James Duncan and Elizabeth McKee

I thought today I would do a post about another of our "brick walls."  I want to thank my sister, Teresa, and my parents for their excellent research on James and Elizabeth.  I hope someday we find the clue that gives us a breakthrough on these lines.  Note: I have updated this post with additional information and those items are in bold italics (Nov. 8, 2016).

According to a transcription of a Bible in the possession of the Vaught family, James Duncan was born 24 July 1792.  No place is given.  His parents are not named. I have never seen the actual Bible pages, just a transcription.  It might be useful to track down the original and get scans of the pages.

In November or December 1814, James Duncan married Elizabeth "Betsey" McKee probably in Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania.  The date of the marriage may be November 14 or December 8th.  The Greensburg & Indiana Register published a notice of the marriage on December 17, 1814: "Duncan, James of Washington Co. and Betsy McKee of this co. m. Thurs. 12 -08-1814."

We don't know the parents of Elizabeth McKee, but her mother's maiden name may have been Kiscaden.  We don't have a birth record for her, but estimate she was probably born about 1794, place unknown.

On 21 July 1816, their son, John William Duncan, was born in either Bedford Co. or Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.

An entry in the Bedford Co. deed book, shows that James Duncan of Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., owed $1,203.75 to "Harris and Donaldson."

On 27 November 1817, a daughter, Emily J. Duncan, was born.

On 27 September 1820, daughter Elizabeth Duncan was born.

On 21 August 1823, son Samuel Duncan was born in Berlin, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.

On 10 July 1826, daughter Anne Marie Duncan was born in Berlin, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.

On 8 July 1828, a son, James McKee Duncan, was born in Berlin, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.

On 1 January 1830, daughter Amanda Louisa Duncan was born in Berlin, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.

I have not yet found this family on either the 1820 or 1830 censuses.

On 28 April 1831, daughter Charlotte Duncan was born.

On April 2, 1832, the Sheriff of Bedford Co., Pennsylvania seized "all the said James Duncan's interest in the Hopewell Ironworks" and sold it in a sheriff's sale to pay James Duncan's debt to Harris & Donaldson.

On 27 May 1833, their daughter, Elizabeth, died.  She was 13 years old.  A notice published in the Bedford Gazette on 31 May 1833 states:  "Died, at the residence of her father, near Bloody Run, on Thursday, the 23rd inst. of scarlet fever, Elizabeth, second daughter of Mr. James Duncan, in the 13th year of her age.  She was modest and retiring in her manners, kind and gentle in her disposition, humble and obliging to all, and affectionately attached to her parents.  In her death they have sustained an irreparable loss...."  Elizabeth was buried in the Old Reformed Cemetery, Berlin, Pennsylvania.  Her headstone is no longer found.

James Duncan may have been an innkeeper or a tavern owner.  According to the Somerset Co., Pennsylvania deed book, James was a resident of Allegheny Township in that county on 31 January 1835.

On 10 June 1835, daughter Charlotte's clothing caught fire.  She survived for only three hours after the accident.  She was not quite four years old.  She was buried in the Berlin Reformed Church Cemetery.  Her tombstone reads: Sacred in Memory of Charlotte daughter of James and Elizabeth Duncan died Jan 10th AD 1835 aged 3 y 8 m 15 d.

On 11 June 1837, their son, John William Duncan, married Susan Ringler, in the Pennsylvania Reformed Church, Berlin, Pennsylvania.

On 16 November 1837, James and his son, John, borrowed $75 from a Jacob Kimmel in Somerset Co., Pennsylvania.  The note was due in full on 1 April 1838.  Other notes in James' probate documents indicate multiple loans taken out and some associated court appearances in Somerset Co. in 1838 and through February 1839.  This shows that the family did not move to Illinois until after February 1839.

On 20 July 1840, son Samuel, died of an inflammation of brain and stomach.  He was 16 years old.  Bills from the doctor who treated Samuel show that they were in Silver Creek, Madison Co., Illinois at the time of Samuel's illness and death.

