Duncans in Delaware Co. PA

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

Last revised October 29, 2007

DELAWARE CO. PA
Formed 1789 from Chester
 

CENSUS RECORDS

1790-1830 Delaware Co. PA Census
      No Duncan indexed
 

1840 Delaware Co. PA Census
Pg.74  Samuel Duncan      0000,01  -  1110,01      Middleton
 

1850 Delaware Co. PA Census
Chester
Pg.86, #135, Wm. DUNCAN 25 IRE laborer w/COULTER fam.
Middletown
Pg.193, #261, Samuel DUNCAN 46 PA carder
                  Jenet 43 PA
                  Margaret 22 DE
                  Anna 19, Elizabeth 11 PA
                  Samuel A. 9, James T. 6 PA
                  Jenet 2 PA
                  James FINNEY 23 PA laborer
Haverford
Pg.258, #144, Bridget DUNCAN 20 IRE domestic w/LYONS fam.
 

1860 Delaware Co. PA Census
Chester Twp.
Pg.74, #8-8?, Wm. DUNCAN 30 IRE laborer with others
Middletown
Pg.494, #950-889, Samuel DUNCAN 60 PA "cause not known" $0-$50 blind & deaf
                  Jenetta 54 PA
                  Samuel A. 19, Elizabeth 21 PA weavers
                  James 17 PA carpenter apprentice
                  Jenetta Jr. (f) 11 PA
 

1870 Delaware Co. PA Census
Chester, S. Ward, 197 Dist.
Pg.169, #464-453, DUNCAN, Zack 53 NJ watterman $1550-$250
                  Mercy (f) 43 NJ keeps house
                  POWELL, Francina (f) 23 NJ
                  Samuel 31 DE clerk in store
                  (MAD: 1860 Philadelphia Co. PA census, Wd.15, pg.479, Zachariah Duncan, wife Mary)
Upland Borough, Chester Twp.
Pg.203, #54-55, DUNCAN, Saml. 72 PA no occupation $0-$150, blind, parents of foreign birth
                  Jennett 61 PA keeping house
                  Saml. A. 27 PA works in cot. mill
                  Jennette (f) 22 PA works in cot. mill
Springfield Twp.
Pg.430, #167-167, RHOADES, Maris (m) 50 PA farmer $20,000-$3,000
                  Annie 49 PA keeping house
                  Sallie 33 PA without occupation
                  (?)annie (f) 18 PA without occupation (not an F or N, H?)
                  DUNKIN, James 24 PA farm laborer
                  GROSE, Elizabeth 58 PA BLACK domestic servant
                  MOORE, Mary 16 PA BLACK domestic servant
 

COUNTY RECORDS

Delaware Co. PA Deed Indexes 1789-1914 (grantors C-D on FHL film 852,935; grantees A-D on FHL film 852,944)
      No Duncan grantors or grantees to mid 1850's; no Samuel Dunkin through 1861

Delaware Co. PA Orphans Court A-D 1790-1849, 1838-1885, 1806-1849 (FHL film 21,114)
      Vol.A, 1790-1793 - no index
      Vol.B - pages not numbered, no index
      Vol.C - no index
      did not look at Vol. D
 

HISTORIES before 1923

1862 "History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania : from the discovery of the territory included within its limits to the present time, with a notice to the geology of the county, and catalogues of its minerals, plants, quadrupeds and birds" written under the direction and appointment of the Delaware County Institute of Science, by George Smith (FHL book 974.814 H2s)
      No Duncan biography
 

