Ritchie County, West Virginia          Biography of Hon. Michael K. DUTY

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 57-58

HON. MICHAEL K. DUTY, lawyer and business man of
Pennsboro, has by his varied public service become one of the
best known citizens of West Virginia. He has been in both
Houses of the Legislature, has been mayor of Pennsboro, and
was at one time county superintendent of schools of Ritchie
County.

Michael K. Duty was born on a farm in Tyler County, West
Virginia, December 8, 1855, son of A. W. and Hannah E.
(Jones) Duty, also natives of Tyler County. They were
reared on farms in that county, and the father was a com-
petent teacher and later a very successful business man, con-
ducting a store at Centerville for many years. A. W. Duty
was a Union soldier, being sergeant major in the 14th West
Virginia Infantry. While in the war he was captured and
spent six and a half months in Andersonville Prison. For
thirty years he held the post of magistrate in his home county,
was an active republican and a member of the United Brethren
Church. A. W. Duty and wife had six children, five of whom
are now living. Michael K.; J. W. Duty, an oil worker in
Harrison County and who has held the office of magistrate;
Ellen J., wife of Joseph Geesey, living in Ohio; E. T. Duty in
the oil business at Highland, Ritchie County; and D. D. Duty,
postmaster of Wellsville, Ohio.

Michael K. Duty spent his early life at Centerville, West
Virginia, attended the common and high schools there and
later the State Normal School at Fairmont. Then followed a
number of years of experience as teacher and school adminis-
trator, and for twelve years he was principal of the public
school at Pennsboro and served one term as county super-
intendent of schools. Mr. Duty graduated in law from the
University of Arkansas, and as a lawyer he has practiced in
several counties of West Virginia and is still active in his pro-
fession. He is owner of the line of railroad between Penns-
boro and Pullman. He is a stockholder in the Citizens
National Bank and has a large amount of property interests
including town real estate and farm lands.

Mr. Duty was elected and served five terms as mayor of
Pennsboro. In 1912 he was elected a member of the House of
Delegates, serving in the Thirty-first and Thirty-second
Legislatures. In 1916 he was elected to represent the Third
District in the State Senate, and was an active member in the
Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Legislatures. In the session
of 1919 he was chairman of the Virginia debt committee, and
was member of the important committees on judiciary, rail-
road, prohibition and temperance and others.

In Masonry Mr. Duty is well known over the state through
his two terms as grand lecturer of the West Virginia Grand
Lodge. He is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason
and he is a past master of Harmony Lodge No. 59, A. F.
and A. M., and member of Odell S. Long Chapter No. 25,
R. A. M. In December, 1897, Senator Duty married Miss
Lora Crumrine. They reared one child in their home, Delsie
Woostle, now the wife of Clyde Maxwell.