Duncans in Rhea Co. TN

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Duncan research files of
Mary Ann (Duncan) Dobson
the Genealogy Bug

Last revised July 25, 2013

RHEA CO. TN
Formed 1807 from Roane
Hamilton formed 1819 from Rhea
Meigs formed 1836 from Hamilton, McMinn, Rhea
 

CENSUS RECORDS

1830 Rhea Co. TN Census
Pg.365  John Duncan        2210,01    - 0100,1


1840 Rhea Co. TN Census
Pg. 26  Hiram Duncan       0100,01    - 0000,1
          (MAD: ?? son of William of Washington Co. TN ?)

1850 Rhea Co. TN Census
Page numbers without parens are stamped page numbers, within parens are handwritten numbers
District 4
Pg.295 (589), #356, Russel DUNKIN 32 TN farmer $0
                  Luisa 26 TN
                  Landon R. 9, Francis M. (m) 8 TN
                  Mary S. 6, Charles P. 4 TN
                  John A. 3, Margaret E. 8/12 TN
                  (MAD: son of William of Washington Co. TN)

1860 Rhea Co. TN Census
District 8
Pg.515 (14), #97-97, Abigail DUNCAN 49 VA (blank) $3000-1000
                  James L. 27, Charles L. 23 TN (farmers)
                  Mary 20, Miles A. 19 TN
                  Sarah R. 17, Lemaraus E. (f) 12 TN
                  Mary A. 9, Henry 8/12 TN
                  (MAD: widow of John Dungan d. 1857)
Pg.516 (17), #116-116, Russel DUNCAN 48 TN farmer $0-$250
                  Mary L. 37 TN
                  Landy R. (m) 19, Francis M. (m) 17 TN
                  Mary S. 15, Charles P. 13 TN
                  John A. 11, Margaret E. 9 TN
                  Vesta E. (f) 7, Hiram H. 4 TN
                  Sarah M. 2 TN

1870 Rhea Co. TN Census
1st District, pg.4
Pg.229, #26-26, DUINCAN, Samuel C. 47 NC farmer $0-$125
                  Elizabeth 40 GA keeping house
                  John W. 21 GA farmer
                  Lucinda 19, Mattie (f) 17 GA
                  Noah M. 15, Cicero (m) 12 GA farm laborers
                  James A.M. 6 GA
                  Joel E.B. 5 AL
                  Amanda M. 2 TN
                  Samuel C. 1/12 TN b.June
                  (MAD: not identified 1850-1860 census; indexed Samuel C. Drunkin; no Duncan indexed)
 

ESTATE RECORDS

Rhea Co. TN Wills & Estates (FHL film 589,477)
      Vol.A, 1825-1840 - no Duncan
      Vol.1, 1852-1881 - no Duncan

Rhea Co. TN Will Book (from index cards of Kit Smith 8/1983)
      A-425: Settlement with Hiram Worly, guardian of Nancy Duncan and George Duncan, two of the minor heirs of Jeremiah Duncan, dec. 6 Apr. 1840. By Caswell Taylor in rite of his wife Nancy Taylor, formerly Nancy Duncan, receipt in full $437.44 by G.W. Duncan one of the heirs of the said Jeremiah Duncan, dec., receipt in full $540.27. (MAD: See Carter Co. TN)
 

COURT RECORDS

Rhea Co. TN Circuit Court Minutes (FHL film 1,012,164)
      Book A, 1815-1824 - no index
      Book B, 1825-1836 - no index
      B-178: 24 March 1829, Jonathan Fine, guardian for the heirs of David Duncan, decd, vs. William Johnson & John Day. Action for $253.13-1/2. Plaintiffs recovered against defendants, who admitted it was due.
      Book C, 1832-1834 - no Duncan (includes tax lists occasionally, did not check for Duncan)

Rhea Co. TN Circuit Court Minutes 1836-1842 (FHL film 464,136)
      Court suits; no index

Rhea Co. TN Court Minutes (typed)
   Vol. B, 1829-1834 (FHL film 24,789)
      B-272: 6 May 1833, Ordered that Matthew Allen be appointed overseer of road from Gillespie's Ferry to where it intersects the Washington road at James Bailey's and to have the following hands to work under him: Elijah Bell, Pleasant Norman, Andrew McCaleb and his hands, John Dunkin, Hiram Dunkin, Lewis Miller, George Gillespie's hands, Nathan Johnson & sons.
   Vol. C, 1834-1840 (FHL film 151,277)
      C-151: 4 Nov. 1835, State vs. Matthew Allen, assault & battery, #2333; pled guilty; fined $10; James Smith & Hiram Duncan ack. themselves security for payment of fine.
      C-277: 5 June 1837, John C. Duncan and James Fletcher paid for 6 wolf scalps under 4 months old, $12.
   Vol. D, 1840-1844 (FHL film 24,790)
      D-26: 7 April 1840, settlement made by Hiram Worley, guardian of minor heirs of Jeremiah Duncan.
      D-233: 2 Jan. 1843, on application of John Howell, James Holloway and Russell Duncan, they are released from the payment of double tax for the year 1842.
 

