Victoria Duke1

F, ID# 11401, (4 Dec 1848 - 29 Nov 1871)
Father:PVT William Simeon Duke (1791 - 1860)
Mother:Mary R. Peacock (c 1806 - )
     Victoria Duke was born on 4 Dec 1848 at Mississippi. She was the daughter of PVT William Simeon Duke and Mary R. Peacock. Victoria Duke married Joseph Berry Thompson in 1866 at Mississippi. Victoria Duke died on 29 Nov 1871 at Jasper Co, Mississippi, at age 22.
      Victoria Duke was enumerated as Vicktoria age 20 on the 1870 Southwest Beat, Jasper Co, MS census. She was married to Joseph B. Thompson, who later married her niece, and their daughter Adiar, age 2.

Citations

  1. [S610] William Simeon Duke Records.

PVT Simeon Taylor Duke1,2,3,4

M, ID# 11402, (c 1800 - 2 Feb 1858)
     PVT Simeon Taylor Duke was born c 1800 at Georgia. He married Elizabeth Parting on 15 May 1826 at Marion Co, Mississippi. PVT Simeon Taylor Duke died on 2 Feb 1858 at Caldwell Parish, Louisiana.
      There were two contemporary men named Simeon Duke living in 1830 in Marion Co, MS -- noted as senior and junior and distinguished as such in this report -- but only born ten years apart, so not father and son, and perhaps not even closely related.

Simeon, known as junior in this report only, was born in Georgia, his middle name may be Thomas, and his oldest son was named Eldridge. According to genealogist Lynn Teague, an Eldridge Duke, age 45 or older, was on Capt. Shaw's District, Morgan Co, GA census in 1820, living near Thomas Duke. At this age Eldridge could have been Simeon's father. Lynn Teague went on to say Thomas Duke of Morgan Co, the son of John Taylor Duke, was likely Eldridge's father, but research on Thomas has not supported this hypothesis.

On 11 Jul 1825 James Haygood, bearer, brought a suit against a Simion Duke and was awarded $90.00. (Newton County, GA Inferior Court Minutes, 1822-1827, p. 106. Data Abstracts of the Georgia Duke(s) Families, Joe Lineberger. Copyright 2002 by Tony Cox. All rights reserved. Transcribed from the original records.) This may be the Simeon who was married in 1826 to Elizabeth Parting by Isaac Brakefield, one of the civil officers, in Marion Co, MS.

By 1830 Simeon Duke junior, age 30-39, was on the Marion Co, MS census with a female presumed to be his wife Elizabeth, age 20-29, and a son and daughter under age 5. Later censuses showed this Simeon was born about 1800.

By 1837 Simeon was already residing in Catahoula Co, Louisiana when he purchased land in that county. Simeon Duke of Catahoula Co received an almost 40-acre land patent on 5 Aug 1837. He was known to be the younger man named Simeon because once he moved to Catahoula Co he was continuously enumerated as the Simeon born in Georgia about 1800.

In 1840 Simeon, age 40-49, was living with a woman presumed to be his wife Elizabeth who was 20-29, in Catahoula Co, LA with 2 males and 2 females under age 5, 1 female age 5-9, 1 male age 15-19. Sumeon Duke [sic] witnessed the will of Elias Carter in 1842 in LaSalle Parish, LA. In 1850 Simeon, age 50 and noted as a planter with $200 is real estate, was still residing in Catahoula Co, LA with his wife Elizabeth age 40 and their family.

Elizabeth Duke, the widow of Simeon Duke and a resident of Caldwell Parish, LA petitioned to be a tutor for minor children (http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/duke/5679).

In 1860 Elizabeth Dukes [sic], age 50, was living alone with the children whose ages had been adjusted by one to four years from those ages shown on the 1850 census and whose birth states had changed. Two additional children had apparently rejoined the household who should have appeared in the 1850 census, thus explaining the long gaps between childbirths on the earlier census. Her son Eldridge was now the head of household with $3000 in real estate and $800 in personal estate. Living next door was M. A. Pool age 28 with his wife Harriett, age 20, likely Simeon and Elizabeth's daughter Harriet who had left her birth home, and their children including a Simeon T. Pool, age 5 born about 1855 in Louisiana. Although there was a Pool family living in close proximity in 1850, M. A. Pool, who would have been age 18, was not listed with them.

