In an earlier post I shared photos of the small Duncan Cemetery located on Main Street in Nicholasville.  Today I share more information about the family, from one of the biographies gathered and written by W. H. Perrin, J. H. Battle and G. C. Kniffin, published in 1887.   Biographies were written and accumulated over the state and country during this time period, to save the historical information of local, ordinary people.  I have found these to be useful not only in my Kentucky research, but also in Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.  Remember to use these biographies as a beginning point, going back to original research to back up what is written in these biographies from over a century ago. 

To see more photographs of this cemetery go to the Duncan Cemetery blog written in April of this year.

from Kentucky – A History of the State; Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 1887

Jessamine County

Duncan Family

It has been truly said, ‘Those lives that are without striking incidents are nevertheless worthy of record.’  That portion of history which is denominated biography has particular claims upon the historian, and truth is but a matter of common honesty.  Rev. William Duncan was born in Perthshire, Scotland, January 7, 1630.  He fell a martyr during the religious troubles that afflicted Scotland at the time Charles II was restored to the throne of his ancestors.  Rev. William Duncan had a grandson, William Duncan, who was born in Scotland, April 19, 1690, and settled in the colony of Virginia in the year 1719.  He was married to Ruth Rawley February 11, 1722.

Rawley Duncan, born in Culpeper County, Virginia, November 23, 1724, was the grandfather of the late William Duncan of Jessamine County, who died in 1863, and was born in Jessamine County, January 1, 1788.  William was married to Miss Nancy Blackford, daughter of Benjamin Blackford, in 1813.  The following are the names of his children in their order:  Ryan, born November 6, 1814; Margaret, January 14, 1817; Catherine, July 17, 1819; Sally Ann, October 21, 1821; James B., February 7, 1824; Robert, September 8, 1826; Benjamin S, February 13, 1829; Charles W., April 28, 1831, and Mary D., September 25, 1834.  Robert and Benjamin are the only sons now living.  Mrs. Kate Bourn and Mrs. Sallie Scott, the only daughters.

William and Nancy Blackford Duncan’s stones are the two taller ones in the middle row.  William  Duncan, born January 1, 1788, died September 6, 1863.  Nancy, wife of William Duncan, born December 17, 1791, died June 24, 1860.

Robert Duncan was married to Miss Virginia Nave, youngest daughter of Jonathan Nave, in 1865.  The names of his children are Maggie Florence, Robert Jacob, Lizzie, Miranda and Emma Besueden.  Benjamin S. Duncan was married to Lucy A. Funk, youngest daughter of John Funk, May 22, 1856.  His children are:  Allen B., Carrie B. and John W. Duncan.  Allen B. Duncan married Miss Georgia Proctor, daughter of J. W. Proctor, cashier of the First National Bank of Danville, Kentucky.  Carrie B. Duncan married David Bell, son of Dr. Bell and grandson of the late Judge Robertson, both of Lexington, Kentucky.  J. W. Duncan is not married.

Charles Duncan, the grandfather of Robert and Benjamin, was born at Culpeper C. H., Virginia, October 8, 1762.  He settled in Jessamine County in 1787, where he reared a large family, and died during a visit he made to Washington, Indiana, July 12, 1829.  Sallie A. Duncan, daughter of William and Nancy Duncan, was married to Robert Carlisle, in 1851; he was a native of Fayette County, Kentucky.  His father was Robert Carlisle, who was born in Virginia, and John G. Carlisle is a nephew of Robert Carlisle, Sr.  R. G. Carlisle was a school-teacher in this county about 1850.  He was born in 1820, and his death occurred in 1864.  One child born to Robert G. Carlisle survives, Lizzie G., married to James A. Hulett, of Jessamine County.  Sallie A. Duncan’s second marriage was to Willaby S. Scott, who was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in 1815, died in 1882, leaving three children, Sallie, Carlisle and Eliza.  Mrs. Scott owns seventy acres of fine land in Nicholasville Precinct.  B. S. Duncan owns 380 acres in the same precinct.