HOWARD CO. MO
HISTORIES before 1923
 

"MO Baptist Biography" by J.C. Maple & R.P. Rider, Vol.IV (ca 1914; date not given on title page) (from Donald Duncan 5/1991)
      Pgs.94-99, Rev. WILLIAM DUNCAN, 1776-1846; religious activity in MO 1830-1846.
            We are fortunate in finding a sketch of the life of this very useful man, written by his son, Dr. W.H. Duncan. The MO Baptist Historical Society, as the custodian of all obtainable records of Baptist history in MO, has furnished the material for this sketch.
            Rev. William Duncan was born in Amherst Co., VA, 22 Feb. 1776. His father, Rev. John Duncan, was a Baptist preacher and contributed largely to the overthrow of the union of church and state in America. When about twenty years of age, William was truly converted and united with the local Baptist Church. Very soon thereafter he entered upon his life work as a minister of the gospel. ... He became pastor of Ebenezer, Mount Moriah and Pedlar Churches in Amherst Co., and of Rock Fish, once Jonesborough in Nelson Co. Some of these churches he served continuously for 37 years. He was married to Miss Sally Henly while quite a young man. This union was blessed with eight children, two sons and six daughters. The children had sought homes in the then new state of MO. That the parents might be still in close contact with their children, the father, in 1830, resigned the pastorate of the churches ... and moved to Callaway Co. MO. After eight years of service in Callaway Co., he moved to Howard Co. and secured a home two miles south of Fayette, the county seat. During the time of his residence in Howard Co., he served five churches at various times. ... In October, 1846, he was present at the meeting of the Mount Pleasant Association at Ebenezer Church in Randolph Co. While preaching to a large congregation, he was attached by a congestive chill; he was able to ride to his home some twenty miles distant, but was then placed on his dying bed, where he died about 48 hours later. He had been pastor of the church in Huntsville, Randolph Co., for eight years.
      (MAD: one Sarah Duncan died 1849 Moniteau Co. MO leaving heirs Louisa Smith, Wm. Duncan, Elizabeth L. Smith, Mary Smith, Sarah M. Clasby, Samuel J. Duncan, Frances J. Howard, Letters Testamentary granted John S. Howard 3/16/1849, Francis J. Howard admix. 10/18/1851. Frances J. Duncan mar. John L. Howard 9/1/1840 Howard Co. MO; Sarah Duncan mar. Mr. Clasty 10/2/1834 Boone Co. MO; Dr. William H. Duncan, b.1803 VA, of Callaway Co. MO mar. Susan W. Harris 10/6/1831 Boone Co. MO, and with Mary Smith, widow of Edmund Smith, were execs. of estate of Edmund Smith in 1849-1850 Boone Co. MO; Samuel I/J. Duncan mar. Elizabeth Price 10/16/1844 Howard Co. MO, b. Amherst Co. VA per 1883 "History of Howard & Cooper Cos. MO")
 

1883 "Howard and Cooper Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic offical and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns and villages; together with a condensed History of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Howard and Cooper Counties" pub. by National Historical Co. (FHL film 14,878)
      Pg.95-98: Old Settlers Erect Forts (1811-1812); being fully convinced that the Indians were making preparations to attack the settlements along the Missouri River, ... began the erection of three forts in Howard Co.: Fort Cooper about 2 miles southwest of Boone's Lick, Fort Kincaid east southeast, about nine miles distant, and about one mile north of the present Boonville railroad bridge; Fort Hempstead was about 1-1/2 miles north of Fort Kincaid. Each fort was a series of log houses, built together around an enclosure. In each house lived a family, ... Immediately after the erection of these forts, the pioneers organized themselves into a military company of 112 men who were able to bear arms, with Sarshall Cooper as captain, 1st Lt. William McMahon, 2nd Lt. John Monroe, Ensign Benjamin Cooper Jr., ... Corporals ... Jesse Ashcraft. The following list comprises all the men and boys who were in the different forts. ... Pryor Duncan at Fort Kincaid 1811-1812 (also Amos, Jesse & Otho Ashcraft, etc.)
      Pg.158: Early Settlers ... in Franklin Township during the war of 1812 ... Prior Duncan at Fort Hempstead.
      Pg.375: John B. Duncan, of Duncan & Howard, grocers etc. Richmond Twp. Samuel J. Duncan, the father of John B., was a native of Amherst Co. VA; he came to MO at an early date and settled in Howard Co., he was here married to Miss Elizabeth Price, of this county, and here he lived until his death in 1868; for many years a merchant in Fayette; brought up his son John B. who afterwards became his father's partner. His wife (unnamed), the mother of John B., died in 1852. John B. Duncan was born August 4, 1850, and reared and educated in this county; after long business experience in different stores, including those of Boone, Duncan & Smith, Duncan & Aterbery, Duncan & Son of which he was the junior partner, W.H. Smith, and others, in 1868 he engaged in the grocery business on his own account, two years afterwards the firm became Duncan & Co. ... (Nothing about a wife.)
 

