Duffy Family, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Sandra McLellan, Apr. 2005
Special thanks to Jim Perrin for donating it to the archives.

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THE DUFFY FAMILY SETTLES IN PONCHATOULA

BY JIM PERRIN

The Duffy family that settled in Ponchatoula was of Irish ancestry and may well 
have been in that historic wave of immigrants who left Ireland in the 1840s 
because of the Potato Famine and came to America.

Thomas Duffy, who was born about 1836, married Sarah (last name unknown), who was 
also born about 1836 on the Emerald Isle. When a census taker called in 1860, it 
showed that Thomas and Sarah were married and living in New Orleans and they had 
a baby boy in the household. It also indicated that Thomas was working as a 
molder.

Ten years later, in 1870, another census was taken. While Thomas was still listed 
as a molder, the Duffys had increased their family--there were now six children. 

Thomas seems to have died sometime in the 1870s, for Sarah Duffy is listed as a 
widow in the next census. She and her six children had by then moved from New 
Orleans to Springfield. Sometime in the 1890s the family moved into Ponchatoula 
where most of the family lived for many years.

Sarah Duffy lived in Ponchatoula until her death 15 August 1913.  She was buried 
in the family plot in Wetmore Cemetery.

The Duffy's had seven children, including a daughter, Anna, who was born in March 
1870; however, Anna's name does not appear in later records. The Duffy's other 
six children are: 

George Jackson Duffy, born 31 January 1860 in New Orleans. He married in 1890 in 
Ponchatoula to Elizabeth Radelot of New Orleans. Although he moved to New Orleans 
for a time, by 1910 George was back in Ponchatoula where he died on May sixth of 
that year. He was buried in Wetmore Cemetery.

Mary Duffy, born about 1861. She married a Mr. Dawson and lived in New Orleans.

Thomas Jefferson Duffy, born 9 March 1864. A merchant in Ponchatoula for several 
years in the 1890s, Thomas also served as the town's postmaster. He died on St. 
Patrick's Day in 1901 and was buried in Wetmore Cemetery.

Sarah Sylvan Duffy, born about 1866.  She married in 1883 to Chalres D. Abels 
(1857-1935) who was a local merchant, banker and state legislator. Sarah died 10 
May 1940. She and Charles are buried in Wetmore Cemetery

Margaret "Maggie" Duffy, born about 1868. She married in 1895 in Poncatoula to Dr. 
John A. McCorkle.

Nellie Duffy, born ablout 1874. She married in 1894 to Fred J. Tennet. Nellie and 
Fred had two daughters, Lois and Vivian Tennent. Nellie became the postmistress 
of Ponchatoula, following her brother, and served for four years.  Fred died in 
1894 at the age of 28, and Nellie later married the local railroad agent Frank E. 
Rehorst (1871-1928). Nellie and Frank had children: Helen Rehorst who married W. 
H. Browning, and Frank M Rehorst (1905-1921).  Nellie died in August 1948 and was 
buried in Wetmore Cemetery.