Duncans in Windsor Co. VT

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

Last revised August 25, 2007

WINDSOR CO. VT
Formed 1781; original county
 

CENSUS RECORDS

1790 Windsor Co. VT Census
Chester Town
Pg. 59  Abel Duncan        453xx
Ludlow Town
Pg. 61  John Duncan        115xx


1800 Windsor Co. VT Census
Chester Dist. (pgs.293-305)
Pg.294  Abel Duncan        22001         - 11102


1810 Windsor Co. VT Census
        No Duncan indexed


1820 Windsor Co. VT Census
Weathersfield
Pg.195  Nahum Duncan       211301        - 12111
Chester
Pg.200  Rufus Duncan       300010        - 12010


1830 Windsor Co. VT Census
Weathersfield
Pg. 49  Betsey Duncan      0011,2        - 0010,1010,01
    50  James Duncan       2100,0001     - 0110,01


1840 Windsor Co. VT Census
Chester
Pg.204  Joseph Duncan Jr.  0100,001      - 1111,01
   210  Rufus Duncan       0000,0000,1   - 0001,001
          (not Rev. pensioner)
Weathersfield
Pg.250  Polly Duncan       0             - 0000,0000,1
   253  Henry Duncane      0110,11       - 1101,01
          (MAD: 1850 Rock Co. WI census)
Reading
Pg.277  Samuel C. Duncan   0000,1        - 0000,2

1850 Windsor Co. VT Census
Woodstock
Pg.63, #169-169, Thales B. WEIN 31 MA tailor $1500
                  Maria 29 VT
                  Rosalin DUNCAN (f) 39 VT
                  & others
Pg.85, #540-540, Elearu? PARKER (m) 64 VT farmer $500
                  Laura 63 VT
                  Ann E. DUNCAN 10 VT
Bethel
Pg.192, #231-244, Samuel NEWTON 35 VT farmer $1000
                  Nancy 26 VT
                  William 4 VT
                  Milo RUSSELL 13 VT
                  John DUNKAM 89 MA farmer
Chester
Pg.330, #131-137, Joseph DUNCAN 51 VT manufacturer
                  Laura 42 VT
                  Francis (m) 18 VT mechanic
                  Sarah 16, Elisa 10 VT
                  Frederick 7 VT
                  & others
 

1860 Windsor Co. VT Census
Chester
Pg.115, #1078-1102, Joseph DUNCAN Jr. 61 VT woolen factory $0-$0
                  Sarah 26 VT housekeeper
                  Eliza L. 20 VT school teacher
                  Frederic E. (m) 17 VT woolen factory
                  Joseph DUNCAN 83 VT woolen factory
                  Miranda T. 82 VT housewife
                  Caroline WALKER 20 VT woolen factory
                  (MAD: "Jr." and "61" as written)
 

1870 Windsor Co. VT Census
Bridgewater
Pg.269, #10-10 - indexed DANCAN, Minni (f) 38 VT; not Duncan, not copied
Weathersfield Twp.
Pg.596, #205-206, DUNCAN, Samuel 24 VT farm labourer $900?-$250
                  Addie (f) 25 VT keep house
Town of Windsor
Pg.630, #42-38, Boarding house
                  DUNCAN, George 19 VT (blank occupation)
 

COURT RECORDS

"Reports of cases argued and determined in the Supreme Court of the state of Vermont." (anonymous); pub. Bellows Falls Vt.: O.H. Platt, 1853, 720 pgs. (LH9983, HeritageQuest images 5/2007 & 7/2007)
      LexisNexis reference: Barron v. Barron, [NO NUMBER IN ORIGINAL], SUPREME COURT OF VERMONT, WINDSOR COUNTY, 24 Vt. 375; 1852 Vt. LEXIS 53, March, 1852, Decided ... Duncan v. Duncan, 19 Ves. 394. ...
      MAD: Case should be probably be cited as Barron v. Barron, 24 Deane 375.
      MAD: Supreme Court of the State of Vermont, Volume XXIV, New Series, by John F. Deane, Counsellor at Law. Volume 1. -- Asa T. Barron v. Rufus Barron, Azuba Sessions, Chester Baxter and Isaac Parkhurst, In Chancery.
      Pg.385: March term, 1852. Barron v. Barron et al. Citations include Duncan v. Duncan, 19 Ves 394. ... this is not a case where chancery will enforce the wife's equity against the husband, or his creditor. The wife lives separate from her husband voluntarily, without pretense of abuse or ill usage on his part, ... To grant a separate maintainance to the wife, would perpetuate this condition of things, contrary to the established policy of the court of chancery. 2 Story's Eq. 651. Cooper v. Cleason, 3 Johns. Ch.R. 521. Rogers v. Rogers. 4 Paige 516. Bullock v. Menzies, 4 Ves. 798. Duncan v. Duncan, 19 Ves 394. ...
 

"Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery, from the Year MDCCLXXXIX [1789] to MDCCCXVIL [1817] with a digested index" by Francis Vesey, Jun. Esq. of Lincoln's Inn, Barrister at Law; in Twenty Volumes. Vol.XIX. From the Last London Edition, with the notes of Francis Vesey, Jun. Esq., and the extensive annotations of John E. Hovanden, Esq., of Gray's Inn, Barrister at Law. The whole edited with notes and references to American Law, and subsequent English Decisions, by Charles Sumner, Esq. [pub.] Boston : Charles C. Little and James Brown, MDCCCXLV [1845] (From Witkin State Law Library, 6/2007 to El Dorado County Law Library, for MAD)
      Pg.394. Duncan v. Duncan (1). [1815, May 30; June 6.]
      (Headnotes) No Decree for separate maintenance upon the Bill of a wife on the mere fact, that she and her husband were separated by consent; he not making any addition to the settlement for her on marriage out of her property. The only instances of it, either out of his property or what was originally her's, are, where he had turned her out of doors; or by ill-treatment obliged her to leave his house; or had quitted the kingdom, leaving her destitute (a).
            Trust by Will to permit testator's wife to receive interest and rents for life, for the maintenance of herself and children, and in case of her marriage that the interest, &c. shall not be paid to her any longer, but be applied by his executors and trustees (she being an executrix with them) for maintenance of the children, revoked on her marriage; and not restored by a general residuary disposition to her. [p.396].
      ELIZABETH Duncan, under the Will of her former husband, was entitled to 500L 4 per cent. Bank Annuities, vested in trustees upon the following trust: "to permit her to receive, take, and enjoy, the interest and dividends thereof for and towards the maintenance of herself and all my children, as well those [*395] I had by my two former wives as those I have or may have by my said present wife, until their respective ages of 21 years; and from and immediately after the death of my said wife Elizabeth" to transfer the stock to and amongst such of the children as should be then living at their respective ages of 21.
      He also devised to the same trustees and their heirs some freehold premises, upon trust to permit his said wife to receive and take the rents and profits for her natural life for and towards the maintenance of herself and all his children; declaring, that "in case my said wife shall marry again, then the interest of my said stock and produce of my said estate shall not be paid to my said wife any longer; but that the same shall be applied by my executors and trustees for the maintenance and education of such of the said children as shall not have attained their respective ages of 21."
      The testator, then giving two legacies of 100L each to his son and his daughter Jane, but to be deducted out of their respective shares of the produce of the stock and freehold estate, when disposed of, and the said two sums of 100L to be considered as part of the residue,
      Footnotes: (1) Coop. 254.
            (a) When Equity will give a wife a separate maintenance, see ante note (d) Ball v. Montgomery, 2 V.191.
            Vol.XIX. 17*
(page 396) gave all the residue and remainder of his estate and effects to his wife, her executors, administrators, and assigns, for ever; appointing her and the trustees his executors.
      The Bill, filed by Mrs. Duncan against her second husband, stated, that on account of his cruel treatment of her they were separated in 1805; and have since, by mutual consent, lived apart; praying, that the Plaintiff may be declared entitled to the interest of the stock and the rents of the estate; and that the [*396] Defendant may be decreed to execute a settlement, to enable her to receive them for her separate use for life, &c. and an Injunction and Receiver.
      The Answer, admitting the separation by consent, denied that it was for cruel treatment; and stated that on their marriage a settlement was executed of 3000L 3 per cent stock, part of the Plaintiff's property, to her separate use.
      The Defendant had not made any provision out of his property. No evidence was produced on either side as to the cause of their separation.
      Sir Samuel Romilly and Mr. Perry, for the Plaintiff; Mr. Hart and Mr. Raithby, for the Defendant.
      June 6th. The Master of the Rolls [Sir William Grant]. --If it were necessary to decide the question, my opinion is, that the bequest is expressly revoked in the body of the Will, and I incline to think, that it is not restored by the residuary clause. However that may be, the Bill cannot be sustained. It is a Bill for separate maintenance, not only during separation, but for the life of the wife; and the only fact before me is, that the husband and wife [*397] do not live together; and that he makes no addition to the separate provision, that was made for her by the settlement upon their marriage. As to the cause of their separation there is no evidence. The Bill alleges, that excessive cruelty compelled her to leave his house. The answer denies that.
      I do not find an instance, that upon such a state of facts a separate maintenance has been provided by the Court, either out of the husband's property, or that which was originally the property of the wife. The cases, in which subsistence has been provided by the Court, are either where the husband has turned her out of doors, or by ill treatment obliged her to leave his house, or had quitted the kingdom leaving her destitute. Cases of the first sort are Oxenden v. Oxenden (1), Nicholls v. Danvers (2), and Williams v. Callow (3), questioned by Lord Rosslyn (4) in Ball v. Montgomery; but sanctioned by Danvers v. Danvers in the House of Lords, although Lord Rosslyn [Loughborough] says, it is contrary to the established doctrine, that a married woman should be a Plaintiff in a suit in this
      Footnotes: (1) 2 Vern. 493.
            (2) 2 Vern. 671.
            (2) 2 Vern. 752. (MAD: as numbered)
            (4) Ante, vol.ii. 195.
(page 397) Court for separate maintenance; taking it to be now the established law, that no Court, not even the Ecclesiastical Court, has any original jurisdiction to give a wife separate maintenance; it is always as incidental to some other matter that she becomes entitled to a separate provision; as if she applies in this Court for a Supplicavit for security of the peace against her husband, and it is necessary she should live apart as incidental to that the Chancellor will allow her separate maintenance; so in the Ecclesiastical Court, if it [*398] is necessary for a divorce a Mensa at Thoro propter Savitiam. (MAD: cannot read well the Latin phrase, and may have misspelled it)
      Cases of the other description are Colmer v. Colmer (1), Watkyns v. Watkyns (2), Sleech v. Thorington (3), and Wright v. Morley (4); in each of which the husband had left the kingdom without making any provision for his wife; but I can find neither principle nor authority for what is asked in such a case as this going no farther than the fact, that they live asunder.
      ----
      1. This case is likewise reported in Coop. 254.
      2. A wife's claim to a separate maintenance is not, per se, a question proper for discussion in a court of equity; but the case may be mixed up with circumstances rendering the interposition of the Court of Chancery expedient, or even necessary; see, ante, note 1 to Ball v. Montgomery, 2 V. 191.
 