Simeon was only about age 12 to15 during the War of 1812 which lasted from Jun 1812 until Feb 1815. Simon Duke [sic] served in Capt. Henry's Company and was severely wounded in a battle with Indians at Camp Defiance located 48 miles west of Chattahoochee. (Data Abstracts of the Georgia Duke(s) Families, Joe Lineberger. Copyright 2002 by Tony Cox. All rights reserved. The copyright must appear on all copies. Transcribed from the original records.) He received two land bounties for his military service in Captain Henry's Company, Georgia Militia as a private: one in Catahoula Co where he lived and one in adjacent Franklin Co. Under the Warrant Act of 1850, Simeon applied through the Monroe, LA land office and received 2 parcels of land totaling 81 acres in Franklin Co, LA on 10 May 1854 under military bounty land warrant #39,027, which he assigned to Alexander R. Hendry. Under the Warrant Act of 1855 Simeon applied through the Monroe, LA land office and received military bounty land warrant #17,063 for almost 80 acres in Catahoula Co, LA on 15 Jun 1860. Simeon assigned this warrant to William C. Reddill who in turn assigned the warrant to Carter B. Garrison and William C. Ellis.

There was another Simeon Duke in Catahoula Co, LA. After Simeon's death, on 18 Jun 1912 the US government awarded a tract of land in Catahoula Co, LA in patent #277,586 to fifty-eight claimants, to include Thomas Duke and Simeon Duke. To particpate in this legal transaction, Thomas and Simeon had to have been born prior to 1891.

Children of PVT Simeon Taylor Duke and Elizabeth Parting

Citations

  1. [S614] Lynn Teague Research.
  2. [S616] Sonya Kay Calhoun Resarch.
  3. [S619] Simeon Duke b 1800 Records.
  4. [S635] Charles E. Duke Research.

Elizabeth "Eliza" A. Duke1,2

F, ID# 11403, (9 May 1830 - 1895)
Father:PVT William Simeon Duke (1791 - 1860)
Mother:Mary R. Peacock (c 1806 - )
     Elizabeth "Eliza" A. Duke was born on 9 May 1830 at Mississippi. She was the daughter of PVT William Simeon Duke and Mary R. Peacock. Elizabeth "Eliza" A. Duke married William Rufus Yelverton c 1846. Elizabeth "Eliza" A. Duke died in 1895 at Mississippi.
      The 1866 Jasper Co, MS census shows Mrs. Elizabeth Yelverton, by then a widow age 30-39, with 2 males under age 10 and 2 males age 10-19. Two doors away was Mrs. Elizabeth Rogers, age 60 - 69; Elizabeth A. Duke Yelverton is said to have married R. T. Rogers on her find-a-grave data but her name remains Yelverton on the site, so she may have been confused with her older neighbor Elizabeth Rogers.

Children of Elizabeth "Eliza" A. Duke and William Rufus Yelverton

Citations

  1. [S610] William Simeon Duke Records.
  2. [S611] Joy G. Fulton Research.

Mary Lelia Duke1,2

F, ID# 11404, (Jul 1881 - )
Father:Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II (10 Feb 1863 - 30 Apr 1914)
Mother:Anna Leona Brown (15 Jan 1862 - 6 Jul 1897)
     Mary Lelia Duke was born in Jul 1881 at Alabama. She was the daughter of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown. Mary Lelia Duke married Horace Lattimore a 1901.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.
  2. [S579] Hardeman Duke Family Records.

Horace Lattimore1

M, ID# 11405, (a 1876 - )
     Horace Lattimore was born a 1876. He married Mary Lelia Duke, daughter of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown, a 1901.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Sarah Isabelle "Belle" Hall1,2

F, ID# 11406, (Jan 1881 - )
     Sarah Isabelle "Belle" Hall was born in Jan 1881 at Alabama. She married Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II, son of Welcome Parks "WP" Watkin Duke I and Mary Ann (Unknown), in 1899.

Child of Sarah Isabelle "Belle" Hall and Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II

Citations

  1. [S579] Hardeman Duke Family Records.
  2. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Sterling Alfonso Duke1,2

M, ID# 11407, (Jun 1883 - )
Father:Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II (10 Feb 1863 - 30 Apr 1914)
Mother:Anna Leona Brown (15 Jan 1862 - 6 Jul 1897)
     Sterling Alfonso Duke was born in Jun 1883 at Alabama. He was the son of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown. Sterling Alfonso Duke married Maude (Unknown) a 1908.

Citations

  1. [S579] Hardeman Duke Family Records.
  2. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Maude (Unknown)1

F, ID# 11408, (a 1888 - )
     Maude (Unknown) was born a 1888. She married Sterling Alfonso Duke, son of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown, a 1908.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Anna Leona Duke1,2

F, ID# 11409, (1 Mar 1889 - 29 Oct 1920)
Father:Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II (10 Feb 1863 - 30 Apr 1914)
Mother:Anna Leona Brown (15 Jan 1862 - 6 Jul 1897)
     Anna Leona Duke was born on 1 Mar 1889 at Centerline, Clarke Co, Alabama. She was the daughter of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown. Anna Leona Duke married Woodie Ethelbert Davis a 1909. Anna Leona Duke died on 29 Oct 1920 at Nettleboro, Alabama, at age 31.

