Showing posts with label Indiana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indiana. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

William Morgan and Rebecca Mills

As with the previous couple, I have not very much documentation on this one either but, also like the previous couple, most researchers seem to agree (somewhat) with dates, places and names. Until I find more records to validate dates and places, this is also incomplete data and should not be mistaken for absolute fact.

William Morgan was born about 1742. Some sources say Pasquotank, N.C., some say 1738 in Frederick, Virginia. For now, I am going with the former.  he was the son of John Morgan and Sarah Lloyd.  William married Rebecca Mills  (I believe) July 10, 1760 at New Garden Monthly Meeting. I found a transcribed record online that lists the marriage as follows:
William Morgan, Roan Co., son of John of the same, m. Rebecca Mills, dt. Thomas, Roan Co., 10-7-1760 at New Garden. Wit: William Baldwin, John Mills, Hur Mills, Wm Beeson, John Hodson, Richard Beeson, Elizabeth Mills, Elizabeth Baldwin, Sarah Mills, Mary Mirphew, Phelis Baldwin, Mary Beeson.

that is from the following site: http:www.newrivernotes.com/va/swift/newgarden_marriages.html 

William Morgan died April 7, 1771 at Deep River, Guilford, N.C.
This marriage, and William's death, is also recorded in the Beals Family History (Rebecca Mills is the granddaughter of Mary Ann Beals, daughter of John Beals and Mary Jane Clayton) A PDF file can be seen and downloaded via this page for the Canaday Family. Look under the heading for Maryland Families and click on Beals to open the PDF.  This is what it says about William Morgan and Rebecca Mills:
Rebecca Mills born April 30, 1744 who married William Morgan. William died at the age twenty nine in 1771, and Rebecca then married Joseph Thornbrugh on February 5, 1778. Joseph was the son of Thomas Thornbrugh and Abigail Brown.

 Rebecca Mills was born April 30, 1744, possibly in Frederick, Virginia. I've yet to confirm the location. She was the daughter of Thomas Mills and Elizabeth Harrold.  Rebecca died September 20, 1821, in Wayne Indiana.

William and Rebecca had the following children:
  1. Reuben Morgan born December 18, 1761
  2. John Morgan born June 26, 1763
  3. *Thomas Morgan born November 7 1765 in New Garden , Guilford Co. N.C. died February 28, 1819 in Jefferson, TN. 
  4. Elizabeth Morgan born November 3, 1767 
  5. William Morgan born March 2, 1770
I have seen the birth places for most of William's children as Rowan, North Carolina, but that makes for inconsistencies with locations since I have seen Thomas (my ancestor) being born in Guilford, and I haven't really studied the locations very much yet or found records to verify locations of any of the children. So, as with te previous post, anyone researching these individuals should take this information as clues and do your own research to verify dates and locations.

Monday, December 19, 2011

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.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

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.  

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

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.

Monday, July 18, 2011

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