John Durfey, Frontiersman & Indian Fighter with Spencer Carbine

[Two Flints]

John Durfey, Frontiersman and Indian Fighter

Here are two posed studio photographs featuring John Durfey dressed in his dime-novel finery. The first photograph finds Durfey posed standing wearing a heavily fringed jacket, fringed leggings and holding what appears to be a Civil War-era .50 caliber Spencer repeating rifle.

In the second photograph Durfey is seated on a buffalo hide rug with his rifle wearing more conventional clothing, posed next to an unidentified "Indian" holding a peace pipe and bow, and wearing the identical outfit (with the addition of a feathered headdress and possible wig) that Durfey was wearing in the first photograph. Presumably these photographs were taken on the same day.

A biography indicates that John Durfey was originally from Dartmouth, England and arrived in the United States in the 1840s. He enlisted in the Union army and was captured at Gettysburg. He later escaped from Andersonville  Prison. After the war he became an Indian fighter and frontiersman.





Two Flints

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings, Two Flints!

   Thanks So Much for posting these great images! I love them!

                Be Well!

                            M.T.Marfield

[Henry4440]

Presumably these photographs were taken on the same day.

I love these old pics. 

Hmm, in the second pic he looks a little bit younger to me, imo.

[Shotgun Franklin]

He looks soft but then again looks can be decieving

[Hard Mouth]

I believe that, just off-camera, you'd find a small child, whining for Dad to give his bow back...