Edmund Bartleet DUFFORT, born 06/09/1845, Yardley, Warwickshire, UK

[BAC3]

Hello,

There are three dates in Edmund Bartleet DUFFORT's life that hopefully someone can help me establish:

(1):   He joined the 8th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment in Detroit as a Private on 13/01/1864.
         When did he arrive in the USA?   He was only released from prison in the UK in July 1863!!

(2):   He was mustered out of the Regiment on 22/09/1865 when it was disbanded and the
         next "sighting" is his marriage on Prince Edward Island, Canada, on 28/09/1887.  When did
         he leave the USA?

(3):   He re-entered the USA sometime in 1905 according to the United States Census, 1910
         (Union, Marshall, West Virginia). Would there be any records to confirm the time more
         specifically?   He would have been accompanied by his wife and four children.

Both he and his wife died in Atlanta, Georgia.....her death 13/03/1923 (Laura Adelaid Harvey DUFFORT) and his death 18/03/1932.   An itinerant family to say the least, and it is appreciated tracing their movements may be quite difficult.

Thank you,

BAC3
         

[*Sandra*]

Just wondered - Do you charge for these biographies ?


Sandra

[BAC3]

No........they are evidence for my doctoral thesis as a mature Postgraduate on the success/failure of Parkhurst Prison on the Isle of Wight as a reforming institution for juvenile offenders between 1838-1864.   Any information I glean is readily shared with any descendants I can contact (Ancestry Public Member Trees, for instance).

Edmund Bartleet DUFFORT I would classify as a "success"

For now,

BAC3

[groom]

Have you got enough evidence yet to say whether Parkhurst was successful in reforming offenders? It is nice to think that some of the young people who made a bad start in life went on to lead a good life. Were some encouraged to emigrate to do this?

[BAC3]

Hello Groom,

There were 4,000 juvenile offenders who passed through Parkhurst Prison 1838-1864 and presently I have written 1,600 Biographies, some more complete than others sadly.   My present analysis tends very slightly to favour "success", but it depends on whether they were transported or released back into the UK.   The latter were generally those imprisoned for comparatively short sentences and were prone to re-offend.    Nothing changes.

However, one "Parkhurst Boy" became the Father of the first Federal Australian Parliament in 1900, another had dealings with Ned Kelly, quite a few became very wealthy landowners and some were hanged, too.   The opportunities from being transported were obviously greater and such considerations need to be taken into account judging the success/failure ratio.   It is not a simple task??!!

I meet a lot of very helpful, courteous people in my dealings with RootsChat.

For the moment,

BAC3

[shellyesq]

He seems to show up a lot as Edwin B. Dufort.

Possible match in 1870 as a soldier - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4XK-RZ5

1900 military pension application that was filed from Canada - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDYF-QN5

Listed as an Army invalid - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-17536-13668-56?cc=1832324

There are some others that I can't see because they are on a subscription site -
https://familysearch.org/search/collection/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22edwin%20b.%22%20%2Bsurname%3Adufort&collection_id=1471019

[shellyesq]

This looks like him re-enlisting - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJD5-B4GF

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDR-MPNY

Records of him in homes for disabled soldiers - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VH46-BQ5

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-21053-12476-22?cc=1916230

[shellyesq]

In the book Record of service of Michigan volunteers in the Civil War, 1861-1865, vol. 38, it mentions his civil war service and said he re-entered service in First US Infantry as a Sergeant Major and enlisted on Feb. 22, 1866.  Discharged at Jackson Barracks, Louisiana Feb. 22, 1869.

[BAC3]

Hello shelleyesq,

Thank you for all the research.   

There are two things that specifically worry me:

(1):    His place of birth is referred to as Scotland, sometimes Edinburgh, Scotland, in a lot of the
          documents, but no matter how I try no reference to "Edwin B. DUFORT" appears in the
          British indexes.   Is there any record of how he entered the United States and when, as that
          may clarify matters.   Some of the American sources do nominate him as "English"!!

(2):    There were no cars in those days, trains "Yes" and paddle steamers, but he seems decidedly
          mobile, moving from State to State!!

Once again thank you for the details to integrate into the narrative.   My main concern now is his US arrival

BAC3