Duncans in Utah Co. UT

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

Last revised April 25, 2009

UTAH CO. UT
Formed 1852, original county
 

CENSUS RECORDS

1850 Utah Co. UT Census
Pg.125, #97, Daniel McCOY 36 TN laborer & other laborers
                  John DUNCAN 48 KY laborer
 

1860 Utah Co. UT Census
Lake City
Pg.383 (825), #3347-2609, Josh. DUNCAN 32 SCT laborer ("L") $200-$250
                  Eliza 25 SCT
                  Archibd. 6, Jno. 4 UT
                  Wm. 2 UT
 

1870 Utah Co. UT Census
American Fork
Pg.186, #98-93, DUNCAN, John 42 SCT farmer $1000-$300, parents of foreign birth
                  Eliza 35 SCT keeping house, parents of foreign birth
                  Archibald 16, John 14, William 12 UT at home, parents of foreign birth
                  Elizah (m) 9, Jane 6, Margret 4 UT at home, parents of foreign birth
                  Mary 20 SCT at home, parents of foreign birth
 
 

HISTORIES before 1923

"Portrait : Genealogical and Biographical Record of the State of Utah" Chicago: National Historical Record Company, 1902. (FHL film 446,501; SLC 12/2008)
      Pg.188-189: JOHN DUNCAN. The story of the sufferings and hardships of the early settlers of Utah is such as to move the hardest heart. No matter what the religious belief of the reader of these pages may be, he can but admire and praise the wonderful courage and perseverance that characterized the Mormon people of those early times and led them to forswear home, friends and personal comfort and follow their great leader into this strange land. John Duncan, the subject of this sketch, showed remarkable fortitude during his early connection with the Church, leaving family and home and coming with his bride to this strange and barren land, where they endured many sufferings and privations, being at one time so reduced that it became necessary for him to sell his wearing apparel in order to obtain flour with which to sustain life. When the reports were made in February, 1855, to the Church authorities as to the amount of provisions on hand to sustain life until the next crop was harvested, our subject's report showed he had three chickens and one cat between him and starvation.
      He was born in the town of Halbeath, Dunfermline Parish, County of Fife, Scotland, July 23, 1828, and belongs to one of the old families of that country. His father, Archibald Duncan, was born in Halbeath and was the son of John, a native of Argyleshire. The mother of our subject was Jennette Brown, daughter of David and Grace (Beveridge) Brown. Mrs. Brown was a daughter of Margaret (Livingston) and Archibald Beveridge, all natives of Scotland, and our subject's mother was born in Tillicoultry, January 12, 1794. Both she and her husband died in Scotland. There were thirteen children in this family, of whom our subject was the sixth child, and is now the only one living except a brother, William, living in Halbeath, Scotland.
      Our subject's father died when he was but thirteen years of age and it became necessary for him to assist in supporting the large family left to his mother's care. He started to work in the coal mines at the age of ten years and at the age of fifteen had the misfortune to lose his right limb through a mine accident. He had in early childhood gone through a severe illness with measles, which left his eyes in a very poor condition, and later while engaged in a game of ball was struck in the left eye with a ball and lost the sight of that eye. ... He later secured a position as weigher of coal, which he held for one month and then returned to the coal mines, where he remained until twenty-four years of age. He was converted to the teachings of the Mormon Church in his native country, and baptized by William Izett on June 7, 1847. From that time until 1852 Mr. Duncan spent his time partially in preaching the Mormon doctrine. He sailed from Liverpool in September of the latter year and landed at New Orleans, going to Saint Louis by boat and remaining there until April of the following year, when he went to Council Bluffs and from there across the plains to Utah, making the trip in an independent train consisting of 27 wagons, under Captain David Wilklin. They arrived in Salt Lake City September 2, 1853, and our subject settled in the Eleventh Ward, where he lived that winter and later moved to what is now the Twentieth Ward, where he at one time owned part of the Keith residence property. ... In 1858 they moved to American Fork and there Mr. Duncan secured work as a day laborer and assisted in building the wagon road through Provo Canyon to Heber. ... worked in the field during fall and winter for twelve years. In 1865 Mr. Duncan obtained work on the Provo water ditch, and was the same year appointed Assessor and Collector of American Fork, which position he held for 16 years, and for eight years filled the position of City Recorder, and was for two years a member of the Town Board. ... He came to Heber in 1881 and here his wife opened a millinery store, which she conducted and assisted in supporting the family. She was a practicing physician and in addition to this always conducted a millinery or notion store, and aided much in supporting the large and growing family of children.
      In January, 1882, Mr. Duncan took his appointment of Postmaster of Heber, and remained in that capacity for twelve years. He was also Justice of the Peace and a notary public for many years. In 1885 he built his present home, which was opened as a hotel, and has since been conducted by his daughters, ....
      Mr. Duncan has been twice married. His first marriage occurred in Scotland, September 7, 1852, the morning before his departure for America. His wife bore the maiden name of Eliza Bowman, daughter of Margaret (Sneddon) and William Bowman. Mrs. Duncan was born in Kirkcaldy, March 15, 1835. Eight children were born of this marriage, five of whom are now living -- Archibald, born in 1854 and died in 1898, in Anaconda, Montana; John, living in Arizona; William, residing at American Fork; Elijah, living in Springville; Eliza J., now the wife of John Duncan; Margaret S., now Mrs. Peek, living in Salt Lake City. The mother of these children died March 15, 1873, at American Fork, and Mr. Duncan was married in October of the following year to Anna Tudor, daughter of Richard Tudor. By this marriage he has had six children -- Gertrude, Ida, Nellie, Elmer, who served in the Philippine war; Sterling and Ethel. Mr. Duncan has proved himself a most worthy citizen ...
      (MAD: American Fork, Utah Co. UT)
 

END

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