My Morgan Line

My Morgan line begins, actually also with an Allen and a brick wall. A Quaker brick wall is a bit odd, I think, since they are so well known for keeping great records.

My grandmother's grandmother was Emily, aka Emma A. Allen. It is said that Emma was born in Friendville, TN May 16, 1851 to the parents of Thomas Norris Allen and Elizabeth Morgan. I found Emma's name through some records of other researchers and relatives in Kansas who have been keeping records and having an annual family reunion for the Riggs family.
Emma was married to Joseph Hughes Riggs on December 19, 1872. Another date has been noted as the 12th, and not known which is correct. Emma and Joseph can be seen in a group photo I had posted previously . Here she is cropped from that photo:

Emily "Emma" A. Allen Riggs

 

 

 

One source, an obit from the Chase County, Ks paper (noted in the files from the Riggs relatives), says she was born in 1852 and 12 years later came with her parents to KS where she lived the rest of her life with the exception of 8 years when she lived in MO.

Emma is with her family in 1860 in Blount County, TN and she is 9 years old. Her father is Thomas, mother is Elizabeth, and has siblings by the name Amanda, Julia, Edwin, Elizabeth, and Thomas. By the 1870 census they are in Toledo, Chase Co, KS, she is 19, her father is listed as Thomas N. Allen, (farmer) mother Elizabeth, and the only siblings in the home are Julia, Edwin, Elizabeth and Thomas. In the 1880 census she is married to Joseph Riggs, living in Fairplay, Marion Co, KS. Joseph is 31 (farmer) , Emma is 29, and they have 3 children already, including Lester, my gr grandfather, age 5(?). His name was actually Ernest Lester , but went by his middle name most of is life, seems to be a common practice in my family. 1885 has them in Cottonwood, Chase Co, 1895 and 1900 has them in Cedar, Chase Co.
1910 has them in Hazelwood, Webster, MO. Joseph is 61, Emma, 58, and two children ages 25 and 14 living with them there. Then 1920 and 1925 has them back in Toledo, Chase Co, KS. Their two children Lillis and Clifford still living with them, in the 1925 census Lillis and and Clifford are age 40 and 35 respectively.

My dad went to the local library and found Emma's death announcement for me on microfilm (Emporia Gazettte) and sent me a copy. I'm not exactly sure of the date of the paper, it didn't print out with the section, but there is an advertisement on the same page dated December 17, 1928. The  notice reads:

Mrs. Emma Riggs Dead

Mrs. Emma  Riggs, 77, who lived 7 miles north of Saffordville died at 11:30 o'clock this morning at the St. Mary's hospital. She had been suffering from severe burns received December 9th when she overturned a vessel of boiling water while working at her home. Funeral services  will be at 11 o'clock Wednesday morning at the Friend's church in Emporia. (unreadable) Mrs. Carnell, pastor of the Walnut Grove church, will conduct the (unreadable but hyphenated to next line so most likely "services"), assisted by Rev. R. E. Jackson, pastor of the Friends church. Internment will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Florence.

She is indeed buried in the Hillcrest Cemetery  in Florence, Marion County next to her husband who died before her (May of the same year). Their memorials are on Find A Grave. Her birth on her her tombstone says she was born May 16, 1851, Died December 17, 1928. According to the notes in the files I was given, another researcher had her birth as 1850. The notes also say that her obituary in the Chase County Leader News  say she was born in 1852, that they were married in 1872, and that she died of burns received when she overturned a vessel of boiling water while preparing to take a bath in her home on December 9th.
This reference was the first I had seen about Quaker roots. I didn't even know what "Friends church" meant, and had to look it up. But I knew exactly which hospital it was where she died, I was born in the same hospital. I also knew exactly which church her funeral was in, I remember going there as a very young child, and lived near it a couple times while growing up.  Here is a photo I took last summer of the church. We didn't get to go in, since it was closed when we went to visit.

First Friends Church in Emporia Kansas

In trying to learn more about Thomas Norris Allen,  I came across some articles about his son Thomas G. Allen. Seems he was quite prominent in Chase County, so it was more through him I found more about Thomas N. and his wife.
On Chase County Pages I found the two following pages on Thomas Norris Allen  and his son Thomas G. Allen .
Then I found this page on Scribd which lists names of people buried in a small Quaker cemetery in the area which lists Thomas and Elizabeth. I found it through this Research Page which has a link to a page with pictures of the cemetery, and Thomas and Elizabeth's graves. It also includes a biographical sketch of the Allens which I find very interesting and fun to read, and have added it to my files.

The main page also has a link for more about the Morgans and it links to the church where earlier family members attended and were buried in Iowa. 
 Essentially the biographical sketch describes how the Allens and Morgans lived in Eastern TN until the outbreak of the civil war. The Quakers were peaceable people and didn't go to war, so they left Tennessee when the war made it to their area, and they went to Iowa. Some stayed there, and some went on to Kansas. So some of my Morgan ancestors are buried in Ackworth, Iowa.

Elizabeth Morgan Allen  was born January 16, 1821 in Lost Creek, Jefferson, TN. She was the daughter of William Morgan and Catherine Peck. Elizabeth (also sometimes spelled Elisabeth) married Thomas N. Allen on April 27, 1839 in Lost Creek, Jefferson, TN. She died June 16, 1890, presumably in Chase County, Ks.

Here are the photos I took of hers and Thomas' graves and the cemetery when I visited them last year:

"Our Mother Elizabeth Allen died June 16, 1890 aged 69 yrs & 5mo" "Our Father Thomas N. Allen, died 1, mo. 11, d. 1875, aged 63 yrs, 11 ms, 15 ds."

Old Friends Cemetery as seen from the road, West of the Lyon/Chase County line on Road 180, North side.

Thomas and Elizabeth's graves just south of the big cedar tree in the cemetery. 

  I think I will stop here for this post and start the next one on the ancestors of Elizabeth.  In digging through my files for this post I found a clue on Thomas that I had missed before and I want to dig around some more.
  I found a Thomas Allen in the 1850 census in Blount County, TN. He is 40 years old then, and listed as a farmer, from TN. His wife Elizabeth is 30, and also listed as from TN, as are all the children (names all match the names in other census which Emily shows up in): Wm age 10, Amanda age 6, Julia age 4, and Edmund age 2 (other census he is listed as Edwin). Also in the household is listed a Sarah, age 74 and in the location column it says "no car" which I'm guessing to be North Carolina.
North Carolina makes sense, it's not far from Blount County, and it's also where the earlier Morgans lived before they show up in Tennessee. I have other Allen names further back connected with the Morgan family, But so far I haven't been able to find any connection for Thomas to them.

New Discovery, Ties with Daniel Boone

I got a new e-reader for Christmas, so now I can sit in my recliner with my dogs and read more. I have tons of books I've downloaded from Google Books, but it's been hard to balance a lap top with a lap full of Beagles, they are so snuggly. So with the new electronic reader, I downloaded some new books, and for whatever reason, I found a few about Daniel Boone that sounded like would be fun reading. Just a few pages in I saw something I had to look into. The book named Boone's mother, Sarah Morgan, and mentioned they were thought to have been Quaker. That's all I had to read. I left the comfort of my recliner and came back to my desk and looked into the ancestry of Daniel Boone for more details. I already know that the Morgan line on my maternal grandmother's side was Quaker. I visited the grave of one while I was back in Kansas last summer.
I did find what I was looking for, dug out my relationship chart and discovered that Daniel Boone is/was my 1st Cousin 8 times removed! It was more cool news to share with the family. Sarah Morgan's brother John was my 7th great grandfather, and Daniel Boone's Uncle. The discovery has actually helped me learn a bit more about the Morgan line and the Lloyd line.
Since this connection is on a line I have not shared here yet, and I have pretty much shared all I currently know on Grandpa's line, I think this is as good of a time as ever to share it here on my blog. I shared the information briefly on my facebook page, and already had a few friends say we are related! Even though I don't exactly know how, it makes the world seem that much smaller. I must say though, I had bigger expectations of finding that my husband was related to the Boones than myself, since his Kentucky roots are so much deeper. Who knows, maybe he is, I just don't know how yet. I did read that book some more, and saw that Wallen was one who accompanied Boone on one of his first trips into Kentucky. Wallen is one who I suspect may be an ancestor of my husband's, I have just had a very difficult time figuring out if it's true or not. That all depends on proving a marriage with an earlier ancestor, which may not be possible.
 So with all of that, I will post this, and begin the task of sharing my grandmother's ancestry, which means going back to Kansas (virtually) to get started.
Happy New Year to everyone. May the coming year be full of joy, discovery and friendships!

