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Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Lewis County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
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J. W. Duncan (deceased) was born in Boone County, Ky., in 1833. He is the son of Hon. John Duncan, of Scotch origin, and a native of the same State. Our subject was educated at Georgetown College, and in 1853 began reading law under Senator J. Green. He returned to his native State afterward, and finished his studies at the Louisville law school. He then went to what is now Des Moines, Iowa, where he was admitted, and practiced about a year. During this time he married Mattie E., a daughter of Robert and Eliza (Price) Morris, natives of Kentucky, and of Scotch and German descent, respectively. Her father afterward became one of the leading stock raisers of this county. He died in 1858, a member of the Presbyterian Church, while her mother is still living. Before the war our subject practiced law in Alexandria and Monticello. In 1861 he entered service in the Confederate Army, fell ill in Arkansas, and died in 1864. Their children were Joseph, deceased; Selden, a bank cashier, in Compass, Tex.; J. L., druggist, of Denison, Tex.; and Zeta, the wife of Harry Barkelew. Our subject’s widow owns a small farm, where her nephew and his wife live with her.
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This family biography is one of 293 biographies included in the Lewis County, Missouri portion of the book, The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887. For the complete description, click here: Lewis County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps
View additional Lewis County, Missouri family biographies here: Lewis County, Missouri Biographies
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