, her husband, had sent money for her to secure passage on a ship around the Horn [not always a safe method, either]. I guess you can see where Aunt Birdie and the rest of us have gotten our independence.

I hope you don't get inundated by family stories, but not all of it is written [I have tried my best], but after I'm gone, I want your side to know, too. Just let me know if it's too much, or if you want more info., but I thought this would be possibly be needed for the memorial.From Verna Frances Menefee Plummer Sampson:
"I remember when I was very little, visiting Grandma and Grandpa Menefee in Dufur. Often they sat at a long library table, a kerosene lamp centered between them, each reading a bible. Grandpa knew the Scriptures, chapter and verse.
They would sit on the front porch of their house in Dufur, each in a rocking chair and Nancy Jane smoking from a corncob pipe. They rocked and waited for the rents to be brought to them from their property in Dufur."

Our Great grandfather [Aunt Birdie's grandfather], E.B. Dufur, was instrumental in getting state hood for Oregon. He went to the US Congress and presented them with the reasons why Oregon should no longer be a territory. He was an attorney, studying law while watching sheep for the family as a young man, before he married.

My brother, Ed, read a case he had either prosecuted or defended [I do not remember which; it was while he was in the service for WWII and I was too young to know the difference] in True Stories Magazine.

He taught law to my grandfather Frank Menefee. They dissolved their partnership when Edith Dufur and he were divorced, about 1901. Aunt Verna was graduated from Reed College, which the Dufur's founded. We have their piano, the first grand piano in Oregon territory. It is an upright grand and, according to Aunt Birdie, came around the Horn, as they had come across the plains and too many things were lost.

I started to tell you yesterday that when Nancy Jane Benefiel Menefee drove in the wagon train, William Reynolds Menefee, her husband, had sent money for her to secure passage on a ship around the Horn [not always a safe method, either]. I guess you can see where Aunt Birdie and the rest of us have gotten our independence.

I hope you don't get inundated by family stories, but not all of it is written [I have tried my best], but after I'm gone, I want your side to know, too. Just let me know if it's too much, or if you want more info., but I thought this would be possibly be needed for the memorial.
Adopted child: man Glenn Dufur MENEFEE‏
Adopted child: woman Verna Frances Menefee‏
Adopted child: man Douglas Menefee‏‎