The Ancestors of Roy Duncan

B-1-1 Perry Cornelius Duncan (3)

-2 Benjamin Floyd Duncan (4)

-3 John Henry Duncan, Jr. (5)

-4 John Henry Duncan, Sr. (6)

-5 John Duncan, Jr. (7)

-6 John Duncan, Sr. (8)

B-2-1 Stephen Evander Mitchell (4)

-2 John Balanger Mitchell (5)

-3 William Mitchell (6)

B-3-1 John Anderson Sutphin (5)

-2 John Wesley Sutphin, Sr. (6)

-3 John Sutphin (7)

-4 Hendrick Sutphin (8)

B-4-1 John Duncan (6)

-2 Greenberry Duncan (7)

B-5-1 Owen Owen (9)

-2 Robert Owen, Jr. (10)

-3 Robert Owen, Sr. (11)

B-6-1 Allen Tolbert (7)

B-7-1 William Sutphin, Sr. (8)

B-8-1 Charles Smith (6)

-2 James Quincy Smith (7)

-3 John Daniel Smith (8)

B-9-1 Samuel Strange (6)

-2 Henry Strange (7)

-3 Jesse Strange, Sr. (8)

-4 William Strange, Sr. (9)

-5 Benjamin Strange, Sr. (10)

-6 Alexander Strange, Jr. (11)

-7 Alexander Strange, Sr. (12)

-8 John Strange, Sr. (13)

B-10-1 Henry Hylton (8)

B-11-1 Johann (John) Holtzclaw (9)

-2 Hans Jacob Holtzclaw (10)

-3 Hans Heinrich Holtzclaw (11)

-4 Johann Holtzclaw (12)

B-12-1 William Russell, Sr. (10)

-2 John Russell (11)

B-13-1 Tobias Phillips (8)

-2 George Phillips, Sr. (9)

-3 Tobias Phillips (10)

-4 John Phillips, Jr. (11)

-5 John Phillips, Sr. (12)

B-14-1 Jonathan Jennings, Sr. (9)

B-14-2 Thomas Jennings (10)

B-15-1 James Bobbitt, Sr. (10)

-2 William Bobbitt, Jr. (11)

-3 William Bobbitt, Sr. (12)

B-16-1 Abraham Goad, Jr. (10)

-2 Abraham Goad, Sr. (11)

-3 Richard Goode, Sr. (12)

B-17-1 John Williams, Sr. (12)

B-18-1 Johann Hermann Otterbach (11)

-2 Johannes Otterbach (12)

-3 Johann Otterbach, Jr. (13)

-4 Johann Otterbach, Sr. (14)

B-19-1 Philipp Heimbach (12)

-2 Georg Heimbach (13)

-3 Jost Heimbach (14)

-4 Jost Scheffe (15)

-5 Henne (16)

B-20-1 Jost Stuell (13)

-2 Hans Stuell, Jr. (14)

-3 Hans Stuell, Sr. (15)

-4 Henrich Stuell (16)

B-21-1 Jacob Beer (14)

-2 Goebel Beer (15)

B-22-1 Hermann Schneider (14)

-2 Johann Truppbach (15)

B-23-1 Johann Hans Fischbach (13)

-2 Johann Fischbach (14)

-3 Theiss Fischbach, Sr. (15)

-4 Johann Fischpe (16)

-5 Johann Van Fisphe (17)

-6 Tyl Van Fispe (18)

B-24-1 Peter Lueck (15)

B-25-1 Lewis Dalton (7)

-2 William (Billy) Dalton (8)

-3 Timothy Dalton, Jr. (9)

-4 Timothy Dalton, Sr. (11)

B-26-1 John Phillips (5)

-2 Jehu Phillips (6)

B-27-1 Johann Solbach (12)

B-28-1 Henrich Flender Muess (13)

B-29-1 James Hook (11)

B-30-1 Daniel Nester (6)

-2 Johann Jacob Nester (7)

-3 Frederick Nester, Jr. (8)

-4 Frederick Nester, Sr. (9)

B-31-1 William E. Hewitt (7)

B-32-1 Abraham Goad, Sr. (8)

-2 John Goad, Sr. (9)

B-33-1 (blank)

B-34-1 Stephen Mitchell (7)

B-35-1 Zachariah Wright, Sr. (7)

-2 Abraham Wright (8)

B-36-1 Samuel Philpott, Sr. (8)

-2 John Philpott, Sr. (9)

-3 Charles Philpott (10)

-4 Edward Philpott, Jr. (11)

-5 Edward Philpott, Sr. (12)

B-37-1 Charles Stokes (10)

B-38-1 John Durnell (7)

B-39-1 Elijah Hilton (9)

-2 George Hilton, Sr. (10)

B-40-1 Thomas Smoote, Jr. (11)

-2 Thomas Smoote, Sr. (12)

-3 William Smoote, Sr. (13)

B-41-1 William Barton, Jr. (12)

-2 William Barton, Sr. (13)

B-42-1 John Posey, Sr. (12)

-2 Francois (Francis) Posey (13)

-3 Marteyn Poschet, Sr. (14)

-4 Gilles Poschet (15)

-5 Mathieu Poschet (16)

-6 Joseph Poschet (17)

-7 Philippe Theodore Poschet (18)

-8 Philippe Octrave Emmanuel Poschet (19)

-9 Eustanch Joseph Poschet (20)

This book traces the ancestors of my father’s father, Roy Clifford Duncan.