Children of Anna Leona Duke and Woodie Ethelbert Davis

Citations

  1. [S579] Hardeman Duke Family Records.
  2. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Woodie Ethelbert Davis1

M, ID# 11410, (24 Jan 1878 - 17 Oct 1943)
     Woodie Ethelbert Davis was born on 24 Jan 1878 at Wilcox Co, Alabama. He married Anna Leona Duke, daughter of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown, a 1909. Woodie Ethelbert Davis died on 17 Oct 1943 at Hurley, Mississippi, at age 65.

Children of Woodie Ethelbert Davis and Anna Leona Duke

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Edna Gertrude Duke1,2

F, ID# 11411, (May 1892 - )
Father:Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II (10 Feb 1863 - 30 Apr 1914)
Mother:Anna Leona Brown (15 Jan 1862 - 6 Jul 1897)
     Edna Gertrude Duke was born in May 1892 at Alabama. She was the daughter of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown. Edna Gertrude Duke married Sam DiGiacomo a 1912.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.
  2. [S579] Hardeman Duke Family Records.

Sam DiGiacomo1

M, ID# 11412, (a 1887 - )
     Sam DiGiacomo was born a 1887. He married Edna Gertrude Duke, daughter of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown, a 1912.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Welcome Burdette Duke1,2

M, ID# 11413, (Dec 1894 - )
Father:Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II (10 Feb 1863 - 30 Apr 1914)
Mother:Anna Leona Brown (15 Jan 1862 - 6 Jul 1897)
     Welcome Burdette Duke was born in Dec 1894 at Alabama. He was the son of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown. Welcome Burdette Duke married Ollie (Unknown) a 1919.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.
  2. [S579] Hardeman Duke Family Records.

Ollie (Unknown)

F, ID# 11414, (a 1899 - )
     Ollie (Unknown) was born a 1899. She married Welcome Burdette Duke, son of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Anna Leona Brown, a 1919.

Ruben Aurelius Duke1

M, ID# 11415, (a 1901 - )
Father:Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II (10 Feb 1863 - 30 Apr 1914)
Mother:Sarah Isabelle "Belle" Hall (Jan 1881 - )
     Ruben Aurelius Duke was born a 1901. He was the son of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Sarah Isabelle "Belle" Hall. Ruben Aurelius Duke married Louise (Unknown) a 1926.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Louise (Unknown)1

F, ID# 11416, (a 1906 - )
     Louise (Unknown) was born a 1906. She married Ruben Aurelius Duke, son of Welcome Parks Watkin Duke II and Sarah Isabelle "Belle" Hall, a 1926.

Citations

  1. [S581] Mary Black Research.

Hellon Scolfield1

F, ID# 11417, (a 1707 - )
     Hellon Scolfield was born a 1707. She married John Elkins I, son of Richard Elkins, a 1725.

Citations

  1. [S580] James Irvin Research.

Elizabeth Brown1,2,3

F, ID# 11418, (c 1730 - 30 Nov 1813)
Charts:Joel Harper Winslett lineage
     Elizabeth Brown was born c 1730 at South Carolina. She married Nehemiah Duke, son of Jeremiah Duke, a 1750. Elizabeth Brown died on 30 Nov 1813. Her estate was probated in 1815 at Fairfield Co, South Carolina.
      Elizabeth Dukes, noted age 45 or older, was residing on 4 Aug 1800 in Fairfield Co, SC with one male between 10 and 15 years old. Elizabeth was enumerated on the same page with her nephews Moses Dukes of Richland and Aaron Dukes, sons of Robert Duke of Fairfield.

In 1820 an Elizabeth Dukes' household in Fairfield Co was enumerated with young children, so she may have had family residing with her or this could be a different Elizabeth Dukes. The household was shown with 1 male under 10, 1 female age 10-15, 1 male and 2 females age 16-25, 1 female 26-44, and 2 females over 45 -- one of whom could be Elizabeth.

Elizabeth's 1815 probate lists seven children: Robert Duke, Samuel Duke, Sarah Wells, Margaret Perry, Nancy Vann, Celey Horn and Rodey Simmons. Elizabeth's estate was administered by John Brown. The probate was transcribed and copyrighted by Tony Cox.

Children of Elizabeth Brown and Nehemiah Duke

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.
  2. [S636] Elizabeth Duke Probate, 2 Dec 1818.
  3. [S557] Tony Cox Research.