LAND RECORDS

Rhea Co. TN Deed and trust deed index books, Vol.1, 1808-1899; Duncan pg.142 (FHL film 589,478, item 1; SLC 5/7/2013)
      D-131: 1815, Town of Washington to Jeremiah Duncan
      E-252: 1819/1820, William Murphee to Jeremiah Dunkin

Rhea Co. TN Deed Books, vols. A-E, 1808-1831 (FHL film 589,479; SLC 5/7/2013)
      D-131; Recopied Book D-400/401: 25 Oct. 1815, James Campbell, David Murphree, Robert Patterson, Jesse Roddye, and Daniel Walker, acting commissioners for town of Washington in Rhea Co. TN, to Jeremiah Duncan of afsd, for $11.50 paid, sell lot of land in town of Washington known as Lot No.75 containing 40-1/2 square poles more or less, with appurtenances. /s James Campbell, David Murphree, Daniel Walker. Wit. D. Rawlings, A. David. Ack. October sessions 1815, recorded 1 Nov. 1815 in Book D pgs.131 & 132. (FHL film 589,479)
      E-252; Recopied Book E-236/237: 10 June 1819, William Murphree of Rhea Co. TN to Jeremiah Duncan of afsd, for $2,000 paid, sell parcel of land containing 2,500 acres more or less in Rhea Co. on N side of TN river including the mouth of "Yallow" Creek, beg. on N bank of TN river ... thence down the meanders of the river to the beginning, with all appurtenances belonging, warrant title. /s/ William Murphree. Wit. George Waldrup, James (X) Murphree Jr.. Proved on oath of witnesses Sept. term 1820. Recorded 17 October 1820. [Heading, William Murphree to Jeremiah Dunkin] (FHL film 589,479)
 

Rhea Co. TN Deeds and Index 1808-1899 (Index on FHL film 589,478, ca 1987)
      D-131: 25 Oct. 1815, Commissioners of Town of Washington to Jeremiah Duncan, $11.50, lot #75. (FHL film 589,479)
      E-252: June 1819, William Murphee to Jeremiah Dunkin, $2000, 2500 acres north side TN River. Wit. George Walker, James (x) Murphee. Recorded 17 Oct. 1820. (FHL film 589,479)
      E-446: 25 May 1826, Deed of Release, Miller Francis to Michael W. Buster, 1 quarter section in the Hiwassee Dist.; that on 4 May 1824 M.W. Buster conveyed to Miller Francis in trust to secure the payment of $110 which Francis was security for Buster to the heirs of Jeremiah Duncan ... (FHL film 589,479)
      F-353 (typed pg.370): 1 Nov. 1837, executors of will of Richard G. Waterhouse, to Hiram Dunkin, both of Rhea Co., $100, 50 acres where Dunkin now lives, on line of John Rhea, Munford Smith. No Wit. (FHL film 589,480)
      I-97 (typed pg.99): 22 Oct. 1840, Hiram Duncan to Fountin Dotson, both Rhea Co., $200, 50 acres on Mumford Smith's line. Wit. John Darco, Abraham Darco. Recorded on oath of witnesses 30 Nov. 1850. (FHL film 489,481)
 

MILITARY RECORDS

Pension Index Card File, alphabetical; of the Veterans Administrative Contact and Administration Services, Admin. Operations Services, 1861-1934; Duff to A-J Duncan (negative FHL film 540,888, some cards very faint); Joseph Duncan to Dunn (positive FHL film 540,889, some cards very dark)
      Cataloged under Civil War, 1861-1865, pensions, indexes; does not say if Confederate or Federal, but probably Federal. Negative film, some cards much too faint or dark to read, some cards blurred or faded, particularly the service unit and the dates of application. Most of the very faint or dark cards were in a slightly different format, with space for years enlisted and discharged which were sometimes filled in. Many of these were for service in later years, although one or two were for service ca 1866.
      Name of soldier, alias, name of dependent widow or minor, service (military unit or units), date of filing, class (invalid or widow or minor or other), Application #, Certificate #, state from which filed (sometimes blank), attorney (sometimes blank, MAD: did not usually copy), remarks. Sometimes the "Invalid" or "Widow" class had an "s" added to it before the application #; occasionally the area for the service information included a circled "S". The minor's name was frequently that of the guardian rather than the minor.
      The military unit was frequently the Company Letter, the Regiment Number, sometimes US Vet Vol Inf. (US Veteran Volunteer Infantry), L.A. (Light Artillery), H.A. (Heavy Artillery), US C Inf (US Colored? Infantry), Cav. (Cavalry), Mil. Guards, V.R.C. (?Volunteer Reserve Corps?), etc. Sometimes there were several service units given.
      Cards appear to be arranged by the last name, first name, middle initial if any, and state (including "US") of service.
      Duncan, Charles P., widow Duncan, Nancy J.; B 6 Tenn. Mtd. Inf.; 1890 Aug. 4, Invalid Appl. #988052, Cert. #796700, IL; 1915 April 16, Widow App. #1045432, Cert. #794485, IL. (MAD: Hamilton Co. TN; Rhea Co. TN & Pope Co. IL)
      Duncan, Francis M.; F 5 Tenn. Inf.; 1884 June 9, Invalid Appl. #514949, Cert. #370392, Ill. (MAD: organized at Knox Co. KY; Rhea Co. TN, Pope Co. IL)
      Duncan, James W.; B 7 Tenn. Mtd. Inf.; 1896 Sept. 22, Invalid Appl. #1181185, Cert. #930641, Tenn. (MAD: McMinn Co. TN; 1890 pension in Rhea Co. TN)
      Duncan, John A.; B 6 Tenn. Mtd. Inf.; 1891 Sept. 22, Invalid Appl. #1059998, Cert. #811738, Ill. (MAD: Hamilton Co. TN; Rhea Co. TN & Jefferson Co. IL)
      Duncan, Landon R., father Duncan, Russell; I 2 Tenn. Inf.; 1890 July 30, Father Appl. #480757, Cert. #372255, Ill. (MAD: Hamilton Co. TN; see Rhea Co. TN & Pope Co. IL)