Robert B. Duncan 1810-1897

I found something new on the Duncans! I was going through some notes I took awhile back when looking through Smart Match results on My Heritage. I don't know why it took me so long to follow up on it, it must have sat in my files for months! But I saw it a week or so ago, and I decided to look into it. So far it looks pretty good.

Robert B. Duncan appears to have been the brother of my William Duncan. All the files and stories I had seen before named William's parents as Robert Duncan (from Scotland) and Lucy Boyles or Broyles. That was pretty much it. I had the clues they were from PA/NY. What I had seen so far indicated that William was born in Genesee County, NY. But I pretty much dead ended there. There were a few clues along the way that William had a couple brothers, but not much info on them either. Well, it appears that facts about William's father and grandfather have gotten mixed up in the passage of time.
In  the files that I had Smart Matches with was a list of names of William's brothers and sisters, it named his parents as Anna Boyles and Robert Duncan (born in PA) then went on to name the grandparents as Robert Duncan (born in Scotland) and Agnes Singleton. The files also listed 8 brothers and sisters for William!! The files didn't include much about William, I still don't have absolute proof that this William is the same as my William, but going by the parents names may be the best I get.

I started looking into the siblings of William to see if I can verify anything more and to gather more clues. I have found some really interesting things. William's brother (younger than William by about 2 years) became rather successful in Indiana, and I have uncovered a biography and a sketch  of Robert B. Duncan in the History of Indianapolis & Marion County Indiana. This is what it said. It was loaded with clues!

Robert B. Duncan is of Scotch descent, his grandfather, Robert Duncan, born in 1726, a native Scotchman, having emigrated to America in 1754, where he engaged in the pursuit of his trade, that of a tailor. He married Agnes Singleton, born in 1742, also of Scotch parentage, and had children, - Robert, James, John, and three daughters. Robert was born in Pennsylvania, Sept. 28, 1772 and during his youth resided in that State, after which he removed to Western New York and engaged in farming pursuits. He married Miss Anna Boyles, and had children, - James, Ester, William, Robert B., Margaret, John, Samuel, Jane and Annie. The death of Mrs. Duncan occurred in 1822, and that of Mr. Duncan Jan. 6, 1846. Their son Robert B. was born in Ontario County, N.Y., June 15, 1810, where the earliest seven years of his life were spent. In 1817 he removed to Ohio and settled near Sandusky, his residence until the spring of 1820, when the family emigrated to Connor’s Station, in the present Hamilton County, Ind., then an unsurveyed prairie. Various employments occupied the time here until 1824, when he became a resident of Pike township, Marion Co., and engaged in the pioneer labor of clearing ground and farming. The year 1827 found him a resident of Indianapolis, where he entered the county clerk’s office as deputy, and remained employed until March, 1834, when he was elected to the office of clerk of the county., and held the position for sixteen successive years. Mr. Duncan had meanwhile engaged in the study of law, and immediately, on the expiration of his official term in 1850, began his professional career, confining himself mainly to business associated with the Probate Court and to consultation. Mr. Duncan was early in his political career a Whig, and continued his relations with that party until later indorsement of the articles of the Republican platform. With the exception of his lengthy period of official life as county clerk, he has never accepted or sought office. He was reared in the stanch faith of the Scotch Presbyterian Church, and still adheres to that belief. Mr. Duncan was married in December, 1843, to Miss Mary E., daughter of Dr. John H. Sanders, of Indianapolis, to whom were born children, - John S. (a practicing lawyer), Robert P. (a manufacturer), Anna D. (wife of William T. Barbee of Lafayette, Ind.), and Nellie D. (wife of John R. Wilson, of Indianapolis). Mr. Duncan enjoys the distinction of being the oldest continuous resident of the county.

 

Transcribed from History of Indianapolis & Marion County Indiana by Berry Robinson Sulgrove. Illustrated. Printed in 1884 in Philadelphia by L.H. Everts & Co.

Other interesting facts I have found connected with Robert B. Duncan is through his wife Mary Elizabeth Sanders. I haven't looked into this very much, it was just a peek, but it seems pretty clear that the Sanders family was descended from Squire Boone, the brother of Daniel Boone. I don't know much about Elizabeth's father, yet, but for a short time their former home was used as the Governor's Mansion. Elizabeth had 4 sisters, the youngest was Jemima. Jemima was married to Dr. Richard J. Gatling (the inventor of the Gatling Gun). Just a tidbit I thought my sons would find interesting.


As for the other siblings, this is what I have so far. (everything is assumed approximate here, it's still being researched. I just want to get this info on the web and hope other researchers find it and contact me. So please, if any of these people are in your tree, anywhere, let me know! If you have any information that can help prove any of this or dispute it, please let me know!)

Children of Robert Duncan (1772-1846) and Anna (Lucy) Boyles (1777(?)-1822)


James Duncan- born 1804. It appears he married Mary Beck 10 Sept 1830.  
I found some will information that is unclear if it's for this James or the James, son of Robert and Agnes. I'll try to include that later.

Ester Duncan- born  Dec 20, 1806. Married 1) William Robinson. I found the name of one child of theirs so far, Frances A., who married a David Bovee.
Esther married 2) John McManis who was a vet of the war of 1812.
Esther was buried in Pine River Cemetery, Richland County, Wisconsin. A note on the records I found say she "died very suddenly while her daughter [Frances A. Bovee] was being buried.
It is recorded that William C. Robinson died May 19, 1842 in Indiana
John McManis is buried in the Bovee Cemetery in Richland County, Wisconsin. It is estimated that he died between 1880 and 1896.

*William Duncan- (my ancestor) born  October 14, 1808 in Genesee County, NY. Married 3 times 1) Amanda Hutsell (my ancestor), 2) Sarah Catherine Hines 3) Susan Trammell (also my ancestor). William reportedly died Jan 5, 1879, though I have yet to find record or grave.

Robert B. Duncan- (I believe B is for Boyles) born June 15, 1810 in Ontario County, NY. married Mary Elizabeth Sanders in December 1843. They had children: 1)John Sanders Duncan, a lawyer, 2) Robert P. Duncan a manufacturer, 3) Anna D. Duncan who married William T. Barbee of Lafyette IN., and 4) Nellie D. Duncan who married John R. Wilson of Indianapolis. Robert B. Duncan died 1897.

Margaret Duncan- born April 20, 1812. died January 12, 1888. She was married to Aaron Stearns Glidewell. I found her grave in Deep Springs Cemetery in Sullivan County, Missouri. They had at least one child, by the name of John T. Glidewell (1840-1902).

John Duncan- born March 31, 1814, died December 27, 1863. He married Amaretta Ridgeway. I found John's grave in Wilson Cemetery in Monon, White County, Indiana.

Samuel Brady Duncan- born March 4, 1816. died April 16, 1906.  I found this page with Samuel's obit and and this page with some family info, including names of children. Samuel was married to Elizabeth Hornbeck in 1843. Seems he went to Iowa in 1853 and lived in Winterset. It says he was buried in the Winterset Cemetery, but I'm not finding either on Find A Grave.

Anna B. Duncan- born 1820 and died 1911. She married Durfee Bovee in 1837. Durfee was the son of Elisha Bovee and Catherine (Durfee) Bovee. So far I have found two children of Anna and Durfee: 1) Elisha Bovee (1840-1913) who married Victoria Potter and 2) Samuel Durfee Bovee (1845-1923) who married Emily West. I found Samuel Durfee Bovee's grave on Find A Grave in the Oaksdale Cemetery, Whitman County, Washington.  I found record of Anna and Durfee Bovee's graves in the Bovee Cemetery in Orion Township, Richland County, Wisconsin.

