Duncans in Harrison Co. WV

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

Last revised November 23, 2007

HARRISON CO. WV
Formed 1784 from Monongalia
Randolph formed 1787 from Harrison
Wood formed 1798 from Harrison
Lewis formed 1816 from Harrison
Ritchie formed 1843 from Harrison, Lewis, Wood
Barbour formed 1843 from Harrison, Lewis, Randolph
Taylor formed 1844 from Barbour, Harrison, Marion, Preston
Doddridge formed 1845 from Harrison, Tyler, Ritchie, Lewis
 

CENSUS RECORDS

1810 Harrison Co. VA Census
Pg. 78  Dunkin, John            00100         - 20100


1820 Harrison Co. VA Census (alphabetic)
Pg. 96  Duncan, E. S.           200010        - 10200
   100  Duncan, John            200010        - 32010


1830 Harrison Co. VA Census (alphabetic)
Pg.305  Dunkan, William         0001,1        - 0002
   364  Duncan, John W.         0301,001      - 0021,101


1840 Harrison Co. VA Census
Pg. 53  John Duncan             2000,1        - 1000,1
        Phebe Duncan            0011          - 0000,0001
        David M. Duncan         1001          - 0001
    78  Edwin S. Duncan         0001,0001     - 1000,001
    96  James A. Duncan         0000,1        - 0001

1850 Harrison Co. VA Census
Pg.124, #320, John W. DUNCAN 34 VA farmer $500
                  Elizabeth 32 VA
                  Martha 15, Jahu (m) 13 VA
                  Moses 10, Asberry (m) 9 VA
                  Caroline 7, Basil (m) 5 VA
                  Rabecca 3, Mary 1 VA
Pg.125, #327, Asberry R. DUNCAN 26 VA farmer $400
                  Mary A. 21 VA
                  Pheba DUNCAN 80 VA
Pg.125, #328, David M. DUNCAN 30 VA farmer $400
                  Ama (f) 28 VA
                  Sylvanus (m) 10, Margaret 6 VA
                  Christopher 3 VA
                  (MAD: mar. Monongalia Co. (W) VA)
Pg.166, #874, Columbia DUNCAN (f) 26 VA
                  John 6 VA
                  (MAD: Edwin S.' son James died age 27, grandson James mar. Columbia Jackson; 1860 Lewis Co. (W) VA census)
Pg.166, #881, William DUNKIN 57 NJ physician
                  Elizabeth 41 (blank)
                  William M.F. 17, John 5 VA
                  James 2 VA
                  Cathrin M. LATE 14 VA
                  Anna DUNKIN 6 VA
                  Elizabeth 1 VA
                  John McARTY 26 VA
                  William TONE? 16 VA
                  William DUNKIN 5 VA
                  (MAD: household above had "New Jersey" for birth state, William Duncan had "Do", not VA)
Pg.192, #316, Edwin S. DUNCAN 59 VA farmer $39500
                  Prudence 54 VA
 

1860 Harrison Co. VA Census
Clarksburg P.O.
Pg.749, #43, Flored C. DUNCAN (f) 35 VA (blank) $12,700-$1,300
                  Edwin S. 15, Ernest 13 VA
                  Gay J. (f) 8 VA
                  (MAD: Gay Duncan in 1870 Howard Co. MD census)
Pg.760, #129, George J. STALEY 31 VA farmer $0-$150
                  Elizabeth 27 VA
                  Vance (m) 2, David 1/12 VA
Pg.760, #130, Prudence DUNCAN 62 VA (blank) $25,000-$1,000
Pg.760, #131, Patrick MANN 39 IRE (blank) $0-$10
                  Mary 36 IRE & ch. b. NY age 17-13
Pg.816, #528, Ashburry R. DUNCAN 35 VA farmer $1500-$300
                  Mary A. 30 VA
                  Albert N. 4, John O. 2 VA
                  Phebe DUNCAN 78 MD
Pg.1053, #2221, William DUNKIN 60 VA farmer $22,500-$10,800
                  Elizabeth 52 VA
                  Ann 16, William 15 VA
                  John 13, James 11 VA
                  Elizabeth 10, Amanda 7 VA
                  Mary C. LATE 24 VA
 