HISTORIES before 1923

"Gazetteer and business directory of Windsor County, Vt., for 1883-84" by Hamilton Child; pub. Syracuse, N.Y.: H. Child, 1884, 687 pgs. (LH7583, HeritageQuest images 5/2007)
      Pg.549: Windsor Village, Town of Windsor. Duncan, George A., r 17, laborer.
      Pg.640: Meat markets and butchers - millinery and fancy goods. Duncan, Samuel O. C., r 37, Perkinsville, Weathersfield (town)
 

"History of Hartford, Vermont, July 4, 1761-April 4, 1889 : the first town on the New Hampshire grants chartered after the close of the French war" (Windsor Co.) by William Howard Tucker; pub. Burlington, Vt.: The Free Press Association, 1889, 512 pgs. (LH7729, HeritageQuest images 5/2007; FHL book 974.365/H1 H2t and film 1,000,629 item 2)
      Pg.132: A corporation under the title of "The White River Falls Corporation" was established by the Legislature of New Hampshire, June 23d, 1848. The corporators were ... Wm. H. Duncan and ... On the 17th of August, 1848, Rufus and Helen (Olcott) Choate, C.H. Olcott, Jane E. Heydock, Wm. A. Olcott (by Harriet A. Olcott), Wm. H. and Sarah (Olcott) Duncan, Edward R. Olcott, Charles E. and Mary (Olcott) Thompson and Joseph and Juliana B. Bell, deeded to Joseph Bell of Boston all the land and Mills owned by Mills Olcott (three-fourths in Hartford) and all in Lebanon, for a consideration of $80,000. ... (pg.133) Wm. H. Duncan, who owned about fifty acres in that vicinity, declined to gratuitously contribute land, but offered to sell ten acres for a consideration of $2000, which Mr. Safford decided to pay. ... At this juncture of affairs, when success seemed assured beyond doubt, Mr. W.H. Duncan, who was vacillating, and too easily influence by some of his narrow-minded neighbors, raised an insuperable obstacle to further negotiations by declining to deed any portion of the property unless the "Hartford Mill Co. ..." ... the trade fell through.
      Pg.306: The first record of an order drawn for the support of the poor was in 1779. It was given to Benjamin Pixley, April 30th, for keeping Irena Duncan (a colored girl) and her child, a portion of sd year ($23.90) also, to David Bliss, for keeping a black boy $2.00. April 29, 1800, Joseph Marsh, Jr., was paid $39 for keeping Rena Duncan ("the black gal") one year. ... (mention in the town meeting of "Lurana Dunkin") ... The proper name of this girl was "Lurana Dunkin." She was the daughter of Thomas Dunkin, a well-to-do colored man, who owned lot No.10, of the first fifty-acre division, lying on Connecticut river, south of White river. He died in 1777. Lurana being his only surving (MAD: sic) relative, and being non compos mentis, she became a town charge. ... (MAD: more not copied)
 