(I peeked at all the internments of the Oaksdale Cemetery in Washington, and there is a bunch of Byrums which I am pretty sure are other descendants of my Byram ancestors on my dad's side of the tree. Many of the memorials were created by a lady I have cooresponded with already! Small world!) 

 Emily T. Duncan- born 1829. d. 1863. Married James L. Shaw.  I found Emily and James' graves in Pretty Prairie Cemetery in Battle Ground, Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Her memorial says she was the daughter of Robert and Hanna Duncan.


Robert Duncan and Agnes Singleton (grandparents of William Duncan, parents of the Robert Duncan who married Anna Boyles)

The History of Indianapolis, mentioned above, tells me that Robert, the grandfather of my William, was born in 1726 and was from Scotland. It says that his wife, Agnes Singleton was born in 1742 and was of Scotch parentage.


The files I found on My Heritage and it's also mentioned in the History of Indianapolis that Robert and Agnes had three sons and three daughters, but only the names of the sons have been mentioned. They are:
*1) Robert Duncan 1772-1846 married to Anna Boyles (also seen listed as Lucy Boyles and Hanna Boyles last name has also been listed as Broyles).
2) John S. Duncan 1786-1864 (not to be confused with Robert B. Duncan's son by the same name who became a lawyer in Indianapolis like his father) I found a Find A Grave page for a John S. Duncan at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, IN. The birth date is unknown, death date given as May 4, 1864.  John was married twice 1) Elizabeth 2) Maria (last name of either not yet known.)
3) James L. Duncan  no dates have yet been found on James. The My Heritage file had the same birth dates (June 15, 1786 in PA) and same death dates (May 4, 1864 Marion, Grant Indiana). I find it highly unlikely they were born on the same dates AND died on the same dates, so until I verify both, it is assumed it is a simple error in their files.  The wife of James is only listed as Elizabeth.
I did find a couple mentions in the History of Indianapolis of John and James Duncan, but it is not yet certain it is these two.


As for the will information mentioned above with James, son of Robert and Anna, here is what I found.
it says: (do they mean "son of Robert Duncan and Agnes Singelton"?

James Duncan, d. 1855 Marion Co. IN, uncle of Robert B. Duncan and son of Robert Duncan and Anna Boyles of Ontario Co. NY
Marion Co. IN Will Books
      C-90: James Duncan of City of Indianapolis, Marion Co. IN, feeble in body; to my daughter Elizabeth $100 out of residue of personal estate after debts if there be sufficient; and that her minority shall be no bar to her receiving and receipting the money, and if necessary, she shall receive so much of my real estate or the proceeds to make up the money; the remainder divided between my wife (unnamed) and all my children, including said Elizabeth, as the law directs. Appoint my nephew Robert B. Duncan exec. 22 Feb. 1855, /s/ James Duncan, wit. Mary E. Duncan, Robert B. Duncan. Proved 9 Jan. 1857. (FHL film 499,449, SLC 9/17/91)

Well. lots of digging and sorting to do. I do hope this draws in some responses from other descendants!  This has taken me all day to post, so I hope I haven't made any serious mistakes.

My Trux line (Trucks)

My 4th great grandparents were Thomas McCluer and Susannah Trucks (Trux).
I'm not sure when Susannah was born, (one family file I found says 1791) and it seems most likely she was born in Pennsylvania. She died in 1838 right after the family moved from Ohio to Jackson County, Illinois.
Susannah's parents were William J. Trux (only seen spelled Trucks a few times) and Mehitable McCoy. I'm not certain about dates of Mehitable but I'm pretty sure was was previously married to a Asahel Bucks and had a son with that husband, William, who was killed at the age of 14 in the Wyoming Valley Massacre.
William Trux  was born 1750 in Frederick, Maryland (some sources say possibly Connecticut). I believe he was the son of George Trux and Samantha (LNU). It appears he had another wife, before Mehitable, a daughter of Porter Ayres.
I found this research which has been helpful, about Mehitable and William, and includes a bit of info about the Ayers.
Although this file places Mehitable at the Battle of Wyoming Valley, I have not been able to connect William Trux to the battle (1778). This research says Mehitable's first husband died 1779, so he survived the battle and also that she married William Trux about the same year. From what I have seen, William and Mehitable's first child was born about 1780, so this sounds right to me. It has been my belief that William Trux probably arrived to the area shortly after the massacre. Which is also about the time he was finished fighting in the war.

I do know he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The link above indicated that, so I went to Ancestry and searched records there and wound up finding numerous copies of records with his name on them, both pay roll and muster records. This is, so far, what I have determined about his military service: William Trux served with the German Regiment, Maryland, Continental Army. I'm not exactly sure when he enlisted, but a record from The Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During The War of the Revolution April 1775-December 1783 (New Revised and Enlarged Edition by Francis B. Heitman) has him  listed as follows:

Trux, William (Md) Private German Regiment, 21st July, 1776; Sergeant, 1st March 1777; Ensign 25th July 1778; resigned 1st July 1779.

I have not yet figured out why he resigned. I lost record of him in muster rolls after September 9, 1778, and he was not on the payroll for October 1778 and onward. It's only my guess that he may have been injured and that's why the time lapse between his falling off the rolls and resigning. If anyone knows how I might learn the reason for him leaving I would greatly appreciate it. I found no clues in the records I have found so far.

I found William Trux in the census for the following years and places

• 1790 Luzerne County, PA with a total of 7 members in the home
• 1800 Kingston, Luzerne, PA with a total of 5 members in the home
• 1810 Kingston, Luzerne, PA with a total of 10 members in the home, including 5 slaves.
• 1830 Blooming Grove, Richland, OH. with a total of 8 members in the home. no slaves. 

He was also mentioned in a couple sources as having bought land in Kingston, PA  in 1803 "lots 21 and 22 of the Fourth Division of lots" and built a grist mill and saw mill at what is now Trucksville, on one of those lots, before 1811. He was also described as a justice of the peace and served as an overseer of the poor around the 1797-1809 time frame. It is then said he moved to Knox County, Wayne Twsp, Ohio in 1811.
This page was one I found with lots of information.


George Trux was, I believe, William's father. I have an estimated birth date of 1725 for him. It is said that the family's origin is Baden Germany, but it is not known for sure where George was born. Some have said England, some have said Frederick, Maryland. It is not known who his parents were, I speculate he may have been the immigrant ancestor for that line.
I found a George Trux on at least one census, 1790 in Frederick Maryland with 9 household members.
I found several mentions of George Trucks in This was the life: excerpts from the judgment records of Frederick County ...By Millard Milburn Rice, Maryland. County Court (Frederick County) concerning building a bridge across Little Pipe Creek near his home, and in references to building new roads, his place of home given as reference points for locations.
That's pretty much it.

Ancestors of John A. McCluer

There seems to be a strong belief that my particular line of McCluer (or McClure, and there were lots of other lines too, how they are related may never be known) came from Ireland to America and settled in the area of Rockbridge County, Virginia. Originally they were Scottish and at some point some went to Ireland for awhile before coming to America. I have found a few things about the early McClures to read and consider already, but I can tell it's going to chalk full of confusion and conflict, as far as proof and research goes. The good thing is, I can be fairly certain of at least two more generations.

From John A. McCluer, my 3rd great grandfather, who I have written some about already, we go to his parents, Thomas McCluer and Susannah Trucks (an earlier spelling of her family surname was Trux). I found this sketch about him in the History of Richland County, Ohio.
The same site also has a small sketch on John A. McCluer's brother James Jackson McCluer as well as a sketch on Thomas' father Samuel. I haven't known the last name of Samuel's wife Sarah for some time but I followed a clue in Samuel's sketch and it says his wife was buried in the Lexington Cemetery (Ohio I presumed) and did a search on Find A Grave. Once again, that site has come to my rescue! She is listed, though there is no photo of her grave, and it shows Allen was her last name. (I'm thinking...great, another Allen! I have two other ancestors with last name Allen, one on Grandma's side and one on Dad's side-if I remember right- both of which I know little about) But that explains where John got his middle name. I was hoping I'd find out where he got that name!
This Find A Grave discovery not only gives me her surname, it gives a possible birth year and place! We all know what that means! More research! If anyone reading this can offer any more clues, by all means...fire away!
What I'm not real sure about is the statement at the end of the sketch for Samuel stating;

Evidently Samuel McCluer was interred in the Strausbaugh Baptist Cemetery shortly after his death. At some point in time, a stone was made for both him and his wife in the Lexington Cemetery."