1870 Harrison Co. WV Census
Coal Twp.
Pg.128, #108-103, DUNCAN, Florida C. 44 VA (white) keeping house $6000-$5000
                  Ernest A. 23 VA lawyer $7000-$7000
                  Gay J. (f) 18 VA at home $2000-$0
                  James J. 25 VA lawyer $2000-$0
                  [DUNCAN,] Hugh 16 VA MULATTO domestic servant
                  JONES, Martha 21 VA MULATTO domestic servant
Eagle Twp.
Pg.150, #44-44, DUNCAN, Alva (m) 22 VA (white) farmer $0-$165
                  Elizabeth 29 VA keeping house
                  James W. 1/12 WV b.Apr.
Pg.150, #46-43, DUNCAN, Asberry (m) 44 VA (white) farmer $3125-$1000
                  Mary A. 41 VA invalid
                  Albert N. 13 VA at home
                  John O. 11 VA at home
                  Joseph E. 5 WV
                  COFFMAN, Susan F. 28 VA (white) domestic servant
                  SHINN, Malvina (f) 25 VA (white) at home
                  COFFMAN, Laura A. 2 WV (white)
Simpson Twp.
Pg.229, #20-21, DUNKIN, William 25 VA (white) farmer $42,500-$7,000
                  Elizabeth 62 VA keeping house
                  Ann 26 VA at home
                  John 24, James 22 VA farmer
                  Elizabeth 20, Amanda 16 VA at home
                  LATE, Mary C. 33 VA (white) at home
                  BRENT, Georgiana (f) 14 VA BLACK domestic servant
 

MARRIAGE RECORDS

Harrison Co. WV Marriages (FHL film 22407; from Denzil Mauldin 1984 with permission to share with others)
      Duncan, Mary to Shinn, Job M., Sept. 25, 1825
      Duncan, Jane to Ogden, Nathan, Apr. 14, 1831
      Duncan, Jane (?) to Lee, George H., Oct. 18, 1832
      Duncan, Emily to Ogden, Jno., Sept. 6, 1838
      Duncan, James A. to Jackson, Columbia M., March 17, 1840
      Duncan, John A. to Jackson, Floride C., March 3 (or 30), 1842
      Duncan, Catherine to Doyle, Michael, July 15, 1853
      Duncan, G.N. to Heldreth, Edith A.; G.N. Duncan age 33 b. Harrison Co., son of John W. & Phebe, occu. farmer; Edith A. Heldreth age 16, b. Marion Co., dau. of Elias & Jane; m. by A. Vincent, April 19, 1857 in Harrison Co. VA.
      Duncan, I.C. to Moore, M.A., Dec. 17, 1857; I.C. Duncan age 20 b. Harrison Co., son of John & E., M.A. Moore age 18, b. Harrison Co., dau. of Elias & M.
      Samuel Ogden and Julian Duncan, May 23, 1833
      (See Marion Co. WV for more marriages)
 

LAND RECORDS

Go to the Harrison Co. WV Land Records
 

COURT RECORDS

Harrison Co. WV Misc. Court Records (FHL film 847,164)
      V.1, 1801-1842 - no Duncan
      V.2, 1842-1875 - no Duncan

Harrison Co. WV Law & Chancery Records (FHL film 1,616,994)
      Vol.1, 1833-1842 - no Duncan
      Vol.2, 1822? - no Duncan
      Vol.3, 1813 - no Duncan
      Vol.4, 1835 - no Duncan
 

ESTATE RECORDS

Harrison Co. WV Will Index 1788-1970 (FHL film 847,162)
      5-268: 1836, will of John W. Duncan
      6-122: Jno. E. Duncan to Floride Duncan, 3 April 1853, entire estate

Harrison Co. WV Will (extract from Denzil R. Mauldin 2/1984 with permission to share with others)
      John W. Duncan will, signed April 11, 1836 by John (+) W. Dunkin: Wife Phebe; children: John W. Duncan Jr., George Nelson Duncan, Asbuary (sic) Robinson Duncan, David Masters Duncan (sons); Ametia Duncan (dau); Mary Shinn, late Mary Dunkin, my dau; Jane Ogden, late Jane Dunkin, my dau; Ann Shinn, late Ann Dunkin, my dau; July Ann Ogden, late July Ann Dunkin, my dau. David Masters Duncan received $1.50 since one David Masters had previously left him land. John requests that his wife and sons "perform the conditions of a contract held on me by Ann Masters for her support during her life." Appoints Jesse Flowers executor. Wit. Isaiah Harbert, Joshua Forney, William Heldreth. Will proved October term, 1836, Harrison County Court. (DRM: The will uses both Duncan and Dunkin.)
 