Nehemiah Duke1,2

M, ID# 11419, (a 1730 - 1781)
Father:Jeremiah Duke (a 1698 - )
Charts:Joel Harper Winslett lineage
     Nehemiah Duke was born a 1730 at South Carolina. He was the son of Jeremiah Duke. Nehemiah Duke married Elizabeth Brown a 1750. Nehemiah Duke died in 1781 at South Carolina.
      According to Duke researcher Tony Cox, the only South Carolina historical record for Nehemiah Duke is an entry on a tattered leaf of an old family bible insert. Elizabeth Brown, the sister of the modern-day owner of the bible, provided scanned copies of the record. The insert comes from the family bible of John Brown, born 1789, SC and Nancy Magalene Ford Brown, born 1804, Fairfield County, SC. From about 1810 until shortly after 1830 when he moved with his family to Alabama, John Brown practiced law in the Fairfield and Kershaw Counties of South Carolina. According to the family information listed in the insert, his first child was born in 1822. He likely married Nancy Magalene Ford about 1821.

For the most part, the bible insert pages list the birth dates for John, Nancy and their children; the latter pages appear to have been reserved for details concerning deaths in the Brown family. At the top of the last page1 are listings for Cealy Horne and Elizabeth Duke: “Cealy Horne Daughter of Elizabeth Duke & Nehemier Died Febuary 22–1781” and “Elizabeth Duke Wife of Nehemier Duke Died on November31–1813 Aged—83 years--” Straight lines separate the two entries from the rest on the page. Nehemier would be the phonetic spelling of Nehemiah for that time period and place.

John Brown was the administrator for the estate of Elizabeth Duke, deceased before 1815 in Fairfield County, South Carolina. As discussed later on in this study, Elizabeth Duke had a daughter named Celey who married a Horn.2 In 1822, John Brown was the probate executor for his cousin Henry Horn.3 According to the Henry Horn’s listings in the 1810 and 1820 US Census for Kershaw County, SC, he was born between 1775 and 1784. This would make him too young to be theHorn that married Celey/Cealy Duke; however, Henry was a Junior, the son of Henry Horn, Sr. whose first SC land plat and grant, “150 acres on Foxes Creek in the fork between Catawba [Wateree] Riverand Broad River,” was dated 1765.4 In 1769, Henry Horn, Sr. added 50 acres to his earlier tract and identified Foxes Creek as being a branch of the Wateree river.5 The additional 50 acres was likely a benefit from adding a member to his family thereby enlarging his colonial headright allotment.

Henry Horn, Jr., as “...son and lawful heir ...” sold the land tract in 1800, "... one hundred & fifty acres of land situated on foxes Creek ...” to William Dunavant and fifty acres “... on foxes Creek abranch of the Wateree ...” to Zachariah L. Nettles.6 Henry Horn, Jr. signed the deeds 29 May 1800. His father was deceased by then and he had attained the legal age of 21. This information refines Junior’s birth year interval to 1775-1780. According to public trees on Ancestry.com, Henry Horn, Jr. married Abigal Vaughn Wiley, the widow of George W. Wiley about 1803. She had two children born 1800: George D. Wiley and Mary E. Wiley. Henry Horn and Abigail had a daughter, Elizabeth J. Horn, born 1804. In 1807, Henry received a land grant for 454 acres on Twenty-Five Mile Creek in Kershaw County, SC.7 In 1820, H. Horn witnessed the will of Robert Elkins.8 Henry Horn, Jr was deceased by 1822.9

The signature of John Brown’s name on his birth entry in the bible insert compared with signatures on Elizabeth Duke and Henry Horn’s probate papers verify that John Brown did the probates.

Henry Horn’s sale appraisal lists a family bible. The bible was listed with items sold at the sale, but there was no purchaser receipt from the sale. It is possible, but not provable, that John Brown ended up with his cousin Henry Horn’s bible. Likewise, even if it is Henry Horn’s bible it is not possible to affirm he is the author of the Duke information. Whether written by Henry Horn or by his cousin John Brown, the information was recorded after the death of Elizabeth Duke in 1813.

Nehemiah is an unusual given name for the Duke family. In our Duke genealogy studies, it has only been encountered it two other places. (1) In 1769 and 1770 a Nehemiah Duke was listed in a census substitute for Craven County, North Carolina.10 The substitute census was compiled from county lists for tax payers, jury members, militia,etc. (2) A Nehemiah Duke was found along with Jeremiah Duke(s) in the Dorchester County, Maryland probate records 11:
--Page 11 [Wills] Mitchell, John, Dorchester Co. 12 Jan 1754, 9 Feb, 1754. To Thomas Duke my crop that was made at Zachariah Nicholls'. Wit: Nehemiah and Jeremiah Duke. 29,52
--Page 86 [Estates] Jeremiah Dukes 79,365 Do ---- July 21 1762 Nove 10 1762. Appraisers: Nicholas Price, Thomas Smith. Creditors: Philemon Lecompt, John McCaull for self & Co. Next of kin: Thomas Duke, Isaac Duke. Administrator: Nehemiah Dukes,

A single South Carolina historical reference to a Jeremiah Duke was found on the the plat for Samuel Nipper’s 1774 land grant on the Roundtop Branch of Twenty-five Mile Creek. Elizabeth Duke’s Fairfield County homestead was located adjacent to Samuel Nipper’s land in the area described as “...lands held by Jeremiah Duke ....”12 It is possible that Jeremiah reference was a mis-identified record for Nehemiah Duke.