If anyone can shed any light on this, I would appreciate it. Does this mean he is buried at the church cemetery, but a stone for him is in the Lexington Cemetery?  I looked up the Strausbaugh Baptist Cemetery on Find A Grave and there is an entry there for Samuel too. No photo of his grave there either. The cemetery is over grown and as of 2009 it was said only 2 stones were standing, some leaning against trees, others flat on the ground, most broken or no longer readable. A photo shows it has pretty much been reclaimed by nature.

I also found this, written by another researcher and descendant. Much of what I know about my family history I owe to this person, he blazed some trails for me, that's for sure. But his trail seems to have gone cold, I haven't seen anything written by him that is very recent. If anyone knows how to get in touch with James, it would be nice to tell him Thanks for all his help. After all...we are related! 
Here is a page I found for the Strausbaugh Baptist Cemetery which has a different picture of the cemetery, taken when the trees were bare, and lists some of those interred there and also photos of some of the stones, including that of Samuel, which was one that was leaning against a tree. (I have so much more now than I had before I got up this morning, and it's just now noon!) 

Most sources I've seen so far seem to agree that Samuel's father was William, but from there things get controversial, and I have more studying to do. Usually I print out the different views, and add them to my files but we all know, sometimes we just never really know for sure who was whose father, or mother and so on. One thing can be said for sure, the McCluers were true pioneers in almost every sense of the word, and were honorable, and good people. If I had a time machine, I'd like to go back and meet them. 

My Barber Line

With a name like Thomas Barber Nase, I was almost sure that Barber was another family name. So one day I decided to see if I could find out anything about that, and I did. I dug around and dug around until I found some will abstracts from Sussex Co, NJ (1860 census for TB Nase showed he was born in New Jersey and I think I had already found clues that his father's name was George). There was this entry:

BARBER, Thomas of Greenwich. 1492S - W. 20 Sep 1808; Filed 5 Dec 1816. Wife: Margaret. Sons: Samuel and John (dec'd). Daughters: Phebe STIVERS, Elizabeth NACE(sic) w/o George and Ann Perine MUCHLER. Others: S-n-l, John STIVERS; Thomas and Robert BARBER s/o dec'd son John. Executors: Wife, Margaret, dau Ann (Nancy) Perine MUCHLER and William KENNEDY. Witnesses: James McCARTER, James J. KENNEDY and William M. KENNEDY.

It was the clue I needed! Later on I found this:

File 12696 C. 

1813, Sept. 20. Barber, Thomas, of Greenwich, Sussex Co.; will of. 

Wife, Margaret, $1,333.33; also my negro girl, a cow, bed and bedding, 

household goods for 1 room, all in lieu of dower, and to be at her 

own disposal. Son, Samuel, $00.66. Presbyterian Congregation at 

Harmony in Greewich Twsp., $66.66, the interest thereof for use of 

church as long as it exists there but if dissolved, the principal sum 

to return to my estate. Having paid for land on which my son-in- 

law, John Stivers lives, I give out of said estate, $533.33 to children 

of daughter, Phebe Stivers, and residue to return to my estate. Rest 

of all estate to be sold. Residue to be divided into 5 equal shares. 

One such share to children of my son, Samuel, who is to have interest 

thereof for life and if his present wife survive him, she is to have 

% of said interest during her widowhood. One share to my 2 grand- 

sons, Thomas and Robert (sons of my son, Robert, lately dec'd), 

when 21. Daughters, Elizabeth (wife of George Nace), Ann Perine 

Muckler, and Phebe Stivers, each the interest of one share and at 

their deaths, principal to their children. Executors — wife, Margaret, 

daughter, Ann Perine Muckler and friend, William Kennedy, Esq. 

Witnesses — James M. Carter, James J. Kennedy, William M. Kennedy. 

Proved Dec. 5, 1816, when Margaret Barber*, Nancy Mutchler, Wm. 

Kennedy signed as Executors. 

From http://www.archive.org/stream/documentsrelatin08newj/documentsrelatin08newj_djvu.txt

It was great! Then I went to Find A Grave. I have not been able to find the death or grave of Thomas Barber Nase, it appears he passed before his wife Polly, since I found Polly in the 1880 census in Polk, Crawford Co, OH  as a widow living with her daughter and her family (Lucy Nase Overly). So it's most likely he died in Ohio. I did find Thomas Barber and his wife Margaret on find a grave. Thomas Barber was a patriot in the Revolutionary War. I checked the DAR site and sure enough, several ladies have joined under his patriotism. Here is his Find A Grave memorial:
What seemed odd to me was that his grave, as well as his wife's, was in the basement of a church. So I contacted the person who created the memorial and he wrote back with an explanation. He explained that "the church needed to expand and the only direction they could go was out towards the parking lot. The graves were in the way, and rather than disturb them, the church addition was built over the graves. There are about 12 graves under this addition." This person has installed a Veteran's marker right outside the door that leads to the actual graves.
This same researcher is also descended from Thomas Barber and has also tried to find out more about the family. We know that Thomas' wife's name was Margaret Perrine, but that's about it. The name Perrine sounds French to me too, does anyone know?


So, the tree from Clarinda Nace got expanded. Her parent's were Thomas Barber Nase and Polly Montanye. Thomas Barber Nase was likely born 1799 in Luzerne Co, Pa. His parents were George Nase and Elizabeth Barber. I have seen two different dates for George's birth, and haven't yet confirmed one or the other. One is 1736 and the other is 1858.
I also have two possible birth dates for his wife Elizabeth Barber: 1761-1765 and she may have been born in Sussex Co, NJ. It is said she died 1817 in Luzerne Co, PA. I have seen a possible wedding date for George and Elizabeth as 1782, so if that is true and looking at birth dates suggested for Elizabeth, I tend to think George's birth date to be more likely the later of the two seen. I have yet to locate anything to confirm any dates for this couple. The death dates I have for George and Elizabeth are: George 1814 in Luzerne Co, PA and 1817 for Elizabeth also in Luzerne Co, PA. What I'm not sure about with George's date is that has him having died before Elizabeth's father, Thomas Barber who died in 1816. Would he be mentioned in the will and abstract in the present tense if he had already passed away? Or am I just reading it too literally?
According to the dates I'm seeing Elizabeth died a year after her father, but before her mother, Margaret Perrine who died in 1825.
At any rate, I'm at a dead end with the Barber and the Perrine line, but this felt like some progress anyway.

Finding The Frenchman

As I said in an earlier post, I had been told by an uncle that there was French in the family somewhere. It took me awhile to find it, but when I did, there was no doubt. I simply found another tree and bridged the gap. I had actually seen the tree before, and it included my mom, grandparents and other names I had already known and mentioned here already. This is that tree and this is the site it is connected to. Once I realized what I had stumbled into, I was quite surprised! I communicated with someone from the site and shared copies of the Bible records and papers I had gotten from my family, and I suppose that made it official that I am a descendant of Johannes de la Montagne! 
The connection I had to make was through Clarinda Nace (Nase), who I mentioned and shared a photo of in an earlier post. Clarinda is my 3rd great grandmother and she was married to John A. McCluer. Clarinda's mother was Polly Montanye, who was the 4th great granddaughter of Johannes. Johannes Mousnier de La Montagne is my 10th great grandfather.
I made a chart to help me see this better and am picturing it below. 

My Descent from Jean Mousnier de La Montagne, aka Johannes de La Montagne, aka Doctor Johannes de La Montagne ending with my gr gr grandparents.

Three Grave Stones Identified

Just the other day I posted some pictures emailed to me by my uncle, and some were very hard to read. One looked like it said Ruth, and it did. But it is not the grave of Ruth. I returned to a site I used so many years ago to find my Missouri-Duncan information, but never got around to documenting the rest of the family and these two were both listed and documented some time ago. They are both in Mineral Springs Cemetery, Barry County, Missouri.