1908 "A history of Missouri from the earliest explorations and settlements until the admission of the state into the Union" 3 Vols., by Louis Houck, pub. by R.R. Donnelley (FHL book 977.8 H2h and films 1,697,679 items 2-3 and 1,320,710 item 1; from Louis Boone 2/1984)
      Vol.2, pg.166 or pg.334, the Spanish Regime in MO: Pierre Duncan, oath taken 14 May 1793 at New Madrid, Fort Celeste. Pg.338 says this may be Prior Duncan who was a settler in north MO during the War of 1812 at Fort Hampstead.
      Kaskaskia, in Randolph Co. IL, across the river from St. Genevieve Co. MO. Several settlers came from Kaskaskia IL into St. Louis MO at an early time.
      Vol.3, pg.137: Prior Duncan. At Fort Hampstead, earlier called Fort McLaines, on a high bluff near Sulfur Creek near present town of New Franklin about 1 mile away from creek. These forts were erected about 1815 or during the War of 1812, during conflict with the Indians and English.
 

1883 "The History of Jasper County, Missouri : including a condensed history of the state, a complete history of Carthage and Joplin, other towns and townships" ed. by F.A. North (FHL book 977.872 H2h V.1)
      Pg.994; Preston Township: EMORY F. DUNCAN was the son of Henry Duncan, who was one of the very first settlers of Missouri, and was born in Allen Co. KY, Feb. 14, 1801, and came to Howard Co. MO, in 1823. He was married to Edna Morgan in 1829, who was born in Virginia and raised in Missouri. Our subject was reared on a farm until nineteen years of age, and then learned the cabinet-making business. After that he went to New Mexico in 1855, and drove a team of six mules .... He returned to Missouri in 1856, and was married to Charity Hunt, who was born in Ray Co. MO, Oct. 18, 1838. By this union they had six children; three are living: Allie V., who married Thos. Brady in 1876; their post-office is Newport, MO; Amanda E., and Jessie H. Mrs. Duncan died May 1, 1872. Mr. Duncan moved to Texas, and remained there three years. He was then married to Mrs. Mary Jenkins, a widow, of Dallas, Texas, Aug. 30, 1874, who was born Oct. 15, 1849. Her husband, R.H. Jenkins, was all through the war, and at its close was killed, supposed to have been murdered. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan moved to Kansas in 1876; then to Jasper Co. MO; from there he moved to Pittsburgh, Kan., ... He came to Jasper MO, in 1878. .... Himself and wife are members of the M.E. Church .... (MAD: 1850 Livingston Co. MO census)
 

1881 "History of Saline Co. MO: including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages; Subtitle: together with a condensed history of Missouri; the state consitution; a military record of its volunteers in either army of the great Civil War; general and local statistics; miscellany; reminiscences, grave, tragic and humorous; biographical sketches of prominent men and citizens identified with the interests of the county." pub. St. Louis by Missouri Historical (Los Angeles Public Library book R977.81 S22Hi; FHL book 977.847 H2h; extracts only)
      Pg.604: James P. Duncan, P.O. Cambridge, born Logan Co. KY, 19 Feb. 1831. About 1837 to MO. with parents Benj. F. and Sarah A. Duncan, settled Howard Co. 5 years; ca 1842 to Saline Co., spent few years Lafayette Co. Married ca 1856 Miss N.F. Wilhite.
      Pg.623: Geo. W. Duncan, son of B.F. and Sarah A. Duncan, born Logan Co. KY, 5 Feb. 1834; married 15 Jan. 1857 Miss Charlotte J. Shumate.
      Pg.629: Benjamin F. Duncan, P.O. Cambridge, born Culpepper (sic) Co., VA, 4 Dec. 1800, to Logan Co., KY, 1828, thence Howard Co., MO, 1837 ... Married 22 Jan. 1828 Sarah A. Shields Pendleton, of Warrington, VA.
 