Another possibility is Jeremiah Duke was a member of the Duke family who did not survive long enough to apply for a land grant. No other South Carolina historical record has been found for this Jeremiah Duke. Later, Robert Duke, a grandson of Robert Duke of Fairfield named his son Jeremiah, but the child was named after Robert’s brother-in-law Jeremiah Kinsler, not a Duke family member.

In 1784, Elizabeth Duke started the land grant process for her homestead.13 The land plat was surveyed but apparently the land grant was never completed. Later, Elizabeth’s son Samuel Duke applied for grants that overlapped Elizabeth Duke’s land and secured it’s possession.

Another adjacent neighbor mentioned on the Nipper grant was William Simmons. Robert Duke of Fairfield acquired the William Simmons land grant in a trade. Moses and Aaron Duke inherited the land tract from their father Robert Duke of Fairfield.14,15 More is written about this in the Robert Duke of Fairfield study, also by Tony Cox. (https://ztlcox.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/RobertDukeFairfield.pdf)

The estate of Nehemiah's wife Elizabeth Duke was probated in 1815 in Fairfield County, South Carolina. Elizabeth's exact death date -- November 31, 1813 -- was unknown until the bible record described above was found and proved. There is still a bit of a problem with the day-date of November 31 since most Novembers contain only 30 days. Perhaps, the writer meant the last day of November, the 30th instead. Elizabeth was eighty-three years old when she died. That fact sets her birth year at about 1730. Her birth place is unknown. Elizabeth was likely already living on the Round Top Branch of Twenty-Five Mile Creek when she applied for her failed 1784 state land grant mentioned above.

Nehemiah’s and Elizabeth’s seven children were named in her 1815 probate: Robert Duke [Junior], Sam’l Duke, Sarah Duke now Wells, Margaret Duke now Perry, Nancy Duke now Vann, Celey Duke now Horn, and Rodney Duke now Simmons. Lewis Duke won a lawsuit against the legatees.14 The reason for the lawsuit is unknown and the relationship between Nehemiah and Elizabeth Duke and Lewis Duke is also unknown. The transcript ofthe trial has not been found.

Benjamin Duke was confirmed, through Y-chromosome DNA testing, as the most recent common ancestor of descendants James Dukes, Moses Duke, Charles Duke and Joseph Franklin Duke. (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dukes-704)

Tony Cox's footnotes:
1. Elizabeth Brown wrote: “We copied the pages, which were loose from the Bible, flat, so the first Brown entries are on the right hand side of the first page, and the Duke entries are on the left side of the same page. I think this means the Dukes would be [on] the last page.”
2. Fairfield District, SC, Probate Files, File 13, package 125, Final Accounting.
3. Kershaw District, SC, Estate Packet: Apt. 32, Pkg. 1158) Date: 1/14/1822, Will.
4. SC Colonial Plat Book, Series: S213184 Volume: 0008 Page: 00354 Item: 03.
5. SC Colonial Plat Book, Series: S213184 Volume: 0017 Page: 00082 Item: 02.
6. Fairfield County, SC Deed Book, recorded 24Jun 1800.
7. South Carolina State Plats, Series: S213192 Volume: 0041 Page: 00075 Item: 0028 Kershaw District, SC, Estate Packet: Apt. 23, Pkg. 796) Date: 1/5/1821
8. Kershaw District, SC, Estate Packet: Apt. 32, Pkg. 1158) Date: 1/14/1822
9. Ancestry.com. North Carolina, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.
10. Abstracts of the Inventories and Accounts of the Prerogative Court of Maryland, 1674-1699 and 1699-1703, by V. L. Skinner, JR. Brookeville, MD 20833, January 1992
11. SC Colonial Plat Book, Series: S213184 Volume: 0016 Page: 00521 Item: 01
12. SC Camden Plat Book B, 1785-1786, No. 1295, Item 4
13. SC Memorial Book, Series: S111001 Volume: 0013 Page: 00344 Item: 001
14. Kershaw County, SC, Estate Packet: Apt. 22, Pkg. 746, will Fairfield District, South Carolina Probate, File 13, package 125, final accounting

The above research report was compiled by Tony Cox, Genealogical Studies for Selected Families with the Duke(s) Surname in the Camden District, SC, 1740-1840, https://ztlcox.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/NehemiahDuke.pdf, copyright - all rights reserved, ztlcox at gmail dot com, 2019.