"History of the town of Springfield, Vermont : with a genealogical record" (Windsor Co.) by C. Horace Hubbard; pub. Boston: G.H. Walker & Co., 1895, 687 pgs. (LH7986, HeritageQuest images 5/2007; FHL book 974.365/S1 D2h and film 1,000,629 item 4)
      Pg.215: Col. Barrett ... in 1776 went on the Quebec expedition. The pay roll of his company at that time bears the following names: ... Thomas Duncan.
      Pg.562, Appendix: ... Confirmation charter, from the Province of New York, 25 May, 1772, Letters Patent, ... Our commissioners appointed for the setting out all lands to be granted within our Province have set out for the several persons mentioned in the last recited petition, to wit, ... Thomas Duncan, (and many more) ... all that certain tract or parcel of land lying and being on the west side of the Connecticut River in the County of Cumberland within our Province of New York, ... 27,700 acres.
 

1887 "Portrait and biographical album of Mahaska County, Iowa : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the Governors of Iowa, and of the Presidents of the United States" pub. by Chapman Bros. (Los Angeles Public Library book R977.71 M21Po; FHL film 934,953 item 2)
      Pg. 477: GEORGE N. DUNCAN, deceased, one of the pioneers of Oskaloosa, was born in Barnard [Windsor Co.], VT, in April, 1815. When a young man he came West and settled in Van Buren Co. IA, where he became acquainted with Hannah Peck, who was born in Ohio, Aug. 18, 1823, and to whom he was married in Van Buren County in 1840. .... In 1850 they moved to Oskaloosa, where Mr. Duncan died the following year. .... Mr. and Mrs. Duncan were the parents of five children, only one of whom is living, Thomas J., at Leadville, Col. In 1856 Mrs. Duncan married Perry Windsor, who died within a year of their marriage. Mrs. Windsor is the oldest but one of any settler in this county, having been identified with the county for forty-three years.
 

1884 "History of Cass County, Iowa : together with sketches of its towns, villages and townships, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of old settlers and representative citizens; history of Iowa" pub. by Continental Historical Co. (FHL book 977.772 H2h and film 934,933 item 1)
      Pg.842-3: WILLIAM DUNCAN was born in Lower Canada, 50 miles southeast of Montreal, August 27, 1824. His parents, William and Margaret (Smith) Duncan, were natives of Scotland. The subject of this sketch removed to Windsor Co. VT, when nineteen years old. He obtained his education in the schools of Canada and Vermont. He learned the carpenter's trade in Vermont and spent the year 1847 in Boston, Massachussetts, working at his trade. He then returned to Vermont, where he continued the same business until September, 1848. In that year he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, which contained, at that time, only one frame building. He lived in Des Moines six years, working at his trade. He then moved to a farm 12 miles east of that city, on which he resided until August, 1862, when he enlisted in company D, of the Second Iowa Cavalry commanded by Colonel Hatch. He served 3 years and 3 months ... He was honorably discharged at Davenport and returned to Polk county where he lived until March 8, 1868, at which time he moved to his present location on section 3, Atlantic township. He was married in Windsor Co. VT, to Abigail Williams, a daughter of Henry and Abigail (Cram) Williams. They have seven children -- Mary, Luella, John, Emma, Ada, Jennie and Maggie. ... Mr. Duncan is a Republican in politics.
      Pg. 840: JOHN DUNCAN was born in Polk Co. Iowa, November 5, 1853, his parents being William and Abigail (Williams) Duncan. When he was fourteen years old his parents removed to Cass county, locating in Atlantic. He removed to his present location on section 1, Atlantic township, in 1878, and was married March 29, 1881, to Rosena Strater, daughter of William and Catharine (Humerick) Strater, a native of this county. He has 106 acres of land, part in Franklin and part in Atlantic township, ....
 