We are not sure if this Madison Co., Illinois information is "our" Duncans, but we know they moved to the area between 1839 and 1841, so it may possibly be the right family:  "The first store opened in the area in 1840 by James Duncan known as a 'public house' or hotel.  His sign read 'Fitz-James Hotel.'"  Another source says it is John Duncan: "John Duncan opened a store (in Saline, Madison Co., IL) in 1840.  His house stood on the north side of the road that runs on the township line. He kept a public house, and put up a large sign inscribed in prominent letters 'Fitz James Hotel by John Duncan.'  He continued here in a fair paying business until his death, after which the buildings were burned."

The 1840 census for Madison Co., Illinois shows the following family in Highland.  It is not certain that this is the correct family.  The listing reads, "James Duncan, age 40 - 50; 1 male 20-30; 1 male 10 - 15; 3 females, 2 10-15 yrs, 1 20-30 yrs, 1 40-50 yrs; 7 people in household; Highland Precinct."  The ages of the individuals match the ages of James & his family for 1840, so it is possible this is the right group.  The next entry on the census is for John Duncan, probably James' son.

A Madison Co., Illinois land record shows James Duncan owning land described as follows:  "The southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 33, township 5 north, range 5 west; the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 5, township 4 north, range 5 west; the northwest quarter of section 4, township 4 north, range 5; all west of the third principal meridian; and lots numbered 14 and 15, in the town of Fitz James; all lying in Madison county, and state of Illinois."  The tax record shows SW SW 33-5-5  40 acres.  An item in the probate records dated June 1841 states:  "James Duncan lives 6 or 8 M N of Marine town on the Vandalia road to St Louis."

James Duncan died in Madison Co., Illinois on 2 August 1841.  The transcription of the Vaught Bible reads,  "James Duncan, departed this life, Monday August 2  (this figure is hard to make out... it is either 1871 or 1841... and his age is listed at either 79 or 49... depending on how you read this figure." Note: Aug. 2 was a Monday in 1841 & a Wednesday in 1871; correct date is probably 1841.  Also, his widow, Elizabeth gave a notarized statement regarding his death in 1841.  His burial place has not yet been found.

James died without a will.  Numerous probate records have been found.  Elizabeth swore that James' estate was not worth more than $600.  In September 1841, Elizabeth renounced her right to administer her husband's estate and asked that William B. Reynolds be named administrator.  I do not know who William B. Reynolds was.

On May 22, 1842, daughter Emily J. Duncan married Dr. Benjamin F. Slater in Madison Co., Illinois.

Elizabeth (McKee) Duncan died in Madison Co., Illinois of "bilious fever" on 24 August 1842.  She was sick nine days.  Her age at death was 48 years.  Her burial place has not been found.

On 9 September 1842, in Edwardsville, Illinois, Elizabeth's son-in-law, Benjamin Slater, was named administrator of her estate; William B. Reynolds posted bond.  Additional probate items were filed in 1843, 1844 and 1846.


Son, James McKee Duncan, died of inflamation of the brain on 29 March 1843.  He was about 14 years old.

In August 1843, Benjamin Slater was named guardian of Anne Marie and Amanda Duncan.

There were still items related to the estate being handled by the executor, William B. Reynolds, as late as 1848.

A Clue:  Teresa found a will of a Robert McKee in 1813 in either Washington or Westmoreland Co., PA that lists a daughter Betsy and a daughter Ann.  She saw references to an Ann McKee leaving money in the 1840s to Emily, Anne, & Amanda Duncan.  One of the executors of Robert McKee's will was Arthur Kiskaden.  Arthur Kiskaden was married to a Sara McKee.  This needs to be researched further.

Another Clue:    Teresa found a reference in land records posted online indicating that James and Elizabeth transferred some of their interest in Hopewell Iron Works to his brother, Joseph Wylie Duncan and his wife Ann.  We have never been able to find any concrete evidence linking the two as brothers.