Children of Nehemiah Duke and Elizabeth Brown

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.
  2. [S557] Tony Cox Research.

Benjamin Duke1

M, ID# 11420, (c 1690 - )
Father:Unknown Duke
     Benjamin Duke was born c 1690 at Isle of Wight Co, Virginia. He was the son of Unknown Duke. Benjamin Duke married Mary (Unknown) a 1727.
      Benjamin Duke settled at the mouth of Beaver Creek where it flowed into the Wateree River in northern present-day Kershaw County, SC circa 1750. Using comparisons of atDNA of descendants, we proved the Robert Duke of Fairfield, John Duke of Lancaster, and Richard Duke of Edgefield were brothers and likely the sons of Benjamin Duke.

According to Duke researcher Tony Cox, Benjamin Duke was the first settler with the Duke surname to appear in the colonial records for theSouth Carolina region that became known as the Camden District. The land Benjamin Duke chose for his grant was located in the northwest corner of Kershaw County about twenty-five miles upriver from present-day town of Camden, SC. On 02 Mar 1749, Benjamin petitioned the South Carolina Colony Council for a tract of two hundred and fifty acres on the north side of the Wateree River.1

From his petition we know that this was his first request for a land grant in South Carolina, and that he was married with at least three children. At fifty acres a head and five heads, Benjamin petitioned for the maximum number of acres his family was allowed with a headright land grant.

A warrant of survey was issued by George Hunter Esqr. on 04 Mar 1749, and the survey for his grant was certified by Jno. Pearson on 10 Oct 1749.2

The land grant was recorded on 15 May 1751. 3 It was located on the northeast bank of the Wateree,or Catawba River, at the mouth of Singleton Creek. The plat depicts a building, perhaps a fence or clearing, and a path that goes downstream to a neighbor, Jno. Dinkins. This indicates that the site was inhabited prior to the time of the survey, perhaps for several years, if not by the Dukes, then by some earlier settler. John Dinkins' warrant of survey for 300 acres was issued 06 Mar 1749 and the survey was certified 13 Dec 1750; but he abandoned his land before getting a grant. On 04 Feb 1752, William Stewart, with a wife and seven children, petitioned for the three hundred acres due John Dinkins, plus an additional one hundred and fifty acres. William Stewart was issued a grant 12 Mar 1752. 4 The Council record mentions an affidavit from John Dinkins, signed 10 Feb 1752, so the man was still living at that time.5

Another neighbor of the Duke family might have been James Lynah who, on 04 Jun 1759, was granted one headright or fifty acres of bounty (free) land on Singleton Creek northwest of Benjamin. The warrant of survey for Lynah's grant was issued 06 Apr1756, the same day he petitioned for it, and the survey was recorded by John Wade on 25 Dec 1756. The plat indicates the "... tract hath no good plantable lands thereon, but hath a gristmill on the same..."6 A grist mill, completed in seven months, seems ambitious for a single man, poor enough to qualify for bounty land. The Lynah land was sold by Anthony Gillmore to Robert Harrison, mariner, both of Charleston on 27 Aug 1767. 7

On 02 Feb 1770, Robert Harrison of Charlestown, Berkley County, SC sold the Lynah land to Benjamin Farar of St.Mathews Parish. The latter deed was recorded 26 Mar 1778.8 On 09 May 1778, John Chesnut sold the Benjamin Duke land to James Perry. The James Perry deed was recorded circa 22 Apr 1789.9 The lease and release land conveyance indicates Benjamin Duke's wife was named Mary. Chesnut obtained the land from Nehemiah Joiner, Junior who in turn had received it from Robert Humpheries. Unfortunately, the dates and details for the latter two transactions were not noted nor were they found in the colonial records.

Nehemiah Joiner is listed as a bounding neighbor on a one hundred acre land grant to John Dixon. The precept was dated 03 Oct 1769 and the grant was registered 15 Jan 1770. This tract of land is situated on the northeast bank of the Wateree River and the starting point at the river, the surveyed angle and length of the northwest side of the Dixon tract is identical to that of the southeast side of the Benjamin Duke land.10 It is likely that Joiner owned the Duke land by 1770.