William H. Duncan 1872-1892

As you can see, it's getting very hard to read it. Which is why I am once again so grateful to those who came before me, and recorded things. I have never met or talked to the people who provided this information. Looks like I will have to do that soon, so they know how much their efforts are appreciated.
This is the Page where the entry can be found. You'd have to scroll down to W.H. Duncan. and you can click on their photo of the same stone. the two toned nature of the stone is also seen in their photo. They also took the time to highlight the markings and identify the person here.

The info they added to this marker was this:

Inscription: "Son of P. H. & Ruth" - Research Note: In 1880 Peter H. and Ruth Duncan were living in Lyon, Cherokee Co., KS and William H. Duncan was 8 years old, born in KS.

This other stone and info can be found on the same page as William H. Duncan. and this is what the researchers there  found out about her:

Research Note: Culver's Chapel Records read that her parents were Ruben and Elizabeth Starkey. She lived on Eagle Rock Star Route, Cassville, MO.

DUNCAN, Lillie Amanda (STARKEY) b. Sep. 26, 1890. AR  d. Sept. 15, 1973 Home, Barry Co., MO.

I will have to see if I can find out more about her. The way her name and dates is just etched really haunts me. They may not have had the money to get it engraved properly, but they thought enough of her to give her a big pretty stone (even though it looks like it was taken right from the ground and not modified much.  

The third stone I posted was easy to read.

Robert Bruce Duncan b. Nov 26, 1885  d. July 9, 1956

I believe this is Robert Bruce Duncan, son of Peter Hutsell Duncan and Ruth McCleur (McClure) Duncan. I really hadn't recorded much on him yet, as I hadn't really traced the other descendants much, but I know I've seen his name numerous times, and may have more information on him if I just dig a bit. 
The researchers who posted this didn't have anything else to add. Just added the dates provided on the stone. 
I just read over an email one of my uncles sent me back in October. He refers to a Bob and Mandy Duncan in his memories. I bet that's this Robert and Amanda! 
Here is what he says:

"The story I remember is that Peter was an Oklahoma circuit court judge and settled what was called "The Old Home Place" down at the bottom of the mountains before it became Mo. When I was six, we lived in a house that was converted to a duplex with Aunt Alberta, Laddie, Joanne and Jerry Owen that was by the Mark Twain forest tower on Hwy 76 about 10 miles N of Cassville. Dad was working for the CCC and often used his '30 Cheve as a fire truck. Grand dad's place was about a 1/4 mile S of the tower. When I started school, I walked down the mountain to a school that was on the corner of the old home place that at that time was occupied by Bob and Mandy Duncan. I think the school was called Minden. Bob's son's, William and Thomas were also in the school and were a bit older than me. Joanne saw them a few years back and says they are true to type. (Overalls and no underwear!) The last time I was down there, the tower and the house we lived in were still there. (Mom said she took me up in the tower when I was 1.) Someone was living in the school and Grand dad's house had been replaced with a new house. He had a strawberry patch on the home place and I remember going down to pick berries with him. Also there was no well on his place so he often had to haul water up the mountain with his '27 White truck. He had a sorghum press (Two large rollers, long pole, harness the mule to the pole.) and a huge pan up under the hickory tree for boiling down the sorghum and grandmother would dig sassafras roots and make tea that I hated. Before we moved to the duplex, we lived for a time in a log cabin at the corner of hwy 78 and M, several miles S of Grand dad's place. We did not stay there long, as I remember living with Lena and attending a country school near Monett by Christmas of that year, then going to a school in Monett before finishing the school year in Maple Hill."

 

Treasure Chest Thursday~Peter Hutsell Duncan~My gr gr Grandfather.

I wish I had a photo of this ancestor. I think he lived an interesting life, and I would hope to see the faces of his parents in his, if I could see a photo of him. Maybe someday I will find someone, or someone will find me, who has a photo of him and he/she will share with me.
I have found lots about Peter Hutsell Duncan in my research, but it would be difficult to share all of it in one blog entry.
His obituary sums it up pretty well, sounds like he was well loved by those who knew him.

 

Obit For Peter H. Duncan, Judge P. H. Duncan: At St. John's Hospital, Joplin, Mo., Wednesday, June 12, 1912, at 11:04 a. m. Judge P. H. Duncan answer the final roll call. He had under gone an operation for gall stones and though the operation was a serous one, he was thought to be gradually recovering from its effects. And his death was quite a surprise to his many friends.

Peter H. Duncan was born at Martinsville, Ind., August 10, 1841. In 1856 the family moved to Jackson county, Illinois. Here he attended the common schools and helped his father on the farm until the beginning of the Civil War when he enlisted in Company H, 27 Illinois Infantry of the Union Army. He made a good record as a soldier, always doing his duty bravely and promptly. He was with the army of the Cumberland during most of the war and participated in the battles of Belmont, Union City, Siege of Island No. 10, Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Kennesaw Mountain, Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Peach Tree Creek and several other engagements. He served three years and one month in the army.

At the close of the war he located on a farm in Kansas and lived here until 1888 when he came to Barry County and lived on a farm four miles east of Mineral Springs until his death.

He had been married twice. His second wife and two children, Viola and Robert survive him.

For many years he had been Commander of the Old Soldier's and Settlers' Reunion. Under his efficient management, the reunion has become the largest and most successful in all the southwest. For four years he was presiding judge of the county court and gave the county an efficient administration.

The remains were brought to this city Thursday noon accompanied by relatives and Col. Wm. Holliday. The funeral services were conducted at Mineral Springs at 2 p.m. by Rev. F. M. Smallwood. Short talks were also made by J. S. Davis and L. Beasley.

The pall bearers were Prosecuting Attorney James Talbert, Judge E. W. Davis, Judge G. W. Henson, Judge Charles Velton. Ex-collector J. M. Davidson and County Assessor W. M. Houston.

The entire service was impressive and comforting to the sorrowing family. The casket was covered with beautiful flowers, mute testimonials of love, sympathy and friendship of those who knew him best.

In the death of Judge Duncan, the county loses one of her most honored and progressive citizens, a man who always took a deep interest in the welfare of this country, state and community.

Newspaper Cassville Republican Date June 20, 1912, Thursday Death Cert Link - Resource State Historical Society of MO Microfilm Submitted by Donna Cooper

Peter H. Duncan married Ruth McCleur (McClure) March 12, 1872 in Jackson County, Illinois. The first I find them on the census in Kansas is 1875, so I don't think they went to Kansas 'right' after the war ended, but a few years later. The first I find him on the census in Missouri is in 1900. I have not found him on the census for  1860, 1870 or 1890.

My aunt and uncle (my mom's brother) shared photos of some things they now treasure that once had belonged to Peter. They shared photos of the Duncan Family Bible and pages from that Bible that helps confirm things written on the notes I got from my grandmother.

edited to blur out info for living relatives

They also shared a photo of a flask that once belonged to Peter. I have not yet confirmed his work in the Oklahoma Territory, unless the parts of Kansas they lived in were part of the territory then, or he just traveled there on occasion since it was so near.

While looking for Peter Duncan in the census I made the discovery that one of the records was recorded by Peter himself! The whole document (1875 census for Lyon Twsp. Cherokee County, Ks)  is in his handwriting! But apparently I only printed that document, and didn't save a copy of it on my computer. I'm not subscribed to Ancestry at the moment or I'd go fetch it. But it was a pretty exciting discovery. I do have a copy of his death certificate and numerous printouts of transcriptions I found online of the Cassville Republican.  An entry dated October 12, 1899 simply states.

"Mineral Springs News: P.H. Duncan has returned home. His wife died and was buried in Kansas."

In a 1900 entry of the same paper he is listed in a county court proceeding, along with several other men, named as a road commissioner.
In an October 11, 1894 edition he is in a list naming him appointed as Judge of Elections for Mineral No. 2. 
I even found a couple entries where he oversaw a court case and conducted the marriage of another couple (1907 and 1909, respectively)
Then in the June 20, 1912 edition is two entries next to each other. The first says

T.R. Duncan of Columbus, Kan., attended the funeral of his brother, Judge P.H. Duncan at Mineral Springs Thursday.

