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JOHN DUNCAN
(deceased) was born March 7, 1804, in Washington County, Penn.,
where he remained until 1824, when he came to Steubenville,
Jefferson Co., Ohio, and engaged with a Mr. Plumer as a
laborer. About 1826 he was entrusted by Mr. Plumer with
a flatboat of flour shipped from Steubenville for New Orleans.
When he arrived at the latter city he found an unfavorable market,
and, although having no business experience, he engaged
transportation and forwarded the consignment to Mexico, where he
sold it at a greatly advanced price from any he had been offered at
New Orleans. On returning to Steubenville, he walked a great
portion of the distance. The trip to Mexico delayed his
return, and caused some misgivings, but on informing his employer of
his successful adventure, the latter took young Duncan as an
apprentice to learn the fulling and carding industry, in which
occupation he was engaged until 1830, having accumulated and saved
up $100.
He then set out for Holmes County, and in partnership
with his brother, William, who had preceded him, purchased a
farm in Mechanic Township, upon which he built the first fulling and
carding mill in the county, operating the same by horse and
ox-power. This mill he operated until 1835, when he sold his
interest in it to his brother William, and purchased a farm
and mill-site in Coshocton County, on "Doughty's Fork," upon which
he built a saw-mill, a carding and fulling-mill and a flouring-mill,
all of which were operated by water-power. He successfully
carried on these, together with farming and general warehouse
business, hauling flour, grain, etc., to Massillon, Stark County,
and Louisville, Coshocton Co., Ohio, from his location on "Doughty's
Fork," until 1851, when he sold his property in Coshocton County,
and bought an unimproved farm, a half mile south of Millersburgh,
Holmes County, and a residence in Millersburgh, his object being to
educate his family. About 1853 he built a dwelling house and
barn on his farm, and then, about the same year, moved on the farm,
where he remained until 1874. About 1852 the C. Z. and C.
Railroad was built to Millersburgh, and then construction was
discontinued for want of funds. About 1857, in anticipation of
the extension of that road at some future time Mr. Duncan
bought the Killbuck Mills, followed by the purchase of the Joseph
Uhl farm, and soon thereafter by the purchase of the Uhlery
farm, upon which the depot of the C. A. & C. Railroad was
subsequently located, and a large portion of the village of Killbuck.
In 1874 he retired from business and moved to Killbuck, remaining
there until his death, which occurred July 12, 1878. Mr.
Duncan was, in the fullest sense of the word a self-made man.
His father, who was a native of Scotland, moved to
Washington County, Penn., while yet a young man, and there married
Jane Wiley, a sister of Dr. Wiley, of Washington
County (Penn.) University; they settled in that county. To
this union were born three sons - Adam, John and William
- and four daughters - Eliza, Isabella, Mary and Hester.
The father died in 1817, in very moderate financial
circumstances, leaving a family of seven children, the eldest,
Adam, being but fifteen years old, and they were, therefore,
thrown on their own resources while yet quite young. In course
of time Adam married Jennie Milligen, and located in
Guernsey County; William married Fanny Elliott;
Eliza married George Gray; Mary married Edward
Stevenson and located in Illinois; Hester married
Rev. James Eliott; Isabella married John Eliott,
all locating in Holmes County except Adam and Mary.
John Duncan obtained but very little schooling,
twenty-nine days in all, and his information was gathered as
circumstances indicated the necessity. He became well up in
points of law, having been justice of the peace a number of years;
was well versed in Scripture, having united with the Presbyterian
Church while yet a young man; and was well informed on general
topics, being a studious reader. He was successful in his
undertakings, and by his energy, perseverance and industry, made
life a success, accumulating a large fortune and a good general
supply of knowledge. He was a man of strong determination, one
whose opinions were formed only by a careful examination of the
subject. It was very difficult to change his mind when once
decided. As an illustration we cite the following: He
became involved in a water-wheel patent right case, and upon
examining the subject he decided that he was in no way infringing
upon the right claimed, and when the parties claiming the right and
charging the infringement offered to settle with him for $50, he
told them that he would pay them only when the courts decided that
they were entitled to their claim, and according to the decision
thereof. The case was placed in the United States District
Court at Cincinnati, where it was tried and a judgment rendered
against Mr. Duncan for $1,100. He carried it up to the
United States Supreme Court at Washington, D. C., and there
had the judgment set aside, the case being remanded back to the
district court from whence it came. His territory being
transferred to the Northern District of Ohio, court was held in
Cleveland, and the case was there tried. The plaintiff finding
he was being worsted made overtures for a settlement, but Mr.