1894 "Biographical and historical cyclopedia of Delaware County, Pennsylvania : comprising a historical sketch of the county" by Winfield Scott Garner; pub. Richmond, Ind.: Gresham Pub. Co. (LH385, HeritageQuest images 4/2007; FHL film 845,275 item 1 and 1,000,553 item 1)
      No Duncan biography
      Pg.201-202: Edward Blaine, of Chester, is the only son of Joseph and Margaret Jane (Sanders) Blaine, and was born in the city of Philadelphia, April 13, 1839. ... On April 11, 1863, Mr. Blaine was united in marriage with Lizzie Duncan, youngest daughter of Samuel and Jeannette V. Duncan, of Middletown, this county. ...
      Pg.240-241: David H. Burns, proprietor of the leading marble works in the city of Chester, ... was born October 31, 1850, at Bordentown, New Jersey, and his parents were George and Martha (Duncan) Burns. ... George Burns (father) was a cotton spinner by trade, and followed that occupation in County Down, Ireland, until 1835, when he came to the US and settled at Bordentown, NJ. There he resided until 1853, when he removed to PA, locating at Lenni, Delaware Co., where he continued to live until his death in 1876, at the age of 64 years. ... He married Martha Duncan, a daughter of John Duncan, a sea captain residing in Belfast, Ireland. (8 children) ... Mrs. Martha Burns now resides with her son in Philadelphia, and is in the 87th year of her age.
      Pg.417: ... Joseph Dyson, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Scotland, ... at the age of 24 crossed the Atlantic and settled for a few years in Delaware county. Later he went to Connecticut, and continued to reside in Norwich, that State, until his death in 1880, at the age of 52. He was a machinist by trade, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a republican in politics. He married Helen Duncan, who was also a native of Scotland. She was a member of the same church as her husband, and died in 1892, aged 66 years.
 

1884 "History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania" by Henry Graham Ashmead; pub. Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. (FHL book 974.814 H2a; SLC 9/2007)
      Pg.150: 197th Regiment (Hundred days service) Company I, Privates: Samuel Duncan, must. in July 14, 1864; must. out with company.
      Pg.713: JOSEPH WEBSTER. Joseph Webster, the grandfather of the subject of this biographical sketch, who was of English descent, married a Miss Kester, and had children,-- Rachel, Mary, Ruth, Willilam, and Joseph. The last named was born in Delaware County, where he was actively engaged in farming, and married Susanna Duncan, daughter of Aaron Duncan. Their children were Charles, Rebecca, Aaron D., Susanna D., Lydia (Mrs. John Gilpin), and Joseph. The youngest of this number, Joseph Webster, was born April 15, 1814, in Chester County. Having been left motherless in infancy he was placed in care of his maternal grandmother, and remained with her until six years of age. He then returned to his father, and, after enjoying such advantages of education as the common schools afforded, he became, on attaining his 17th year, an apprentice to the trade of wheelwright in the township of Sadsbury, Chester Co. ... He was on the 25th of April, 1839, married to Sarah, granddaughter of Caleb and Phoebe Yarnall, and daughter of Caleb and Hannah Yarnall, of Middletown township. The children by this marriage are ... in 1861 purchased a farm in Marple township, four years, advantageous sale of this property, he became the owner of the farm in Thornbury township, which is his present home. ...
 

1904 "Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of Chester and Delaware Counties, Pennsylvania" by Gilbert Cope (Chester Co.) and Henry Graham Ashmead (Delaware Co.), 2 vols., pub. by Lewis Publishing (Sacramento FHC)
      No Duncan biography
 

1893 "Historical sketch of the Augustinian monastery, college and mission of St. Thomas of Villanova, Delaware County, Pa. during the first half century of their existence, 1842-1892" by Thomas C. Middleton; pub. Villanova, Pa.: Villanova College (LH 397, HeritageQuest images 6/2007)
      Pg.66: Name, Residence, Entered, Left: Duncan, George, Baltimore Md., 1868-69
 

1891 "Portrait & Biographical Record, Shelby & Moultrie Cos. IL" by Biographical Pub. Co. (FHL book 977.3 D3ps)
      Pg.430-1: Samuel Duncan, resides on Sec. 22 of Richland Twp, Shelby Co.; native of this State, of American parentage although his ancestors were probably Scotch. His father was James Duncan, who was born in Delaware Co. PA. His mother, who was before her marriage a Miss Mary McKeever, lived to see her son take an honorable position in life. They died in Richland Twp. Six children grew up, four sons and two daughters, the subject being 5th child in order of birth. Samuel Duncan born Richland Twp, May 8, 1842; ...
      Pg.535-6: James A. Duncan ... Doubtless of Scotch descent, our subject's father was born in Delaware Co. PA in 1788; his mother who in her maidenhood was Mary E. McKeever was a native of VA. After marriage, they first settled in Belmont Co. OH, then to Shelby Co. this state, to Richland Twp. in 1838 where both parents passed away. The mother died April 30, 1862; the father survivied her two years, dying April 10, 1864. Mrs. Duncan, our subject's mother, was of Irish ancestry. James Duncan Sr. was the father of six children, including four sons and two daughters. Our subject was eldest, born in Belmont Co. OH on Aug. 27, 1834. When the subject was four, his parents to Shelby Co. ...
 