The second says

Judge Duncan died at St. John's Hospital, Joplin, MO, Wednesday, June 12, 1912, at 11:04 a.m.

If the name of that hospital sounds familiar, well, it was the name of the hospital that was destroyed by the horrible twister in May of this year. I found this neat article on the Historic Joplin Website.  I'm looking around to see if the hospital that was destroyed was on the same site, or another site. If anyone knows, please drop me a line. It would be nice to know if that building is still standing, or not.
I also found a post card of what the hospital looked like in 1912. I just hope this image stays up awhile, it's being auctioned. Yes, I'm tempted. St. John's Hospital, 1912.  

Wordless Wednesday~Riggs Family

I haven't even started sharing about my Riggs line yet, my maternal grandma's family. When I recently found this photo online that includes Grandma as a baby and her parents and grandparents, I was almost speechless! In a giddy way of course. I calculate the photo taken in 1915, since Ernest's brother Clifford turned 21 that year.

My grandma Beulah (front row being held by her sister Alta), her parents Ernest Lester Riggs and Hattie Estelle (Makin) Riggs are in back row. Ernest is second from left and Hattie next to him in the middle. Ernest's parents are in the center of the group, the oldest couple. They are Joseph Hughes Riggs and Emily "Emma" (Allen) Riggs.

James D. Riggs Family 1885 Henry, John, Rueben, Joe (my gr gr grandfather), Call (Calvin), Albert, Mary, Mary (wife), James D. (my gr gr gr grandfather), Nancy, Tamar, Charles, Hazel, Berdie

Thomas R. Duncan

Thomas R. Duncan was full brother of my great great grandfather Peter Hutsell Duncan, and half brother of my great grandfather Albert E. Duncan. As far as I can tell, he was the oldest child  of William Duncan and Amanda Hutsell Duncan. A good part of his biography has been listed here in his Find A Grave memorial, and it was insrumental in me learning more about my ancestor, Peter too, since they went to Kansas together. There are also tidbits of info about William included, which seems to be all anyone knows about William, as I see it repeated almost word for word in any files about William.

Thomas' biography can also be found in The History of Cherokee County Kansas.

Motivation Monday-Help from living Family

I haven't been able to do much work on my puzzles the last few days, but I have been getting a steady stream of emails all weekend, mostly from Cousin Valerie. She's been sending me what she has found, mostly about the Fredericks/Rhinesmiths and some about the Merrions (or Marions). This group of people seem to have come to America (New Jersey) from the Germany area possibly around the French/Swiss border or likely the Rhine River area during the mid 1700's. They were part of the Iron industry that was booming there in New Jersey at the time. I printed out numerous emails and documents she sent, including some that had been shared with her by Blanche years ago, so I could sit and read them while on the road or taking it easy in the recliner. But yesterday's road trip turned out to be longer than we expected and the car doesn't have air conditioning yet. It was a hot day here in Central Kentucky, pretty much like everywhere else, so I really didn't feel like reading much. None the less, I have a challenge before me.
Then this morning when I checked my email I had another unexpected email. This one from my uncle, (my mom's brother in law). It seems he recently made a trip to Mineral Springs, Missouri. He sent me photos he had taken of the church there that Albert Duncan used to attend, and the new building that has been built next to it. He also sent several photos of graves, Albert's grave, Peter Hutsell Duncan's grave and some I had never seen before! Some are very old and hard to read, one was never really engraved, but the name and date scratched on. I belive some of these I had not seen before are descendants and not all are my ancestors, so the challenge will be sorting them out, and for some reading what the stones actually say.

Mineral Springs Baptist Church. Barry County, Missouri

Sentimental Sunday-History in the Making

Family History in the making, that is combining with American History in the making.
I have been absent the past few days, and making this post brief for a good reason. My 3rd son, who just turned 21 a couple weeks ago, is preparing to go to Iraq. This weekend he came home for the last time before he deploys. He's been in training the past few months, and mother nature has decided to help prepare the troops as well. So for those of us suffering in the heat, just know it's helping our son, daughters, brother, father etc...get ready for the real heat of the desert.
My son got home Friday, after spending some time Thursday with his girlfriend and college friends out of town. We decided to combine his birthday party and going away party, into one big party yesterday. My husband smoked ribs and chicken, I made cake and salads, and the house was full of friends and family. It was a great day.
But this morning I woke up not wanting to face the day. Today our son heads back to his training post. I don't know when or if I will see him again. And that is a very difficult reality to wake up to.

My son is with the troops who will be part of the troop extraction in Iraq, and we are told they should be back by the end of the year. So that is where American history comes in. His big brothers, my two oldest are in the Navy, and they have also found themselves in the midst of making history while serving in the Pacific the last couple years. That was hard enough too, but not near as hard as seeing one go to Iraq.
My sailors are ending their term of service soon, and the best I can do for my mental state is look forward to the next year, when all my boys should be home again (by spring!), and to keep digging into family history.

My cousin Valerie has been emailing me information on the Fredericks/Rhinesnmith (from New Jersey) line on my dad's side, and her info contains more surnames and puzzle pieces to try to put together. So I hope that will help keep my mind on better things.
I hope to get back into the swing of blogging my family tree more this week. I expect/hope to find something new this week!

(new surnames that are being suggested are Speaker, Merrio or Marion, Richards, Metzenback. These tie in to my Van Ordens; Mary Ellen Fredericks and Harmen Van Orden. So if you recognize any of these names please shoot me a line! We can use all the help we can get)

Wordless Wednesday-The Duncan Family

us014, a photo by surfinsandy23 on Flickr.

I have some things to do around the house today. Enjoy this picture of my great grandfather Albert Duncan, and other relatives. Click the photo for a little more information if you are interested.

Tombstone Tuesday- The Duncan Family

Today I'm doing something more simple and still staying with the daily prompts. This genea-blogging is harder than I thought, but I may not be in the groove yet, and my mind still a bit distracted to do it right. So bear with me and I find my way.

First are the gravestones of my grandparents. George Hutsell Duncan and Beulah Angie Riggs Duncan. Words cannot express how much I miss my grandma. I took this picture last summer when I went back to Kansas for a brief visit. I had not been to the cemetery since 2004 when we buried Grandma. I needed to go back. They are resting in Rosean Cemetery in Lyon County Kansas. 

Next is the shared gravestone of my great grandparents, George's parents, Albert E. Duncan and Viola Ellen Duncan. I found this photo on a Missouri genealogy website that had a nice listing of Barry County graves, and volunteer contributed photos. The file says the photo was taken by Dianna Cooper. Diana, I am so grateful. Thank-you so much! Albert and Viola are resting at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Barry County, Missouri.

Next is my great great grandparents, Viola Ellen's parents. Peter Hutsell Duncan (also known as Judge P.H. Duncan) and Ruth McCluer Duncan. I believe I found Peter's grave photo the same place as Albert's, and I found Ruth's on Find-a-Grave. Peter Duncan is resting in Mineral Springs Cemetery and Ruth is resting in Greenlawn Cemetery in Cherokee County, Kansas. Peter and Ruth were true pioneers, I'll attempt to tell their story someday!

I wish I could add the photos of Albert and Peter's parents, but I don't have them. I don't even know where William Duncan and Susan Trammel Duncan are buried (Albert's parents). Peter's father, the same William Duncan, I suspect may have been buried on his farm in Jackson County, Illinois, if so I may never find it. Amanda Hutsell Duncan, Peter's mother, died 22 November 1847 in Martinsville, Indiana. I have not yet located her final resting place.

** note July 26, 2011** Reading over this post, I found some errors. I had said Viola Ellen where I should have said Ruth.  I have highlighted the correction in red with the correct person.