Robert Humphries was in the area as early as 10 Nov 1752 when he witnessed the lease and release land conveyance of John Todd, Junior to WilliamHarrison.11 Additional witnesses were Richard and Moses Kirkland. Robert Humphreys, along withRichard and Joseph Kirkland, also witnessed the 23-24 Sep 1753 lease and release of William Harrison and wife Ann [alternately identified as Nancy] to John Dukes, a tract of one hundred and fifty acres.12 This tract of land was situated about five miles northwest of Benjamin Duke's land and on the same side of the Wateree River. Robert Humpheries is the only commonality found in the records between Benjamin Duke and John Duke. Only two other South Carolina records concerning Humpheries have been found. In Jan 1769, R. Humpherys surveyed a two hundred acre land grant for Frances Phillips on Beaver Dam Branch.13 In 1776, a Robert Humphreys enlisted in the Third Continental Regiment from South Carolina.14

The records do not reveal the fate of Benjamin Duke on the Wateree River. The fifteen years from 1750 to 1765 were difficult for the back country pioneers in the South Carolina Colony. The multitude of people moving into the region included many outlaws who took advantage of the lack of local civil authority. The great and rapid increase in population and their attitudes caused the already strained relationship with the western Indians to worsen, and around 1760 a few of the Indian raids actually reached the Wateree River watershed. Outlaws and Indians weren't the only hardships the pioneers endured. On 15 Sep 1752, a large hurricane and devastating flood struck Charleston causing much damage.15 Doubtless, the storm caused great flooding further inland and destroyed many river bank homesteads. Benjamin's neighbor, John Dinkins, abandoned his claim soon after it was surveyed. Likewise, after 10 Nov 1752, William Harrison moved away from his grant on the banks of the Wateree to higher ground on Dutchman's Creek.16 For unknown reasons -- moved or deceased -- Benjamin Duke was absent from the Camden District by 1770.

A FamilyTree atDNA triangulation on chromosome #7 among Benjamin's descendants was used to prove and link as brothers Nehemiah's sons: Richard Dukes of Edgefield, SC; Robert Duke of Fairfield, SC; Nehemiah Duke; and John Duke of Lancaster, SC. The triangulation indicates a common ancestor among V. Dale Cox, Margie Brawley, and Christopher B. Sims. V. Dale Cox descends from Moses Duke, the son of Richard Dukes; Margie Brawley descends from Margaret Duke, the daughter of John Duke of Lancaster; and Christopher Sims descends from Thomas Duke, the son of Robert Duke of Fairfield. V. Dale Cox is the 8th generation from the Unknown Duke. Margie Brawley is the 7th generation from the Unknown Duke. Christopher Sims is the 11th and 12th generation from the Unknown Duke. Analysis of their family trees and known historical data yields three contemporary families of the Duke(s) surname that lived in South Carolina between 1740­1850. A summary of the historical data for the three families is here: https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/mosesdukesofcamden0.htm.


Tony Cox's footnotes:

1. Holcomb, Brent H; Petitions for Land From South Carolina Journals, Volume II:1748-1752, SMAR, Columbia, SC, 1996, page 41.
2. SC Colonial Plats, Volume 5, Page 27, Item 1, 10 Oct 1749.
3. SC Colonial Grants, Volume 4, Page 367, Item 1, 15 May 1751
4. Holcomb, Brent H; Petitions for Land From South Carolina Journals, Volume III:1752-1753, SMAR, Columbia, SC, 1996, page 5.
5. Holcomb, Brent H; Petitions for Land From South Carolina Journals, Volume III:1752-1753, SMAR, Columbia, SC, 1996, page 19
6. SC Colonial Grants, Volume 6, Page 258, Item 3, 25 Dec 1756.
7. Langley, Clara A; South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1719-1772, Volume III, Southern Historical Press, 1984,page 362 [H 3, page 48].
8. Holcomb, Brent H; South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1773-1778, page 225 [W-4, page 313-315].
9. Lancaster Co., SC Deed Book B, page 71 [John Chesnut to James Perry, 250 A., May 9, 1778]
10. SC Colonial Plats, Volume 11, page 273, Item 1.
11. Clara A. Langley, South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1719-1772 , Volume II, Southern Historical Press, 1984, page 320 [O-O, page 299].
12. Charleston Deeds, Volume 3E, pages 1-6 [Harrison to Duke].
13. SC Colonial Plats, Volume 11, page 40, Item 2.
14. Moss, Bobby Gilmer: Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, MD, 1983.
15. Ramsay, David, Ramsay's History of South Carolina, reprint, complete in one volume, Walker, Evans & Co., 1858.
16. Clara A. Langley, South Carolina Deed Abstracts 1719-1772 , Volume II, Southern Historical Press, 1984, page 320 [O-O, page 299].

The above research report was compiled by Tony Cox, “Benjamin Duke on Singleton Creek and Wateree River,” Genealogical Studies for Selected Families with the Duke(s) Surname in the Camden District, SC, 1740-1840, https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/scduke/dukecamden/NehemiahDuke.pdf, copyright - all rights reserved, ztlcox at gmail dot com, 2019.