OTHER RECORDS

Harrison Co. WV Death Records (FHL film 22407; from Denzil Mauldin 3/1984 with permission to share with others)
      Duncan, John S., Sept. 1854, 10 yrs, d. Clarksburg, parents Jno. & Florida; by James M. Jackson, uncle.
      Duncan, Malinda E., 17 Sept. 1855, 2 yrs 10 mo, d. Robinson Run, parents Asberry & Mary Ann
      Duncan, Abram A., 4 Nov. 1856, 5 yrs 10 mos, b.&d. Robinson Run, parents Asberry & Mary Ann
      Duncan, Abraham A., 4 Nov. 1858, 6 yrs, d. Harrison Co., parents A.R. & Nancy (DRM: ?)
      Dunkin, William, 23 June 1869, 72 yrs, b. Loudon Co. VA, parents Samuel & Ann; wife Elizabeth; by son, William.
      Duncan, Mary A., 23 Feb. 1871, 43 yrs, husband A.R., d. Eagle Twp., parents A.&E. Talkington
      Duncan, Ernest A., 14 Dec. 1873, 26 yrs 9 mos, d. on Atlantic Ocean, parents John & F.C., occupation - lawyer.
      Duncan, H.B., 8 May 1899, 29 yrs 9 mos, b. July 24, 1869, d. Marion Co., parents M.S. & R.V.
 

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, Alva W.; B 6 WV Inf; 1884 June 4, Invalid Appl. #514729, Cert. #331329, WV. (MAD: see Harrison Co. WV)
      Duncan, Moses S., widow Duncan, Julia A., B 6 W.Va. Inf.; 1888 July 3, Invalid Appl. #662435, Cert. #466216, W.Va.; 1927 Feb. 21, Widow Appl. #1571769, Cert. #A-7-19-27, W.Va. (MAD: see Harrison Co. WV)
 

REFERENCES FROM OTHER LOCALITIES

Licking Co. OH Deed (FHL film 476,842)
      UU/48-310: 9 Jan. 1843, James A. Duncan and wife Columbia M. and John S. Duncan and wife Floride C., to Michael D. Gitting, all of Harrison Co. VA; that Columbia M. and Floride C. Duncan are two of the heirs of the late John G. Jackson decd who are five in number, and as such are entitled to 1/5 the real estate of John G. Jackson in the state of OH; sell their interest to Michael A. Gitting for $2000, land part in Muskingum Co., part in Licking Co. and part in Knox. Reg. in Harrison Co. VA, then in Licking Co. OH.

Muskingum Co. OH Deed (FHL film 900,194)
      3-461: 9 Jan. 1843, James A. Duncan and wife Columbia M., and John L. Duncan and wife Florida C. to Michael D. Gittings, all of Harrison Co. VA; Duncan wives are 2 heirs of John G. Jackson decd, who were 5 in number; not copied. Rec. Harrison Co. VA.

Monongalia Co. WV Deeds (FHL film 840,576)
      10-471: 12 Nov. 1828, Edwin L. Duncan & wife Prudence of Harrison Co. VA to Lunceford Jones, $100, lot of land in the swamps formerly owned by John and David Newlon & surrendered by them in their schedule on taking the oath of insolvency and purchased by the said Edwin L. Duncan. Rec. Harrison Co. VA 1 April 1830.

Ohio Co. WV Deed (FHL film 855,593)
      13-36: 19 May 1825, Edwin S. Duncan of Clarksburg [Harrison Co. WV] appoint John List Jr. of Wheeling my attorney to sell and transfer to Alexander Caldwell ten shares of stock in North Western Bank of VA. Wit. A.G. McRae. Receipt by A.Caldwell for stock.