1910 "Past and Present of Saline Co. MO" by William Barclay Napton (FHL book 977.847 H2n)
      Pgs.784-786: CHARLES B. DUNCAN. ... is a son of George W. Duncan, a prominent resident of Clay township, who was born in Logan Co. KY, February 5, 1834. George W. Duncan is a son of Benjamin and Sarah (Pendleton) Duncan, who were born in Culpeper and Fauquier Cos. VA, respectively, the former's birth occurring on December 4, 1800. On their marriage they removed to Kentucky, where they made their home until 1837, when they moved to Sheridan Co. MO, locating two miles north of where Glasgow now is. Their stay there was brief, as they soon moved to Howard Co. MO, where they lived about four years. In 1841 they came to Saline county ... In 1844 they moved to Lafayette county, ... Tabo creek until 1847. ... in 1847 ... returned to Clay township, Saline county ....
 

1884 "History of Monroe and Shelby counties, Missouri ... : including a history of their townships, towns and villages together with a condensed history of Missouri ... biographical sketches of prominent citizens" pub. by National Historical Co. (FHL book 977.832 H2h)
      Pg.463-4, Monroe Co., Woodlawn Twp.: JAMES DUNCAN (Farmer, Post-office, Duncan's Bridge). It was for Mr. Duncan's father, David Duncan, that Duncan's Bridge was named, and he, the father, was one of the sturdy pioneers of Missouri. He came to this State with his family away back in the territorial days of the country. His wife was a Miss Elizabeth Finney before her marriage and they reared a worthy family of children. On coming to Missouri they first located in Howard county, then a sort of center for settlers. But later along they removed to Randolph county and finally settled permanently in Monroe county. ... James Duncan, the subject of this sketch, was born in Kentucky, August 1, 1814, but was principally reared in Missouri. .... Away back in 1835, he was married to Miss Mary V. Taylor. ...
 

1888 "History of Nevada, Vernon Co. MO" Brown & Co. (from MO files of Kay D. Hampton bef. 1970, loaned through Lu Durham 5/1988, now at Platte Co. MO Historical Society)
      Pg.409: Peter Duncan in Butler, Bates Co. MO, settled on Duncans Creek in Henry Township in 1839. His step-father William Barnes also came. Peter Duncan was the 1st settler in 1839, 2 miles north of Osage River on East side of Duncan Creek. Mr. Duncan is yet living in Bates Co.
      (MAD: one Margaret Duncan mar. William Barnes 4/25/1819 Howard Co. MO; any connection? The 1887 and 1911 Histories of Vernon Co. MO do not say "step-father")
 