1880 "History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers." by Samuel W. Durant, pub. Philadelphia: Everts & Abbott (HeritageQuest image 2/2007, Local History Reel/Fiche Number 4959; FHL book 977.417 H2d and film 908,703 item 2)
      Pg.520, 521, Schoolcraft Township: Mills N. Duncan, who was born in Weathersfield, Windsor Co., Vt., Nov. 27, 1803, removed to Springfield, in the same county, when but nineteen years of age, and entered the mercantile business, in company with Gen. John Perkins. Mr. Duncan's father, Nahum Duncan, was a resident of Perkinsville, in the town of Weathersfield, and owned and kept a tavern. He was possessed of considerable means, and his experience in business, coupled with financial aid, did much to help his son. The latter some years later became largely interested in the manufacture of paper at Springfield, and also owned a share in the satinet factory at the same place. In 1837, when the great financial crash rolled its waves over the country, Mr. Duncan was numbered among the unfortunate. In 1838, or the spring of 1839, he sought for a new home and place of business in the West, and finally located at Three Rivers, St.Joseph Co., Mich., where his mercantile pursuits were resumed. In the fall of 1839 he returned to Vermont for his family, and brought them to Three Rivers. The latter place proved so unhealthy that after a lapse of twenty months - or in 1841 - he removed, with his family, to Schoolcraft, and continued his business there. In 1851 he became one of the firm of M.R. Cobb & Co., ... Some years later, Mr. Cobb withdrew from the firm, the name of which was changed to M.N. Duncan & Co., and it so remained until the death of Mr. Duncan, which occurred Feb. 5, 1860. His son, Henry Duncan, occupies the old home, in the northwest part of the village, near the residence of Judge Dyckman. A daughter, Mrs. Abby Lyon, at present resides in Kalamazoo. Mr. Duncan's wife was the daughter of an old resident of Springfield, VT. - Capt. George Hawkins, some of whose children are yet living there.
 

OTHER RECORDS

DUNCAN Family material in the Ross Coller Collection, Archives and Regional History Collections, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008 (photocopy of handwritten index cards, from Sue Husband, Curator, Regional History Collections, 10/1999; permission by Sharon Carlson, Director, to post on MAD's website)
      SH: Coller was an area historian and newspaper journalist whose reference card information spans over 110 years of Kalamazoo County History.
      DUNCAN, Mills N. Nov. 27, 1803, born Weathersfield, Windsor Co. VT, son of Nahum Duncan, who was well-to-do, but wiped out in crash of 1837. 1839, Mills Duncan to Three Rivers in store but in fall returned to Vt. and brought family to 3 Rivers. 1841, to Schoolcraft. 1851, joined firm of M.R. Cobb & Co. which comprised M.R. Cobb, E.B. Dyckman & Henry Brees. Built distillery, dry goods store, some years later Cobb withdrew & firm became M.N. Duncan & Co. Feb.5, 1860, M.N. Duncan died, his wife was daughter of Capt. Geo. Hawkins of Springfield Vt. Son Henry, Schoolcraft; daughter, Mrs. Abby Lyon, Kalamazoo. March 26, 1835, daughter Abbie born Springfield Vt., she wed Dr. Geo. W. Lyon and died at Schoolcraft Jan. 11, 1886.
 

OTHER SOURCES

"American Biography, a New Cyclopedia" (spine title: "Encyclopedia of American Biography") Old Series, pub. by American Historical Society (FHL book 973 D36e; index on FHL film 1,425,550)
      Vol.20, 1924, p.212: sketch of Samuel W. Melendy; this article contains information about the Duncan line of Windsor Co. VT, Nathan Duncan who mar. Betsey Graves and had a son Henry Duncan b. Jan. 1807, mar. in 1831 Caroline Boynton, moved to Rock Co. WI in 1849, and later to Mitchell Co. IA.
 

END

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