DEATH OF DUFOUR 41 



John Jaines Dufour's wife died, in Switzerland, 

 in 1823. The half of her estate, which, by the laws 

 of that country, fell to her son, David Vincent, was 

 transferred to the father in exchange for the latter's 

 property, which consisted of personal property, a 

 town lot, 29 acres in one parcel and 605 acres in 

 another in Vevay and neighborhood, and a half right, 

 in partnership with John Francis Dufour, of keeping 

 a ferry across the Ohio River. It is evident that 

 John James Dufour intended to return to Switzerland 

 to pass his declining years, but he was overtaken 

 before the purpose was accomplished, and his tomb 

 was made in Indiana. The remains were first in- 

 terred at Florence, Indiana, but were later removed 

 to the family farm lot seven miles above Vevay ; 

 and here the wanderer may to this day read the in- 

 scription on the tombstone: 



Here 



Is deposited the remains of John James Dufour, 



A native of the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, 



Who departed this life 



February 9th, 1827, 



Aged 64 years. 



Remember man as you pass by 

 That as you are now so once was I; 

 But as I am soon you must be; 

 Prepare for death and follow me. 



Dufour must have been possessed of unusual intel- 

 ligence, forethought and perseverance. He was a 

 pioneer, and he gave his life to prove that the wine 

 grape cannot be grown in eastern North America. 

 Out of the ruin of his hopes there had sprung, even 

 before his death, the branch of promise, but he had 

 not fully perceived its worth. It needed another cast 