Duncan persistently refused to consider any such proposition
except such as would fully indemnify him. The plaintiff then
fled the court, the case was dismissed at his cost, and thus ended a
suit that had been pending in the courts ten years.
In Mr. Duncan's early life he was a Democrat and
an ardent protectionist. In 1840 he voted for Gen. Harrison,
and was a supporter of the Republican party from its organization to
his death. He took an active interest in church affairs, and
contributed $600 toward building the present church edifice in
Millersburgh, of which he served as deacon. He donated $100 to
Wooster University, giving his note for same payable in twenty-five
years, not having money to spare at the time. He married
Miss Nancy, daughter of John Carey, of Loudoun County,
Va., and a settler of Killbuck Township, Holmes County. She
lives in Millersburgh, and enjoys good health at the age of
seventy-five years. Their family consisted of nine children,
viz: Sarah Jane, John C., Andrew, Hannah, George, William,
James E., Nancy Euphemia and Harriet Louisa, and their
record is as follows:
Sarah Jane was educated at Hayesville, and
married Peter Stevenson, of Coshocton, Ohio, where she now
resides.
John C., who is a builder and contractor, was
born in Coshocton County, Ohio, March 19, 1836; was educated in the
district schools, and finished at Delaware: remained on the
homestead until 1850, when he entered a mercantile store at
Millersburgh, where he remained about one year; then went to
Lawrence, Kas., where he served as a clerk in a dry goods store six
months; then returned to the home farm, where he remained until
1858, when he moved to Killbuck, and took charge of the mills there.
He remained in Killbuck until August 5, 1862, when he enlisted in
Company A, One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving
as private for six months; was then appointed sergeant-major of the
regiment, in which capacity he served for one year, when he received
a commission as second lieutenant of Company A; was later assigned
to Company F, which he commanded for about six months; was then
detailed as adjutant of the regiment, which commission he held to
the close of the war, when he returned to Killbuck and soon
thereafter formed a partnership with his brother William,
which still exists. January 2, 1866, Mr. Duncan was
united in marriage with Miss M. P., daughter of Hon. H. G.
Saunders, and they have two children - Carrie Lenore and
Harriet Edwina. He is an ardent supporter of the
Republican party, and takes an active part in politics, also in
educational matters; he appeared before State Legislature to have
Killbuck Special District created. He is a member of Pomerene
Post No. 250, G. A. R., and was a charter member of Palladium Lodge,
No. 767, I. O. O. F. He took an active part in improving and
building up the village of Killbuck.
Andrew was born December 18, 1837; was married
to Susan French about 1862; enlisted in Company G, Sixteenth
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, served his term of enlistment, and died of
erysipelas, at the age of twenty-five years, at Killbuck, Ohio.
Hannah was born February 26, 1840, in Coshocton
County, Ohio; married Dr. James R. Bristor, of Mansfield,
Ohio, where they now reside.
George was born January 11, 1842, and died at
the age of thirteen.
William was born March 19, 1844, in
Coshocton County, Ohio, was educated in the district schools and
attended Millersburgh and Fredericksburgh Academies. In 1862
he enlisted in Company H, Eighty-eighth O. S. I., leaving school at
the time, and serving about two weeks, when he was transferred, by
permission of Gov. Tod, to the Eighty-seventh Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, to assist in the taking of Richmond; was ordered to
Harper's Ferry, Va., to do general duty along the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad; was stationed at Harper's Ferry at the time of the
Miles surrender, and was one of the 11,000 men who surrendered
and were paroled on the filed, after being relieved of all side
arms. In August, 1863, when nineteen years old, he recruited a
squad of men in Holmes County, Ohio, and with them started for
Cincinnati to join the Second Ohio Heavy Artillery; before reaching
Cincinnati, however, a lack of confidence in the men with whom
he was to be associated prompted him to go to Camp Chase, Columbus,
Ohio, where he enlisted, together with an old comrade, George H.
