James Durant is one of the worthy citizens of Farmington township, Waupaca county, a man highly respected by all who know him, and in the history of his adopted county he well deserves representation.

Mr. Durant was born in 1843, in Nova Scotia, son of Thomas and Margaret (Day) Durant, the former of whom was born in England, and in early manhood emigrated to Nova Scotia, where he met and married Miss Day. During their residence in that country the following children were born to them: William H., who was a solider in the war of the Rebellion, and died in Minnesota; Thomas, a farmer of Portage county, Wis.; Charles, who enlisted in the Union army, and laid down his life on the altar of his country; James, subject of this sketch; and John, who carries on agricultural pursuits in Portage county, Wisconsin.

When James Durant was only about four years old his parents removed to Massachusetts, settling near Boston, where the father worked as a farm hand, supporting his family in that way for seven years. On the expiration of that period he sought a home in the West, hoping thereby to benefit his financial condition, and coming to Waupaca county, Wis., located in Waupaca township, about four miles east of the city of that name, which at the time contained only a few buildings. The farm on which they settled was all wild land, and after cultivating it for a time they removed to near Hortonville, on the New London road, about a year later going to Portage county, settling near Pipes. The last days of Mr. and Mrs. Durant were passed in Lind township, Waupaca county. After coming to the United States their family was increased by the following children: George, born in Massachusetts, who now follows farming in Lind township; William [Willard], born in the old Bay State, who is an agriculturist of Lind township; Mary, born in Massachusetts, who became the wife of Royal Ballard, and died in Dakota; and Benjamin, born in Waupaca county, who is a farmer by occupation. The father started out in very humble circumstances, but by hard labor secured a competency, and became one of the substantial citizens of his community. His life was an honorable, upright one, and he merited the high esteem in which he was held. In politics he was a Republican.

The educational privileges which James Durant received were exceedingly limited, for his services were needed upon the home farm. At the age of seventeen he offered his services to the country as one of its defenders during the Civil war, but on account of his youth he was rejected. On September 10, 1865, in Portage county, Wis., Mr. Durant was united in marriage with Miss Jane Velie, who was born January 10, 1848, in Steuben county, N.Y. Her parents, Peter and Elizabeth (Van Warren) Velie, became pioneer settlers of Farmington township, having migrated to Waupaca county in a very early day. After his marriage Mr. Durant lived at home with his parents for a short time, and worked in the lumber woods. In the fall of 1865 he purchased an eighty-acre tract of land in Portage county, and, locating thereon in the spring of 1866, made it his hope until the Spring of 1877, since which time Farmington township has numbered him among citizens. He located in Section 17, and now owns here a valuable tract of land of 142 acres, of which 100 acres are under cultivation. The improvements were all put upon the farm by him, and the buildings stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise.

To Mr. and Mrs. Durant have been born the following-named children: Annie, now Mrs. John Horton, of Waupaca; George A., at home; Emma, wife of Gust Ceak[Zeak], of Portage county, Wis.; and Maggie, Cora, James T., Laura, Carrie, Mary[Mayme] and Blanche, all of whom are yet under the parental roof. The family usually attend the Methodist Church, and in the community where they live they have many friends. Mr. Durant votes with the Republican party, and for six years served as director of School District No. 2, but has never been a politician in the sense of office seeking, though he is interested in political affairs to the extent of supporting by his ballot the principles which he believes to produce good government. He is a valued citizen of the community, a practical and progressive farmer, and throughout the neighborhood has gained many friends.

Commemorative Biographical Record, Published 1895

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Obituary: Waupaca County Post
Last Friday morning, Oct 28, 1919 quite unexpectedly James Durrant on Bailey Street, passed out from his earthly home. he had been up and around the day before and sat with the family at the table during the supper hour. His health had been impaired for nearly two years. He was born in Nova Scotia Sept 22, 1845. Moved to Boston and a few years afterward came to Wisconsin where he has resided for fifty years. The deceased came to this city three years ago to make it his home for the remainder of his life. The funeral services were held from the family residence on Sunday afternoon at 1 o'clock Rev. Webster Millar officiating. Interment was made in the family lot in Lakeside Cemetery.


Cause of death: Chronic Brights Disease