Lewis Co. WV Deeds
      C-156: 14 June 1825, Jonathan Yeager to Edwin S. Duncan; Duncan is security for Yeager; deed to 12 acres Pecks Run (more not copied); ack. in Harrison Co. VA. (FHL film 818,742)
      E-414: 6 Oct. 1834, Edwin S. Duncan and wife Prudence of Harrison Co. VA to Joseph McCoy; that Duncan became purchaser of 12 acres under decree of Superior Court of Chancery; Joseph McCoy paid Duncan $100, deed for 12 acres on Buckhannon River formerly Jonathan Yeager's. Ack. in Harrison Co. VA. (FHL film 818,743)
      N-18: 4 Sept. 1847, Edward McCall, George A. McCall, Mary D. McCall, Margaret C. McCall, and Anne McCall, surviving children and heirs of Archibald McCall late of City of Philadelphia, Esq., decd, and heirs at law of John C. McCall decd. and Elizabeth L. McCall decd who were also children and heirs of Archibald McCall who died after Archibald intestate, unmarried, and without issue, by their attorney in fact A.N. Maylert, to Gideon D. Camden and John S. Duncan Esq. of Clarksburg, Harrison Co. VA, $1,916, of which $479 paid and rest due, land on Hackers and Elk Creeks in Harrison & Lewis Co. VA; Lot 26 of 41 acres on Hackers & Rooting? Creek adj. Saml. Harris, A. Davis, land sold John Garrison; Lot 28 of 76 acres adj. Benja. Stout, Jno. Hinzman, Geo. A. Davis, Saml. Harris; Lots 49 and 34 adj. Jno. Hinzman, Hiram Thron, Benj. Stout, Jacob Thatcher, etc.; lots 52 & 66, Lot 35, ... (many others not copied) (FHL film 818,747)
      8-266: 4 Jan. 1876, Virginia Lee, Henry Beeman and wife Hortensia, Mortimer W. Smith and wife Susan C., James J. Duncan and wife Maud, Dabney C. Lee, Grace D. Lee, and George H. Lee, to Charles E. McCray, for $600, $318.50 remaining unpaid, land on Little Kanawha River partly in Upshur and Lewis and perhaps in Braxton Cos. devised to us by George H. Lee, containing approximately 738 acres, being part of a survey made for said McCray of 1346 acres on Little Kanawha River at mouth of Buffalo Fork and all that part not assigned to Robert McCray, retaining lien. Witnesses A.W. Scott and W.V. McCracken for Henry & Hortensia H. Beeman of Perry Co. OH; Duncans in Harrison Co. WV. (FHL film 818,756)

Rappahannock Co. VA deed (FHL film 33,662)
      F-340: 6 Dec. 1845, Hezekiah Corley of Rappahannock Co. trust deed to William Dunkin of Harrison Co. VA; Corley owes John S. Deatherage and John B. Gore $375; trust deed of negro girl Milley age 12, negro boy Elijah age 8, negro girl Rachael age 6. No wit.
 

HISTORIES before 1923

1912 "Genealogical & Personal History of the Upper Monongahela Valley, WV" by Bernard Lee Butcher (from Evelyn Sigler 1982 with permission to share with others)
      Pg.689: I. Judge Edwin S. Duncan came to this country in early manhood, having in his possession old VA patents for land, and was owner of large tracts in that state, from which he derived a fair income. He represented this country in England under President Monroe.
      II. James Duncan, son of Edwin S. Duncan, d. at 27 years, leaving one child, James. He married Columbia, dau. of Judge John C. Jackson, who was prime factor in securing appointment of Stonewall Jackson to West Point, being a relative.
      III. James Jackson Duncan, law graduate of Univ. of VA, Democrat, m. Maude Lee, dau. of Judge George H. Lee of VA. After the war, Judge Lee was chief counsel of B&O R.R.
      IV. George Lee Duncan, son of James Jackson Duncan, b. Nov. 30, 1872, worked at banks. Episcopal Church member. Owned 200a farm on Elk Creek. Member of Sons of Rev., Mason, Elks. Married in Philadelphia, July 27, 1898, to Gertrude Smith, a native of Clarksburg, dau. of Ashel G. and Anna Smith.
 

1906 "History of the Middle New River Settlements" by David E. Johnston (MAD: see under Giles Co. VA) (Memphis Public Library book 975.45 J72; from Evelyn Sigler 10/1983 with permission to share with others)
      Pg.169: 5 Oct. 1829, convention for extending right of suffrage. Delegates in 14 Jan. 1830 from west of the Alleghenies (WV) who voted against the adoption, included Edwin S. Duncan.
 

