D. N. Darling

Submitted by Elizabeth Burns, Aug 2002

Arizona, The Youngest State, 1913

One of the enterprising pioneers and extensive property owners of Douglas is D.N. Darling, who located here soon after the town was founded and has engaged in contracting and building ever since with a good measure of success. He was born at Rutland Massachusetts, in 1849 and is a son of Daniel and Abigail (Bartlett) Darling, the father a native of New Hampshire, but of English extraction and the mother of Scotland. Daniel Darling was one of the pioneers of Rutland where he followed the blacksmith's trade until age compelled his retirement from active life. In matters of citizenship he was progressive and public spirited and by his zealous cooperation in forwarding all worthy enterprises did much toward the upbuilding and development of the town. He was twice married, his first wife, Sarah Bartlett, having been a sister of our subject's mother and the daughter of Captain Charles Bartlett, a veteran of the War of 1812. To them were born nine children, all of whom are now deceased with the exception of one daughter, Lucy, the widow of H.E. Tinker, of Hartford Connecticut. Of his second marriage there were two children: Adaline, who passed away in Massachusetts in 1890; and our subject. The father lived to the advanced age of seventy-six years, his death occurring in June 1877, in Rutland where he passed the greater portion of his life. He was born June 1801.

The early years in the life of D.N. Darling were passed in New England. He was reared in the paternal home and completed his education in the Wesleyan Academy, Wilburham, Massachusetts from which institution he was graduated in 1866. He subsequently apprenticed himself to the mason's trade which he followed in his native state for about four years. In 1870 he came west, locating in Lincoln Nebraska, where he engaged in contracting and building until after the Chicago fire in 1871, when he removed to the latter city. There he followed the same line of business for more than two years and in 1874 went to Palestine Texas where he resided for ten years and during that time was awarded many important contracts, having erected the courthouse, jail and schoolhouse. His next removal was to Salt Lake City, Utah, where he located in 1884, remaining there for three years, and devoting his energies to contracting and building. From there he went to Seattle Washington, thence to Sitka Alaska, and later to the Behring sea district. There for a time he engaged in placer mining, but in 1889 he returned to the states, taking up his residence in San Francisco where for a year he engaged in contracting. The succeeding eighteen months were devoted to the same business in Los Angeles, and from there he went to Phoenix Arizona. While located in the latter city he was awarded by the government the contract for the erection of three school buildings on the Indian reservations. His next place of residence was Tucson where he engaged in contracting for two years and then opened a brickyard in Safford, Gila Valley, Graham County, Arizona. He remained at the latter point for three years, engaging in contracting and in the manufacture of brick. During that time he was enstrusted with the construction of many of the business blocks and public buildings as well as the best residences in that vicinity. When the town of Douglas was thrown open to settlers in 1902, Mr. Darling came here and established himself in the business of contracting and building. He has met with unqualified success in his undertakings and is one of the city's most extensive property owners.

He has erected a large number of buildings for the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company, including a portion of their smelter plant and many of the best business blocks and dwellings in the city were constructed by him. The rentals from his property afford him a very comfortable income and his business is constantly increasing so that he is regarded as one of the substantial citizens of Douglas. He owns one of the finest residences in the community and is a stockholder and director in the

Arizona Oil Company.

Mr. Darling was married in 1908 to Mrs. Minnie Hutcheson, widow of the late John Hutcheson and a daughter of Theodore and Nealy J. (Youngblood) Ball, both of whom are deceased. By her first marriage, Mrs. Darling had two children, John and Bessie, both of whom are now attending school.

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