"Montana, its story and biography : a history of aboriginal and territorial Montana and three decades of statehood" by L.E. Munson, ed. by Tom Stout; pub. Chicago: American Historical Society, 1921, 2791 pgs. (LH12734, HeritageQuest images 5/2007 & 8/2007; FHL book 978.6 H2s v.2 and film 1,000,175)
      Vol.III, pg.1014-1017: TYSON D. DUNCAN. ... one of the best known ranchmen, now retired, in the Flathead Valley. Mr. Duncan might be called twice a pioneer of Montana. He first came in the ... sixties, as one of the younger members of the Duncan family. Later, after an absence of a number of years, he returned again, and in the early eighties he and his wife were among the first to settled in the wonderful Flathead country, at what is now Kalispell. ... He is of pioneer American stock. About 1795 his grandfather migrated from Maryland to Kentucky, which had just been admitted to the Union but was still a part of the Western wilderness. The family lived there until 1817, and then with wife and five children, two sons and three daughters, the grandfather migrated to Howard County, Missouri, which marked another Western frontier. They made their home five miles east of Fayette, the county seat, and started the clearing of the land and the building of a home. About two years later, while out hunting, the grandfather Duncan was mistaken for a bear by a neighbor, and his death was one of the tragedies of the frontier community. ... The grandmother showed the courage of many pioneer women and with the aid of her boys eventually saw her ambition fulfilled for a comfortable home. The children grew up and married and settled down in homes of their own.
            When the family moved from Kentucky to Missouri, Ashley Duncan, the youngest son, was about nine years of age. Ashley Duncan remained in Howard County until 1848, when he bought a tract of land in the abandoned Mormon settlement in Northwest Missouri, at Far West, in Caldwell County, about seven miles from the county seat of Kingston. ... He and his family moved into that house in the spring of 1849 and lived there two or three years until he could erect a more suitable dwelling.
            At that time Tyson D. Duncan was about a year and a half old. He was born at the old home near Fayette, September 28, 1847, son of Ashley and Eliza (Sproul) Duncan. He was the twelfth of their thirteen children. Mr. Duncan's early memories and associations are all centered at the old neighborhood at Far West. He was early put to work, and at the age of fourteen was considered a good hand on the farm. ... In time all the Duncan boys went West except one who went South and entered the army, but returned after the war.
            Two of his brothers and two half-brothers and Mr. Duncan's only sister came to Montana in 1864. The party traveled overland with ox teams. Then in the spring of 1865, his father, having sold the farm, went to St. Joseph, and April 25th he and his wife and younger children, including Tyson, took passage on the steamer Cora bound for Fort Benton, Montana. ... About June 20th, relates Mr. Duncan, the boat landed at the mouth of the Maries River, where two of the Duncan boys were waiting with ox teams to take the family on to Helena. ... They reached Helena about July 10th, and within a month the family suffered the grievous loss of the death of the mother. ... The Duncan family located in the Boulder Valley, thirty miles south of Helena, and Tyson Duncan remained there until the following spring ... The next seventeen years of his life Mr. Duncan lived chiefly in Missouri, two years in Jackson County, in the vicinity of Kansas City. In November, 1868, he went to St.Clair County, Missouri, and there on November 25, 1869, married Miss Sarah Caton. It is appropriate to look ahead from that date just fifty years to November 25, 1919, when Mr. and Mrs. Duncan ... celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
            During the early seventies Mr. Duncan spent two years in Colorado, six months in Bent County and the rest of the time at Silver Cliff in Custer County. In the spring of 1881, while in Missouri, Mr. Duncan contracted a severe case of western fever, and in February, 1882, having sold his little farm, he joined a party of about thirty bound for the West and Northwest. They left Kansas City March 1, 1882, ... to Rogue River Valley in Oregon. The stay in Oregon was brief, only ten days. Mr. Duncan ... continued his journey to Portland, and on the 30th of May took boat and went back up the Columbia River to The Dalles, thence taking the trail over the mountains to Montana. ... Here began his second period of pioneering in Montana. His plans being unsettled, Mrs. Duncan soon returned to Missouri, but he remained there until the following April, when ... to Flathead Valley ... April 16, 1883, they reached the Flathead Valley at the west side of the [Flathead] Lake. ... He filed a claim, stopped at Helena to complete the filing, about the first of June went on to Boulder Valley and assembled his possessions. ... Near Anaconda he took employment with a rancher, helping him put up hay, and about the 15th of August his wife joined him after coming from Missouri, and on the 27th of the same month they loaded their few belongings into a wagon and started for their new home in Flathead Valley ... reached September 9, 1883. ... His nearest neighbor and the first settler in that part of the valley was Nicholas P. Moon, who had located there about three years before. ... In the fall of 1884, Flathead Valley held its first election ... Missoula County, Mr. Duncan was elected justice [of the peace] ... the founding of the new Town of Kalispell, 15 April 1891 ... Politically Mr. Duncan gives his support to the democratic party, religiously he is a member of the Free Methodist Church and Mrs. Duncan is of the Presbyterian faith. ... (MAD: 1880 Custer Co. CO census indexed as "Lyson" Duncan)
 

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