Warren Joseph Duffey

Warren Joseph Duffey (January 24, 1886 – July 7, 1936) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Ohio who was elected to two terms in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1933 until his death in 1936. He represented his Ohio constituency in Congress during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process in the early years of the New Deal.

Duffey was born in Toledo, Ohio, on January 24, 1886. He was educated in the Toledo public schools, where he completed his primary and secondary education. Remaining closely tied to his native city, he pursued higher education locally before continuing his professional training out of state.

In 1908, Duffey graduated from St. John’s University in Toledo, Ohio. He then enrolled in the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he graduated in 1911. That same year he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Toledo. His legal career in his hometown provided the foundation for his subsequent entry into public service and politics.

Duffey’s political career began at the state level. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives in 1913 and 1914, gaining early legislative experience in Columbus. He later returned to municipal affairs in his native city, serving as a member of the Toledo City Council in 1917 and 1918. In addition to holding elective office, he became a key figure in local party organization, serving as chairman of the Lucas County Democratic central committee from 1919 to 1932. His prominence within the Democratic Party was further demonstrated by his role as a delegate to the 1932 Democratic National Convention, which nominated Franklin D. Roosevelt for the presidency.

Building on this record of local and state service, Duffey was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-third and Seventy-fourth Congresses. He entered the United States House of Representatives on March 4, 1933, and served continuously until his death on July 7, 1936. As a member of the House of Representatives during the early New Deal era, Duffey participated in the democratic process at the national level and represented the interests of his Ohio constituents while the federal government undertook extensive economic and social reforms in response to the Great Depression. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1936, but died in office before the completion of his second term.

Duffey died while still serving in Congress at the age of 50. He passed away in Toledo, Ohio, on July 7, 1936. Following his death, he was interred in Calvary Cemetery in Toledo, closing a career that had spanned local, state, and national public service.