1903 "History of Montgomery County, Kansas" pub. unknown: L.W. Duncan, 1903 (HeritageQuest image 2/2007, Local History Reel/Fiche Number 11798; FHL film 874,479 item 1)
      History of the Bench and Bar. Pg.250-255: WILLIAM DUNKIN -- (Prepared by ex-Governor Humphrey, at request of publisher) -- Mr. William Dunkin was born at Flint Hill in Rappahannock county, Virginia, April 7, 1845. His parents beloged to old Virginia families whose record runs back to Colonial days, and on down through the period of the American Revolution. The father, though a slave holder, was, in fact, opposed to the institution of slavery and, like many other Southern men of his time, hoped for its ultimate abolition. During the Civil War, as before, he was an unconditional Union man and stoutly supported the Federal government throughout that memorable struggle for its existence. He lived to see the Union preserved, slavery destroyed, and died June 23, 1868. ...
      The son, William, when less than a year old, moved with his father's family to Harrison county, Virginia. His father was a physician and his family consisted of his wife and two step-children (W.M. and Mary C. Late) and an infant daughter and the subject of this sketch. The doctor and his wife ... new home which was purchased in 1846 and located about four miles from Clarksburg and adjacent to Bridgeport ... where William Dunkin, Jr., and the family of eight children were reared. The doctor, soon after his arrival in Harrison county, established a lucrative practice which he held for fifteen years, when he retired and resigned his extensive professional business to his step-son. ... At the age of 18 years, William Dunkin took "French leave" of his parents and went to New York City where he spent four months in the office of Edward P. Clark, a distinguished lawyer in that city, and, upon his return home, was forgiven and sent to the academy at Morgantown, West Virginia ... eight months later left school on account of impaired health, remained at home until 1871, spent winter of 1871 and 1872 in State of Michigan ... to Lawrence, Kansas, admitted to practice law in District Court of Douglas county, Kansas, opened office in Independence, Kansas in 1873. .... (MAD: 1880 Montgomery Co. KS census)
 