TN Confederate Pension Applications
      #14,631: Henry Clay Duncan, born Jackson Co. GA in 1841; enlisted in 1861 in Co. C, 5th TN Cavalry; wife is dead when he applied for pension 10 March 1915, he living with one of his married daughters; he had 3 boys and 3 girls; has been in TN for 65 years, res. Spring City [Rhea Co.] TN. (FHL film 969,801) (MAD: 1850 Union Co. GA; 1860 McMinn Co. TN)

REFERENCES FROM OTHER LOCALITIES

Roane Co. TN Surveyors Book 3 (FHL film 851,097 item 3; copy of page from Judy Player 1/1991)
      Pg. 13: State of TN, 4th Surveyors District; surveyed for Jeremiah Duncan 108 acres of land claimed and held by right of improvement occupancy and preemption in Rhea Co. on Tennessee River beg. walnut elm and box elder near the river bank, ... including the improvement where he now lives. Surveyed March 17, 1808, by John McClellan; Saymore Katching and George W. Reigel, S.C.C. Recorded April 12, 1808. Includes sketch of land. (these pages are typed, apparently recopied from the original)
 

HISTORIES before 1923

1893 "Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope & Hardin Cos. IL" by Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago (CA State Library, Sutro Branch)
      Pg.479: FRANCIS M. DUNCAN ... Pope Co, who resides in township 11, range 6, and was born in Rhea Co. TN in 1842. His father, Russell Duncan, was born in Washington Co. TN in 1817 and is a son of William Duncan, of the same county. The latter was a farmer, as was also his father, Charles Duncan, of North Carolina, who was also a mechanic. Both Charles Duncan and his son William died in Washington Co. TN at quite an advanced age.
      The mother of our subject was Mary T. Rector, of East TN, who after she married Russell Duncan lived in TN until 1870. That year Mr. and Mrs. Duncan removed by team to Jefferson Co. IL, and there the latter died in 1879, aged 56 years, having been the mother of 13 children, 7 sons and six daughters, one of whom died when an infant. Landon R. who was a volunteer in the 2nd TN Infantry of the Federal army, died in KY in the spring of 1862, in his 21st year. Mary Saphrona died in IL at about the age of 28; Sarah M., wife of William Secrest, died in IL; Hiram H. died at his parents' home in 1884; and Ellen E., a single lady, died also at home, in 1892. The names of the living are as follows: Margaret E. in AL; Francis M., the subject of this sketch; Charles Polk, a farmer of Pope Co.; John A., a farmer of Jefferson Co.; William E., also a farmer of Jefferson Co.; Vesta E., wife of Henry Miner, of Jefferson Co.; and Adeline, wife of David Mooney.
      Francis M. Duncan, who was the 2nd child and 2nd son, and is the eldest of the family living, was reared to farm life ... enlisted in 20th year in KY in 5th TN Infantry of Union army, served in ranks over 3 years except when sick in hospital for a short time. His brothers Charles Polk and John A. were also volunteers in the Federal army. These men in TN who entered the Union army knew something of what it cost to be loyal to the Old Flag, and they also knew something of the cost of war. At first Mr. Duncan volunteered at home, but the regiment was soon disbanded and each member of it fled for safety. For some time he was secreted in the mountains with his father and brother; but one night went home to sleep in his bed, and was captured by the rebels and held a prisoner, but only for 2 hours, when he made his escape. The next spring he was one of 33 to cross the mountains and volunteer in KY, and came out of the war without being wounded.
      In April, 1866, our subject was married to Miss Sarah Jane Robbs, of Pope Co., and a daughter of J.L. Robbs. He and his wife then went to MO for a few months, but later returned to this county, and in 1876 bought 40 acres ... Built part of his present dwelling house in fall of 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Duncan have buried one infant daughter, Mary L., and have 6 children living, viz: Amanda S., wife of Joseph Gossage, a farmer of Pope Co.; Vesta I., wife of William Gossage, and who has 3 children; William A., a young man of 19 at home; Minnie, a young lady of 18; Elmina, a miss of 14; and Thomas L., 12 years old. Mr. Duncan is a Master Mason, a Simon-pure Republican; he and wife members of Social Brethren Church. ...
 

END

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