Mystery Monday-Desperately Seeking Susan

I have several brick walls in my research, but this one bothers me the most. I really am not well prepared to assemble this information for this post, so I hope I don't mess it up too bad. I really need to get it out here in the chance someone out there can help me. But from what I can tell, I am the only person alive trying to find Susan.
Susan is my gr gr grandmother Duncan, mother of my great grandfather Albert E. Duncan. Her name appears to have been Susan Trammel (many other ways that could be spelled). The big mystery about her is where she came from and where she went. I cannot find record of her outside of her marriage to William Duncan, with the possible exception of a possible marriage to a John A. Dougherty (Daugherty).
Crazy already, huh?
Let me start with William, since that is where I started.
Everything I have seen about William Duncan's birth indicate he was born in New York, 1808 some things I have seen online say, Genesee. I have yet to see proof of his birth place. Supposedly his parents were Robert Duncan and Lucy Boyles (Broyles), Robert is said to have come from Scotland. I do think Robert may have actually moved on to the Indiana area later, with his sons, my William and (I think Robert was the other son).
William may have been married 4 times, but for my records, 3 times. I have found a record in Ancestry for a William Duncan having married a Mary Eslinger September 28, 1828 in Martinsville, Indiana. If this is my William, then the marriage didn't last for some unknown reason, because he is recorded as marrying Amanda Hutsell June 15, 1837 in Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana.  I'm warning you right now, this will get complicated, because Amanda is also my ancestor, my gr gr gr grandma! I hope I can explain this clearly by the end of the post.
Amanda Hutsell was born September 20, 1815 in Fayette County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of John Hutsell and Rebecca Troutman. William and Amanda had 4 children together; Thomas R., Peter Hutsell Duncan (my gr gr grandfather), Giles Mitchell Duncan and Jesse H. Duncan. Amanda died November 22, 1847 in Martinsville, Indiana. Her and William were only married 10 years when she died.

William then married Sarah Catherine Hines. I believe she was born  April 19, 1826 (I have also seen 1823), in North Carolina, though some say Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois. Sarah was the daughter of Philip Hines and Mary M. Shuford. William and Sarah had 5 children; Mary Ann, Darius B., Sarah Katherine, John S., and William Robert. 
Some of these children were named in a  deed  for Sarah's uncle Solomon Shuford. It reads:

Catawba Co. N.C. Deed Indexes 1837-1926. Deeds v. 1-2 1842-1880 (FHL film 593,287) 2-380: 24 Jan 1871, William Duncan of Jackson County, IL, guardian of Mary Duncan, Darius Duncan, Catherine Diuncan and William Duncan Jr., appoint A.G. Corpening of Catawba Co, N.C. attorney to collect all money due said Mary Duncan, Darius Duncan, Catherine Duncan and William Duncan Jr.  from the estate of Solomon Shuford decd and to reciept the same, etc.; no wit. Authorization by Catwba Co, N.C. Probate Court to Jackson County, IL. probate court, 1 March 1871 to take acknowledgement of William Duncan, guardian; done., 31 March 1871; recorded 27 April 1871

I did a little digging on the Hines/Shuford line to make sense of that. When I first found that record I had no clue who Solomon Shuford was, and why he was naming William's children in a court record. Apparently they inherited part of Solomon's estate when he passed away.
Sarah died August 13, 1864 in Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois.


William next married Susan Trammell on November 2, 1864. The marriage record I found online (Illinois Statewide Marriage Index 1763-1900) has her name as Susan Dougherty. They were married in Jackson County Illinois.
(I paused here to figure out what I would write next. I realized I had not done a few things in my records I normally do. I like to make a list of the census records each of my ancestors appear in and somehow skipped doing that for William. So I did that and decided to do the same for Land records I have found him in. I recently found actual copies in Ancestry of certificates where he bought quite a bit of land in Jackson County, Illinois, 321 acres actually! Then I had stumbled across some transcriptions online of Pike County, Missouri records including some land records for William and his wife Amanda and also involving a relative of Amanda's, Giles Mitchell. Anyway, I just now got looking at that info closer and need to try to track down a book about Southeast Missouri. I checked Google Books, and the one I want is not available online and few libraries have it, none near me. This seems to be the book I want to see. See? This blog is already helping me find holes in my research! ya! This puzzle has lots of loose pieces, I have to get them together!)

Now, I have William Duncan in the following census:
1830 Morgan County, Indiana 
1850 Morgan County Indiana. Here he is 41, listed as a mechanic and says he was born in NY. His wife is Sarah and children listed in the household are:
Thomas R. Duncan age 11 born in Ia (but I believe it's supposed to mean Indiana)
Peter Duncan age 8                    "
Giles M. Duncan age 6               "
Jesse D. W. Duncan age 2         "
also listed are Isaac C. Baker 22, mechanic, b. Ky and David Hine, 21, (mechanic?) b. NC. I suspect David is Sarah's brother.
1870 DeSoto, Jackson County, Illinois.
William is now 61 and listed as a farmer, but this time it says he was born in Mo. (I'm guessing they asked someone who didn't really know). Susan is now listed as his wife, she is 29 and keeping house. She is listed as being born in Indiana. (there will be contradictions to this, too). The children now listed living with William are:
Jessee, age 23, working on farm, b in Indiana
Darris, age 17, b. in Indiana
Catherine, age 14, b. in Illinois
Wm II age 8, b. in Ark
Candas, age 8, born in Illinois
Joseph, age 5, b. in Illinois
Edward, age  9/12 (nine moths old, born in September) b. Illinois

That's it. So far those are the only census I have found William in.
I did recently find a William Duncan in the 1860 census for Washington Twsp, Dearborn County, Indiana. This William is listed as age 50, a farmer with a real estate value of $2,100 and person estate value of $300, and says he was born (hard to read, but looks like it says Irelands). Also listed in the household with him is
Catherine age 48; Jeremiah (laborer), age 16; Wm, age 13; John, age 11; Catherine, age 7; James, age 6; and Semperonce (?) A., age 3. I have not yet decided if this is the same family.

 Seems William died January 5, 1879. I believe Susan brought some children to this marriage too. But I can't say for sure they were from her marriage to John Dougherty.

The 1880 Census for Somerset Twsp, Jackson County, Illinois is like this:
Duncan, Susan age 39, Farmer, b. in Missouri, (father b. in Kentucky, mother b. in Missouri)
Dougherty (which has a line through it), Kansas (daughter) age 18, at home, b. in Arkansas (father b. in Virginia  mother b. in Missouri)
Duncan (which has a line through it), Joseph, (son) age 13, at home, b. in Illinois (father b. in New York, mother b. in Missouri)
_____(meaning Duncan?), Eddie, (son) age 11, at school, b. in Illinois (father b. in New York, mother b. in Missouri)
_____(meaning Duncan?), Scott, (son) age 9, at school, b. in Illinois (father b. in New York, mother b. in Missouri)
______(meaning Duncan?), Albert, (son) age 7, at school, b. in Illinois, (father b. in New York, mother b. in Missouri)
______(meaning Duncan?), Sarah C. (step-daughter), age 24, at home, b. in Indiana (father b. in New York, mother b. in Missouri)
_____(meaning Duncan?), Jessee. (step-son), age 33, at home, b. in Indiana (father b. in New York, mother b. in Missouri)
_____(meaning Duncan?), Darius, (step-son), age 27, at home, b. in Indiana (father b. in NewYork mother b. in Missouri)

I believe William and Susan's children together were Joseph S., Edward H., James Scott, and Albert E. Albert is my great grandfather.
I don't find Susan on anymore census with the children. It's like she vanished. I have seen some researchers say Susan died about 1890, but I have not seen any record of that. NO death records, no grave, nothing. Poof, She's gone.
The next I find my great grandfather Albert Duncan in the census is in 1900, at age 26. He listed as a farmer, alone, in Mineral Springs Township, Barry County, Missouri.
Then Albert is in 1910, married to my great grandma, Viola Ellen. living in Mineral Ward 1, Jasper County, Missouri. Two children are listed ages 2 and less than a year, but it is hard to read the writing for their names.
1920 Mineral Twsp. Barry Co, MO census has Albert and Viola with children Grace, George (my grandpa), Lavonne, Alberta and his brother in law Robert B. The 1930 census again finds Albert and Viola in Mineral, Barry County, Mo. with children Grace, George, Lavonne and Alberta.

I found a photo copy of Albert's death certificate on line through Missouri records, and my uncle sent me a copy of an obituary he had for Albert. Both name Albert's mother as Susan Trammel. The obituary for Albert's brother Edward also names their mother as Susan Trammel.