c1912 "Kansas : a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc... with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence." Vol.I-II ed. by Frank Wilson Blackmar; Supplementary Volume (Vol.III) Parts 1-2; pub. Chicago : Standard Pub. Co. (FHL film 1,000,028)
      Supplementary Vol.(III), pg.136-139: WILLIAM DUNKIN, of Independence [Montgomery Co.], Kan., became a law student in the office of Thacher & Banks, at Lawrence, Kan., in March, 1872. About one year thereafter, through the kind influence of Judge N.T. Stephens, then associated with the firm of Thacher & Banks, at Lawrence, Kan., in March, 1872. About one year thereafter, through the kind influence of Judge N.T. Stephens, then associated with the firm of Thacher & Banks, Mr. Dunkin was admitted to the bar of Douglas county, and thereafter, on April 1, 1873, opened a law office and entered upon the practice of his profession at Independence, Kan. He has since then continuously occupied the same office. At the time he located at Independence he was wholly unacquainted in the county and spent the first few months in assiduous study, with little or no professional work.
            He was then appointed city attorney and at once vigorously took up the pending litigation concerning the entry of the town site, the patent to which had been for several years withheld on account of contests between the city and claimants to portions of it. The next year (1874) he became a candidate on the Democratic ticket for county attorney. ... After his unsuccessful race for county attorney Mr. Dunkin soon acquired a lucrative practice, singularly, in a large measure, from political opponents. In 1876 he married Miss Elizabeth Browning Hull, of Kalamazoo, Mich. She is a native of Stonington, Conn. Their children are Florence E., Cora Hull Kimble (nee Dunkin), and William Latham, all residents of Independence, Kan. In 1877 Mr. Dunkin was elected by an overwhelming majority over Judge James DeLong as mayor of Independence, and shortly afterwards, through the aid of Senator John J. Ingalls, secured the patent to the town site, which had been held back by the contests and litigation for six or seven years. ... At the end of his term Mr. Dunkin declined to become a candidate for reelection ... In 1888, while spending the summer with his family on Lake Michigan, and over his telegraphic protest to the Democratic convention, Mr. Dunkin was nominated as a candidate for state senator. He was defeated by something less than 400 plurality, while the Republican ticket carried the county by over 1,000. During his residence at Independence he has accumulated a comfortable fortune, consisting largely of a number of river bottom farms, business and residence buildings in the city and elsewhere, and personal property, to the management of which his time is in the main devoted.
            Mr. Dunkin was born at Flint Hill, Rappahannock county, Virginia, April 7, 1845. His father, Dr. William Dunkin, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, April 5, 1797. After studying medicine and attending medical lectures in Baltimore, he was graduated in 1822 and for about twenty years thereafter practiced his profession in Rappahannock county, Virginia, where he was wedded to Mrs. Elizabeth Late (nee Woodside), a widow, who was the mother of two children -- a son, William Michael, and Mary Catherine -- by her deceased husband, John Late. Dr. Dunkin was descended from Scotch parentage and his wife was of Irish extraction. The ancestry (MAD: sic) of both lived in Virginia for many years during the Colonial period and through the Revolutionary war, in which some of them participated. In the spring of 1846 Dr. Dunkin, with his family, then consisting of his wife, two step-children, a daughter (Anne) and a son (William) then less than a year old, moved in covered wagons with his numerous slaves across the Alleghany mountains to a new home in Harrison county, Virginia. Their home was a farm situated between Bridgeport and Clarksburg, which in time he increased to about 1,000 acres. At the time of his arrival there typhoid fever was prevalant in the county. At his former home Dr. Dunkin had had much recent experience in the treatment of this dreaded disease. He therefore at once acquired an extensive practice and soon won an enviable reputation as a physician, which endured to the time of his death, June 22, 1868. Soon after locating he began the erection of a large stone house, in which he resided until his death. At this house were born the following children: John, James, Elizabeth and Amanda, the last in 1854, all of whom are yet living. About 1855 the stepson, William M. Late, after studying medicine at home, attended medical lectures one year at Baltimore and then two years at the University in Philadelphia, where he graduated in 1858, and on his return Dr. Dunkin gradually retired in favor of his stepson, who held the practice and added to it till his death, in 1906.
            Owing to the excited state of the public mind preceding the Civil war, and the unsettled conditions along the line of hostility, where the doctor and his family lived during the war, educational facilities were sadly neglected. During a portion of the time the older children were periodically instructed by the doctor, by private tutors at home, and by inferior teachers at subscription schools. At times the home was between contending armies and often not far from the seat of hostilities. While the doctor and his wife were slaveowners, as had been their ancestors during and since the Colonial days, he was an uncompromising and aggressive Union man, and felt if the preservation of the Union should result in the destruction of slavery it would be an additional blessing, ... In those never-to-be-forgotten days along the border it was not unusual to find brothers in opposing armies and fathers arrayed in deadly conflict against their sons. In the case of Dr. Dunkin his brothers and relatives were without exception loyal to the government and many of them served in the Union army, while his wife's relatives were equally devoted to the cause of the Confederacy and a number of them fought in the Southern army.
            When about sixteen years of age William Dunkin, Jr., became greatly concerned about an education. He wanted to go to the academy at Morgantown, W.Va., afterwards the West Virginia University, to take up a classical course, and finally, after graduating from Princeton or Harvard, study and practice law. He persistently, but unsuccessfully, importuned his father on the subject till at last, when about nineteen years of age, he ran away from home and went to New York City, where, after weeks of effort, he secured a position as errand boy in the office of Edward P. Clark, a distinguished lawyer on Lower Broadway, with whom he remained some three months, when he returned home with the understanding that he was to enter the academy. His father, however, seemed unalterably opposed to that part of the plan respecting the practice of law, ... After some six or eight months at the academy, where the son had made fine progress in a classical course, he returned home in broken health, which did not become fully restored for several years.
            After his father's death, in 1868, Mr. Dunkin administered on his estate and settled that portion of it in Michigan, where he spent the winter of 1871-72 for that purpose. In March, 1872, at the instance of his cousin, Maj. Wyllis C. Ransom, of Lawrence, Kan., he entered the law office of Thacher & Banks, as before stated.
 

"West Virginia Historical Magazine Quarterly" Vol.2 #2, April 1902, pub. at Charleston, WV, by WV Historical & Antiquarian Society, 1902-1905 (SUTRO book F236 W51, CA State Library, Sutro Branch; other volumes on FHL film 1,425,607 item 4)
      Pg.74-76: Judge E.S. Duncan, by Henry Haymond Esq. Edwin Steele Duncan, born Berkeley Co. VA, June 18, 1789, his step-father Judge ---- Allen of Bottetourt, his half-brother John J. Allen. Randolph Co. 1810, married 1813 Prudence, dau. of William B. Wilson son of Col. Benjamin Wilson. Died at his town residence of Clarksburg on 4 Feb. 1858.
 

END

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