DUNCAN FAMILY
DUNCAN FAMILY
Biography.
James Polk Duncan was born November 1, 1844 in Cook County, Newport, Tennessee in what was known as the Borgart Community, on the English Mountains. He was the son of William Duncan and Elizabeth Bates Duncan. He married Elizabeth Mantooth Bryant in Newport, Tennessee May 25, 1865.
At age 17 he enlisted in the Union Army and served throughout the Civil War in Company E., 2nd Tennessee Cavalry in General Grant’s army. He served under his brother, 1st Lt. Daniel B. Duncan, and was in several battles in Tennessee, as well as the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He received his discharge at Nashville, Tennessee on July 14, 1865 and returned to Newport.
When he was 22 years old he and his family moved to Texas to live. The family and five other families made the trip in a boat made by William Duncan. The boat was 56 feet long and 16 feet wide. Besides the six families, the boat contained all their household goods, the provisions, and F. Grundy brought a span of mules and others their milk cows and chickens. The six families were Martin N. Lewis and family, F. O. Grundy Lewis family, G. Tucker family, Will Clevenger family, J.P. Duncan family, and the Phil Roberts family.
They started on the French Broad River at Ray’s Ferry, then into the Tennessee River, then the Ohio River and at last into the Mississippi. They left the Mississippi to go down Red River to Jefferson, Texas where they sold their boat and came overland to Collin County. They joined his father-in-law and family who were already living in the vicinity of Walnut Grove Community. They arrived March 27, 1868. All of these people were neighbors in old Tennessee and they all located 6 to 8 miles west of McKinney. They were Presbyterians and united with the Walnut Grove Presbyterian Church.
J.P. Duncan later bought a farm in the Bowlby Community where his family grew to adulthood and prospered. He was an Odd Fellow and a leader in community life.
The following children were born to this couple: Mary Etta who married Calvin Hutcherson; Landon Duncan married Rachel Shelton; R.L. (Bob), married Ellen Hardin (Bob had a twin who died in infancy); Edward Duncan married Monnie Elmore; Aaron married Zula Elliot (Aaron had a twin (Will) who died as a young man); James A. Duncan married Bulah McGarrah; Ray Duncan married Ethel Lemons; Clay Duncan married Atta McCandless; and Betty married Owen Matthews.
J.P. Duncan and his father-in-law , Aaron Bryant, sat on the first legal murder trial that was held in McKinney, the Belew trial, 1872.
J.P. Duncan and his wife are buried at Pecan Grove Cemetery at McKinney. Both passed away in 1932.
Biography.
James Polk Duncan was born November 1, 1844 in Cook County, Newport, Tennessee in what was known as the Borgart Community, on the English Mountains. He was the son of William Duncan and Elizabeth Bates Duncan. He married Elizabeth Mantooth Bryant in Newport, Tennessee May 25, 1865.
At age 17 he enlisted in the Union Army and served throughout the Civil War in Company E., 2nd Tennessee Cavalry in General Grant’s army. He served under his brother, 1st Lt. Daniel B. Duncan, and was in several battles in Tennessee, as well as the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He received his discharge at Nashville, Tennessee on July 14, 1865 and returned to Newport.
When he was 22 years old he and his family moved to Texas to live. The family and five other families made the trip in a boat made by William Duncan. The boat was 56 feet long and 16 feet wide. Besides the six families, the boat contained all their household goods, the provisions, and F. Grundy brought a span of mules and others their milk cows and chickens. The six families were Martin N. Lewis and family, F. O. Grundy Lewis family, G. Tucker family, Will Clevenger family, J.P. Duncan family, and the Phil Roberts family.
They started on the French Broad River at Ray’s Ferry, then into the Tennessee River, then the Ohio River and at last into the Mississippi. They left the Mississippi to go down Red River to Jefferson, Texas where they sold their boat and came overland to Collin County. They joined his father-in-law and family who were already living in the vicinity of Walnut Grove Community. They arrived March 27, 1868. All of these people were neighbors in old Tennessee and they all located 6 to 8 miles west of McKinney. They were Presbyterians and united with the Walnut Grove Presbyterian Church.
J.P. Duncan later bought a farm in the Bowlby Community where his family grew to adulthood and prospered. He was an Odd Fellow and a leader in community life.
The following children were born to this couple: Mary Etta who married Calvin Hutcherson; Landon Duncan married Rachel Shelton; R.L. (Bob), married Ellen Hardin (Bob had a twin who died in infancy); Edward Duncan married Monnie Elmore; Aaron married Zula Elliot (Aaron had a twin (Will) who died as a young man); James A. Duncan married Bulah McGarrah; Ray Duncan married Ethel Lemons; Clay Duncan married Atta McCandless; and Betty married Owen Matthews.
J.P. Duncan and his father-in-law , Aaron Bryant, sat on the first legal murder trial that was held in McKinney, the Belew trial, 1872.
J.P. Duncan and his wife are buried at Pecan Grove Cemetery at McKinney. Both passed away in 1932.