DUNCAN

B-1-1 Perry Cornelius Duncan (3). Roy Clifford Duncan was the son of Perry Cornelius Duncan and Mary Cordelia Narcissus Mitchell (B‑2‑1). They had the following children.^25,65

1. boy Duncan 1911 - 1912

2. Wilson Morris Duncan 11/13/1912 - 12/24/1941

3. Maggie Lee Duncan 3/24/1915 - 4/ 1/1931

4. Perry Watts Duncan 3/ 4/1917 - 6/21/2004

5. *Roy Clifford Duncan 12/31/1919 - 10/ 8/1975

They were living in Indian Valley, Floyd Co, VA, when Wilson was born.⁶⁵ However, they were living in Dublin, Pulaski Co, VA, when Watts and Roy were born.⁶⁵ Maggie’s birth certificate has not been found.

The 1920 Pulaski Co census lists them in Dublin District, p6B, #38: Perry C. Duncan (33, owns home), Mary C. (29, wife), Wilson M. (7-1/12, son, school), Maggie L. (4-9/12, dau), Perry W. (2-11/12, son), Roy C. (1 month, son). The months in the ages of the children are difficult to read. Perry’s occupation is also difficult to read, but it is not “farmer”.²¹²

Perry and his family owned two houses in Dublin: one “by the railroad”, and the other “up on the hill”. Both were near the Dublin City Cem, on the southeast side of the town. When he moved to NC, he is said to have sold the house on the hill to his brother Charlie.²⁵

After Mary died on 6/21/1925, it appears that Perry quit making payments on his loans. On 12/8/1924, he had borrowed $900 to pay for a small piece of land in Dublin. He made the first payment of $200 which was due on 1/1/1925. However, two more payments were due on 8/30/1925 and 12/6/1926, but were never paid. As early as 10/26/1925, six tracts of land were sold by a trustee to satisfy some of Perry’s overdue debts. Then on 11/16/1927, the court ordered another piece of land to be sold. A year later, the sale did not net enough to pay off all the creditors, and it was noted in the Judgment Lien Docket Book.

Perry went to Wilkes Co, NC, with Mary’s half sister Daisy Mitchell and her husband Dewey Nickolson. He may have made the trip to transport whiskey between Radford, VA, and Wilkes Co.²⁵ However, he met Maude Casey on Greenstreet Mountain and married her in Wilkes Co on 10/11/1925 at her father Burk Casey’s residence.⁶⁶ While Perry was away in NC, his children stayed with relatives in Dublin, Radford, and Hillsville, VA.²⁵

It is not known how much time Perry spent in Dublin after remarrying. According to family members, he did return to Dublin with his new wife, and they both held jobs in the coal industry. Maude weighed coal, and Perry “drove the underground coal cars at night,” while he had another job during the day. They were able to save enough money to buy a new car for $600.²⁵

In 1926 Maude, bringing Watts and Roy with her, went back to Greenstreet Mountain to be with her family for the birth of her first child Louise Duncan. The next year, with the whole family back in Dublin, they were visited by the authorities. They were all sitting on the porch of the house on the hill when the revenuers and the sheriff came looking for Perry and his brother Charlie Duncan. The sheriff asked Perry’s permission to search the house near the railroad. Perry said it was all right and told Wilson to go with them, and that he would be along soon. While Wilson showed the revenuers where the moonshine was hidden, Perry, knowing he had been caught, borrowed a car from a friend and began his journey to NC, “leaving his family behind with his brother Charlie.” In NC, Perry got Dewey Nickolson to take a truck to Dublin and move his family to Traphill, NC. They initially lived on Austin-Traphill Rd, but later moved into another house a few miles west on Traphill Rd.²⁵

He built a brick house in Traphill and they lived on over 100 acres of land on Traphill Rd.²⁵ Before the Depression began in 1929, Perry deposited money in the Bank of Elkin. By the time he died, he had lost nearly all of it.²⁵ On 12/3/1937, after Perry’s death, Maude received $1 from Duke Power for the right to bring electricity to their home.⁶⁷

By his marriage to Maude Casey, Perry Duncan had these children: Louise (9/20/1926), Reba (June 1928), Mabel (1/5/1930), Earl Edward (1/12/1932)³⁴², Ira Paul, Silas Hillery, and Bettie Sue (October 1937).²⁵

The 1930 Wilkes Co census lists them owning a farm in Traphill Township, p5A, #87/87: Perry C. Duncan (42, married at 23, farmer, can read and write), Maude F. (25, wife, married at 21), Wilson (17, son), Maggie (14, dau), Watson P. (13, son), Roy L. (11, son), Louise (4, dau), Reba (2, dau), and Mabel (7 months, dau). Perry and his parents were born in VA. Perry and Maude could read and write. The four oldest children were born in VA, could read and write, and had attended school during the year. The three youngest children were born in NC.¹¹³

1. A boy died as an infant. I do not know if he was named. On Wilson’s birth certificate, it says that Wilson is the second child of Mary, but that he was the only one still living.⁶⁵ Similar information is on Watt’s birth certificate, with Watts being the fourth, but only three still living.⁶⁵ This indicates that the infant was born and died before 1912. However, on Roy’s birth certificate, Roy is given as the fourth child, but also as the fourth child still living.⁶⁵ Maybe the infant had been “forgotten” by late 1919.