I just cannot be sure if Trammel is her maiden name or if it was a married name she took after William died. Since I can't find any record of her after the 1880 census, I don't know if she died, remarried or what.
The 'lore' I have found repeated almost word for word in a few other researcher's records and passed down through our branch as well, says this:

"Viola married her cousin Albert. Albert was the grandson of William Duncan and his third wife. Albert's parents died when he was young and he was raised by a doctor in southestern Missouri. Albert and Viola met with some family opposition when they married "

I have not been able to figure out who this doctor was who is said to have raised Albert, but have determined, the best I can, that he was not the grandson of William,  but the son. Viola Ellen, who Albert married, was a granddaughter of William and Amanda. Viola's father, Peter Hutsell Duncan was a half brother to Albert. Thus making Albert and Viola more like half niece/uncle. Though I can see why saying they were cousins was an easier way to explain things, but it's apparent the story got slightly confused quickly. This does explain why Albert was young when his parents died, sort of. William was a great deal older than Susan. Estimating from census records, Susan was born 1841. If William was born in 1808, and died in 1879, then William was 66 when Albert was born (1873) and Albert was about 6 years old when William died. But Susan would have only been about 49 if /when she died around 1890. (one researcher even gives a date for her death as January 10, 1890). How and where she died, remains to be discovered. I have not found an actual death record for William, or a grave, or burial record of any kind. The fact that he is no longer on the census with his family in 1880, supports his death date being before that, even though Susan is not specifically listed as a widow.

Also where Susan was born and what she did before she married William is a mystery. The best I could almost figure out, though not positively about where she came from, may be found in Missouri.
Going with the idea Susan was born in 1841 in Missouri I searched census records and found a Susan Trammel in District 92 of Scott County, MO. with her mother, Mary, age 40 (Mary is recorded in this record having been born in Indiana). Susan is 10, and has 3 sisters, Francez age 14, Lavina also 10..so was she a twin? and Louisa, age 6. I did find where a John Trammel bought land in the same county in 1841, but he is missing from the 1850 census. No clue what happened to him. I could find no other record on John.

 I did all kinds of searching, took all kinds of notes, and frankly, it's more like a rat's nest. Every time I try to research Susan, where she came from and where she went, I just keep hitting the same dead ends. I get frustrated and stash away my notes, hoping some day I'll just stumble on the right piece of information to open things up again.
My most recent discovery of info doesn't seem to help yet, and that was discovering land records for William in Pike County, Missouri, which seems to be just across the state line from Jackson County, Missouri.

Well, I hope some of this makes sense. The more I try to dig out the info, the more my brain wants to shut down. I had a long day in the hot sun today and this is taking all day to finish because of the delay.
If anyone has any questions, please don't be afraid to ask, I'll provide what I know, if you have any info that might help PLEASE let me know! I tried to add extra names in here to attract more possible leads from researchers.
To end on a good note I'll add a copy of a photo that was shared with me, of Albert, Viola and their children.

Back row left to right is Grace, George (my grandpa) and Lavonne
Front row left to right is Bertie Albert and Viola Ellen

Obituary Sunday

How sad that within the first week I started this blog, a member of the family has passed. My dad tells me she was really into genealogy, but Alzheimer's ended that some time ago. What a tragedy.
I never met Blanche, I remember Dad getting Christmas cards and letters from her and her husband, and I knew they were cousins. The email Dad forwarded to me from Blanche's husband was heart breaking to read. It was easy to see, in so few words, how much he loved her and how sorely she will be missed. I'm so sorry I will never get to meet her this side of glory. I'm not even certain how much information I know today about the family history on Dad's side can be contributed to her efforts.

A link to her obituary as it is online, right now. I can only hope I can get a real copy. I always feel so awkward asking for something like that from people I haven't actually met during such a sad time in their lives.
RIP Blanche. 

Those Places Thursday

I'm just following prompts right now from Genea Bloggers for ideas for posts. I'm feeling a bit scatter-brained today. There are several things I could be doing besides sitting at the computer, but I don't really feel like doing any of them yet. I'm not a morning person at all!
This first entry for Those Places Thursday is sketches  I found in Ancestry, photo copied from a book, attached to someone else's tree which has my 3rd Great Grandpa, John Allen McCluer (McClure)

 

Missionary Baptist Church in which John Allen McClure was a minister during the 1840's.

sketch of the farm of John A. McClure, taken from the 1878 History of Jackson County, Illinois

 John Allen McCluer (also spelled McClure by many) was my grandpa's great grandpa on my mom's side. (Mom>Grandpa George Duncan> Gr Grandma Viola Ellen Duncan>gr gr grandma Ruth McCluer> 3rd gr grandpa John A. McCluer)
The family notes Grandma had and other historical sketches I have found agree that John A. McCluer was born November 15, 1816 in Richland County, Ohio, near the town of Paris. The mention of Paris in family records seems to have confused some family into thinking he was born in France. My uncle kept telling me when I started my research that there was a Frenchman in the tree somewhere, so when I found this, I thought that was what he meant. That may be what he meant, but I have since traced back some more, and found a real Frenchman. But you know, that's another story for another day!
Here is a link to one of the historical sketches I found online about John A. McCluer which includes a photo of him and his wife Clarinda Nase (Nace), which has been added to my records. I have not seen anyone else identify the others in the photo, (I have also seen the photo attached to trees in Ancestry) but I would like to think maybe one is his daughter, my 2nd great grandmother, Ruth McCluer.
I have found land records for John through Ancestry, his Civil War Pension File (he served with the 81st Illinois Infantry, Company D, apparently along with his son-in-law's (Peter Hutsell Duncan) brothers Thomas R. Duncan and Giles Duncan. Peter served with the 27th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Company H.

I have found John A. McCluer (McClure) in the following census:
1850 in Jackson County, IL. (Northern District) with his wife, Clarinda, and 6 children: Susan, Sarah, Rhuey, Thomas, Anna, and George. He is listed as a farmer.
1870 in Levan, Jackson County, IL with his wife and 6 children: George, Ruth, Amanda, David, Oliver and Henry. He is listed as a farmer on this record too.
1880 in Levan, Jackson County, IL. with his wife and only one child, Oliver. He is again, listed as a farmer. His son Henry is living near by in this record.
1885 He is found in Cherokee County, Kansas (Columbus or Lyon?) with his wife and son Henry who is now 28. John and Clarinda are now 68 and 67 respectively.

It doesn't appear that John and Clarinda stayed in Kansas very long, for I found  mention of John in 1896 extracts from the Barry County, Missouri newspaper The Cassville Republican, Weekly Paper. The article is where he performed marriages as Rev. John A. McCluer. His obituary and a historical sketch were found in the same newspapers.
John died April 17- 18, 1899 at the home of his son Thomas, in Cherokee County, Kansas. and was buried at Mineral Springs Cemetery in Barry County, Mo, next to his wife, Clarinda. It appears he was very much loved by all who knew him. It seems he lived quite an amazing life, and my little bit here surely doesn't do him justice.  The link above also lists several sources, one of which seems to be his notebook. I would love to see copies of his notebook! If anyone out there reading this can help me learn more about this family, please contact me! I am always interested in hearing from other researchers and family!

A little more info about John and Clarinda and family: John's parents, said to be of German and Irish descent, were Thomas N. McCluer (b. Feb 28, 1790 in Maryland or Virgina possibly Rockbridge Co. Virginia, death date unknown)  and Susannah Trucks {Trux}(b. in Pennsylvania, date unknown, died August 1838.
John's siblings were Henry C., James J., George Y., William and Ruth Ann.
Clarinda was born December 9, 1817 in Luzern County, Pennsylvania and died June 16, 1893 in Barry County, Missouri. Her parents were: Thomas Barber Nase and Polly Montanye
John and Clarinda's children were Sarah A., Ruth, Susan Polly, Rhuey Jane, Thomas N., Amy, George Y., and Amanda. 
John's daughter Ruth is my gr gr grandmother, and she married Peter Hutsell Duncan (my gr gr grandfather). Ruth's sister Sarah married Peter's brother Thomas R. Duncan (both sons of William Duncan and Amanda Hutsell). After the Civil War, Peter and Thomas, and their families moved to Cherokee County, Kansas.