1910 "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois: and History of Shelby County" ed. by Newton Bateman, Paul Selby; Shelby Co. history edited by George D. Chafee; pub. by Munsell Pub. (from Sue Monaghan 4/1986)
      Pg.856-7: DUNCAN, JAMES ALEXANDER ... now living retired at Windsor, Shelby Co. IL, born in Belmont Co. OH, August 27, 1834, son of James and Mary (McKever) Duncan, he a native of Delaware Co. PA, she of VA although reared in OH. The Duncan family comes of Scotch ancestry, and the McKever family from Irish stock. James Duncan's father served under Washington in the Rev. War, and died when James was two years old.
            James Duncan settled in OH right after the War of 1812, in which he had served, and in 1838 he came to Shelby Co. with others, and settled among those who had come before him. James Duncan secured land in Sec. 22 of Richland twp, owning eventually 590a, ... Some of the land was entered from the Government, but his home place had been originally secured by Ben Douthit. He lived there from 1838 until 1858, when he moved 1/2 mile north. Some of the early pioneers of Richland Twp were: George Rouse and family, Tobias Shay and family, John McFadden, John Brown, Michael Brown, James Griffin and family, and Tobias Renner, all from OH; the Kinzie Robinson family from KY, who settled there in 1830, the McCoy family, and several Parks families. ... McCoy Spring was named after Pioneer McCoy, who was one of the early settlers of this locality, but he left here before James Alexander Duncan was old enough to remember him.
            ... Later James Duncan ... dying April 15, 1864, when he was 72 years old. His wife died two years before him, and was ten years his junior, being his second wife. His first wife was a McFadden, sister of John McFadden and of Mrs. John Brown. By his first wife James Duncan had the following children: John, who died at the age of 28, came to IL with his family; Margaret, who married John Pfieffer, died at the age of 30; and Ruth, who married John Leathers, died in Prairie Twp, at the age of 45. By his second wife James Duncan had these children: James Alexander; Mary Jane, who married Caleb Shaw, died at the age of 69, near Wichita, KS; Sarah who married William Nichols, died near Wichita, KS, aged 35; William, killed at Chickamauga when 23; Samuel who lives on the old homestead; and Thomas, who is on the old homestead. James Duncan was a shoemaker and worked at his trade in conjunction with his farming. James Alexander Duncan ... remained on his father's farm until his marriage to Jane Evans ... Mrs. Duncan died in 1866, ... (see Shelby Co. IL for more)
      Pg.858: DUNCAN, THOMAS ... of Sec. 15, Richland Twp. ... belongs to the Duncan family which has been intimately associated with the pioneer history of the county, being born on his present farm, August 26, 1844, a son of James and Mary (McKever) Duncan, who settled on this place 75 years ago (about 1834) and there spent the rest of their lives. ...
 

OTHER SOURCES FOR INFORMATION

"The Sterling Genealogy" Vol.2, by Albert Mack Sterling, 1909 (SUTRO book CS71 S838; CA State Library, Sutro Branch)
      Joseph Sterling of Derry Township, Penn.
      Pg.1170-1: Sarah Jane Graham, b. in Indiana Co., May 11, 1832; m. Joseph J. Duncan, b. Mar. 25, 1830. He enlisted in Co. K, 67th Regt., Penn. Vols., and served three years in the Union army. He has been a farmer and hotel keeper in Westmoreland and Indiana counties. (MAD: see this book for more)
      Pg.1172-3: Martha Jane Marshall, b. in Wayne [Delaware Co.], May 19, 1837; m. in 1854 William Duncan, son of William, who d. Nov. 3, 1856; m. 2d, Albert Easley, son of Isaac and Mary Easley of IL; removed to Carroll Co. MO. Children by first marriage:
            Samuel Duncan, b. in Cambria Co. PA, m. in MO Dec. 25, 1879, Rhoda A., dau. of Daniel and Mary Harrison; removed to KS. Issue: Bessie, b. Dec. 25, 1880; William, b. Apr. 24, 1882; Jessie, b. Apr. 1884.
            Walter Marshall Duncan, b. in Cambria Co., Dec. 31, 1856; m. Mar. 25, 1883, Amy, dau. of Joel and Sarah Bogue; a farmer in MO. Issue: Olive, b. Feb. 4, 1884.
            Children by second marriage b.1862 on, surname Easley, not copied.
            (MAD: see 1860 Fulton Co. IL census)
 

END

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