2. Wilson pleaded not guilty to the charge of “housebreaking” on 11/12/1931 in Pulaski Co, VA, court. However, the jury found him guilty of housebreaking and larceny, sentencing him to 90 days (less ten served) in jail or on the State Convict Road Force. (Pulaski Common Law Bk 11, p75).³¹⁷

About 1933 he left home and moved to Long Beach, CA. If he was married, his wife’s name might have been Ann.²⁵ According to family, within four years he made his only trip back home during the winter, and Ann came with him.²⁵ This is substantiated by a case in Wilkes Co Superior Court on 10/15/1937, just days before his father died. “W. M. Duncan” brought a case against the State Highway & Public Works Commission. The case was heard by a jury on 11/3/1937. They were asked to answer the question of “What compensation is the Pensioner entitled to recover of the Respondent?” They found that he was entitled to $200 with interest. (Vol 30, p28,40,42,47).³⁷³

His 1941 death certificate says he had been in CA for eight years, and that he worked as an “edgerman” at a sawmill. It also states that he spent the last six months, five days of his life at Antelope Valley Sanatorium at “Lancaster Pr”. This was in Los Angeles Co, CA. His death certificate says he had had Tuberculosis for six months.⁶⁴

A letter to Lancaster Cemetery resulted in a phone message reply confirming that Wilson was buried there. However, he has no headstone or marker, and is said to be buried “in a potter’s field” at the edge of the cemetery. The only record they have of his burial is that Los Angeles Co paid the cemetery $50 for his burial.²⁵⁰ [b⁶⁵, d⁶⁴]

3. Maggie had brown eyes, dark hair, and fair skin.²⁵ She died of Tuberculosis.⁶⁴ When she became ill, her father did not find out about it for two weeks. Her step-mother Maude Casey and her aunt took care of her during the day, and she was often already asleep when Perry came home from work. They kept it a secret because Maggie did not want him to know she was sick again.²⁵

One day when she was sick, her step-mother asked if there was anything she wanted to eat. Maggie said she wanted a piece of chicken, so Maude went out and caught her a chicken. She cut off its wing and let it go, then cooked the wing for Maggie. She is buried at Traphill Bap Ch.^25,64 [b⁶⁴, d⁶⁴]

4. Watts tagged along with his older brother Wilson who went to CA in 1933. However, Watts only made it as far as TX and KS when the Salvation Army picked him up.²⁵ He married Eva Woodle in Wilkes Co.²⁵ He served as a cook in the Marines for over 20 years including time in WWII.^25,56 He moved frequently, living all over the country at one time or another.⁵⁶ [b⁶⁵, d³⁴²] Ref 342, 6/23/2004.

5. Roy first attended school in Wilkes Co in the 1927-28 school year at the age of seven. In that year, he was present 25 days. For the following six year, he was consistently present an average of 138 days each year. In his last year, the 1934-35 school year, while in the seventh grade, he only attended four days.³⁴⁰

In 1937, after his father died, he is said to have walked from Traphill to Sparta, NC, where he got a ride to Mouth of Wilson, VA. There he found work on a dairy farm, but he soon returned to Wilkesboro and worked for Coble Dairy which had come to the town in December 1941.³²

On 11/27/1941, Roy entered the Army at Fort Bragg, NC. He was soon assigned to the 229^th Field Artillery Battalion, 28^th Division. He spent time training in PA, LA, FL, WV, and VA, before being sent to England in October 1943. After nine more months training in England and Wales, he entered WWII combat at Normandy, France in July 1944, a month and a half after D-Day. On July 31, after just nine days in combat, Roy was injured for which he received his only Purple Heart. During the next year, his Division paraded through Paris, suffered in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, and persevered during the Battle of the Bulge. The combat portion of the war ended on May 8, 1945, and by the end of June, Roy had been transferred to the 106^th Division to keep the peace throughout portions of France and Belgium. He was discharged on 10/9/1945, receiving three service medals.

He married Doris Bauguess on 10/23/1948 in Wilkes Co.⁶⁶ He worked at Elkin Furniture Factory and is buried at Crestwood Mem Gardens.³² [b^32,48,65, d^32,48]

On 9/11/1914, Perry Duncan sold his one eighth interest in his parent’s (deceased) lot in Newbern, Pulaski Co, VA, to his brother Isaac Duncan for $45. The lot was known as the Mike Wysor house and was situated next to the Methodist Parsonage house lot. (Pulaski Co DB 35, p552).⁶⁷