Stull, in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry (commonly known as the "Tiger Regiment") for three years;
this company joined the regiment nine days before the battle of
Chattanooga, in which it took an active part. Mr. Duncan
was in the command upon which the first assault was made at
Harper's Ferry, the fight continuing three days; was in the siege at
Chattanooga nine days; participated in the capture of the first line
of works in front of Bragg's headquarters at Mission Ridge;
was in the charge on the second line from the first, in the advance
line, when the order to retreat was given on account of the line
being too far in advance of the general line, and was so exhausted
when the order came that he had to lie down on the line of the
advance to rest; but the fear of having enlisted without the
knowledge of exchange assisted him in his efforts to reach the
re-established lines, which he did without injury, not withstanding
he ran into the fire of his comrades and was exposed to the fire of
the enemy. He participated in the second assault upon the
second line when it was carried, and many prisoners and many pieces
of artillery were captured; and was with the body of men who were
hurriedly called together as the remnant of the One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, consisting of about 120 men,
to follow in advance of our line of battle, which was then pressing
forward following the fleeing enemy; the One Hundred and
Twenty-fifth was deployed as skirmishers in front of this line of
battle, and pressed the enemy until the re-formed lines of the
fleeing rebels were formed to cover their retreat. He
participated in the third assault, which resulted in the completion
of the victory of the Union Army at that battle, finished
about 8 p.m. He was with the command of Gen. Phil. Sheridan
that was ordered to raise the siege at Knoxville, Tenn., starting
the day following their return to camp in Chattanooga, after the
battle. He participated in the battle at Dandridge, East
Tenn., and returned to Loudon, Tenn., having served six months
without missing duty, for which he received a thirty-days' furlough
to return home. He was in the front line in the charge on the
rebel fort on Ricky Face Mountain, and was within a few feet of the
enemy's works when repulsed. He was then placed on detailed
service until the close of the war. He committed English
grammer to memory while in the army, and studied mathematics, and on
his return home he went into partnership with J. C. Duncan,
at Killbuck, this county, in 1866, which partnership still exists.
In 1869 he and his brother, John C., furnished the
money and constructed the Holmes County fair ground and race track,
where they held the first three fairs themselves. In 1870 the
firm donated $1,500 toward building the C. A. & C. Railroad.
In 1871, William Duncan contracted and built six miles of the
C. A. & C. Railroad, in Knox County, and a half mile in Holmes
County, employing 300 men. In 1872 he built four iles of the
Dresden Branch, in 1873 eight miles more of the same branch, and in
1887 ten miles more. He participated in the building up of
Killbuck village. In 1876 Mr. Duncan was united in
marriage with Eliza Saunders, at Washington, D. C., and they
have four children living; John, R. C. Hurd, Ada and
Frederick William. In politics Mr. Duncan is an
ardent Republican, and took an active part in the last campaign,
delivering speeches in various parts of the county.
James E.; a biographical sketch of him appears
elsewhere in his work.
Nancy Euphemia was born September 7, 1850, and
died September 19, 1855.
Harriet Louisa, born October 22, 1852, was
educated in Oberlin, Painesville and Steubenville, and is now living
with his mother in Millersburgh, this county.
The Duncan Boys served in all six terms of
enlistment in the War of the Rebellion. |
DAVID DUNN (deceased)
was born in County Antrim, Ireland, where he was reared, and in early life was
engaged in farming. He married
Miss Eleanor Akey, and in 1822 they
and three sons immigrated to America,
first locating in Salt
Creek Township,
Wayne County. They
afterward purchased land in Paint
Township,
Holmes County,
and settled on the same.
Mr. Dunn became one of the wealthy
men of Paint
Township, owning several hundred acres of land. He gave his suffrage to the
Democratic party, and was a strong supporter of the Presbyterian Church, with
which he had united in
Ireland.
He died in Paint Township,
Mar. 27, 1847, his wife surviving him until Nov. 1, 1865. Their family consisted of five
children, four of whom are dead, all being killed by accident,
Robert died Oct. 8, 1837; David, July 1,
1867; James, Sept. 25, 1877;
Elizabeth, May 20, 1837.
Mary Jane Dunn, the only surviving
member of this family, was born in Paint Township,
on the present homestead. She is a
maiden lady, and since the death of her parents has operated her farm of 200
acres, and attended to the other property which she inherited. She is a devout member of the Mount
Eaton Presbyterian Church, and is known as a Christian lady who takes pleasure
in helping the afflicted poor. She
is kind, charitable and hospitable, and has the respect and esteem of the entire
community in which she lives.
~ Page 801 – Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of
Wayne and
Holmes, Ohio,
Illustrated – Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
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