Children of Benjamin Duke and Mary (Unknown)

Citations

  1. [S557] Tony Cox Research.

Samuel Duke1,2

M, ID# 11421, (a 1757 - b 1840)
Father:Nehemiah Duke (a 1730 - 1781)
Mother:Elizabeth Brown (c 1730 - 30 Nov 1813)
     Samuel Duke was born a 1757 at South Carolina. He was the son of Nehemiah Duke and Elizabeth Brown. Samuel Duke married Mary Daugherty a 1774. Samuel Duke died b 1840 at South Carolina. His estate was probated on 10 Nov 1840 at Fairfield Co, South Carolina.
      Samuel Duke, listed as over age 16, was living in Fairfield District, SC in 1790 with 4 males under age 16 and 6 females. In 1810 Samuel Daks [sic] was enumerated as age 26-44, living in Fairfield Co, SC with 1 female under 10, 1 male 16-25, a female age 45 and over, and 9 slaves.

The results of the 1820 census were unexpected because Saml [sic] Duke was enumerated as over age 45 in Fairfield Co, SC living with 3 females and 1 male under age 10, a male 26-44, a female age 16-25 and the 9 slaves. This may be Samuel with a new young wife or Samuel's son and wife with their young family are living with Samuel.

The 1830 census listes Samuel as age 60-69 living still in Fairfield with 2 males and 3 females under 5, 1 female age 5-9, 3 females age 10-14, a female age 30-39 (possibly his second wife or daughter-in-law), and 12 slaves. So either Samuel is continuing to have children with his young wife or he is living with his widowed daughter-in-law. The 1840 probate of a Samuel Dukes in Fairfield Co, SC is presumed to be Samuel dying about age 75 but could also be that of a namesake son.

Citations

  1. [S636] Elizabeth Duke Probate, 2 Dec 1818.
  2. [S557] Tony Cox Research.

Mary Daugherty1

F, ID# 11422, (1755 - 1815)
     Mary Daugherty was born in 1755 at Virginia. She married Thomas Duke, son of Robert Duke of Fairfield and Nancy Abbott, a 1769. Mary Daugherty married Samuel Duke, son of Nehemiah Duke and Elizabeth Brown, a 1774. Mary Daugherty died in 1815 at South Carolina.

Child of Mary Daugherty and Thomas Duke

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Thomas Duke1

M, ID# 11423, (c 1753 - b 10 Apr 1793)
Father:Robert Duke of Fairfield (a 1735 - a 1785)
Mother:Nancy Abbott (a 1740 - a 1810)
     Thomas Duke was born c 1753 at Fairfield Co, South Carolina. He was the son of Robert Duke of Fairfield and Nancy Abbott. Thomas Duke married Mary Daugherty a 1769. Thomas Duke died b 10 Apr 1793 at South Carolina.

Child of Thomas Duke and Mary Daugherty

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Robert T. Duke1

M, ID# 11424, (1770 - 1840)
Father:Thomas Duke (c 1753 - b 10 Apr 1793)
Mother:Mary Daugherty (1755 - 1815)
     Robert T. Duke was born in 1770 at Fairfield District, South Carolina. He was the son of Thomas Duke and Mary Daugherty. Robert T. Duke married Ann Kinsler in 1810 at Lexington Co, South Carolina. Robert T. Duke died in 1840 at Brush Creek, Perry Co, Alabama.

Child of Robert T. Duke

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Jeremiah Kinsler Duke1

M, ID# 11425, (1816 - 1842)
Father:Robert T. Duke (1770 - 1840)
     Jeremiah Kinsler Duke was born in 1816 at South Carolina. He was the son of Robert T. Duke. Jeremiah Kinsler Duke died in 1842 at Alabama.

Child of Jeremiah Kinsler Duke

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Lovich Sherrod Duke1

M, ID# 11426, (1840 - 1899)
Father:Jeremiah Kinsler Duke (1816 - 1842)
     Lovich Sherrod Duke was born in 1840 at Alabama. He was the son of Jeremiah Kinsler Duke. Lovich Sherrod Duke married Chester Adaline Fondren on 6 Nov 1860 at Bibb Co, Alabama. Lovich Sherrod Duke died in 1899 at Texas.

Children of Lovich Sherrod Duke and Chester Adaline Fondren

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Chester Adaline Fondren1

F, ID# 11427, (1839 - )
     Chester Adaline Fondren was born in 1839 at Alabama. She married Lovich Sherrod Duke, son of Jeremiah Kinsler Duke, on 6 Nov 1860 at Bibb Co, Alabama.

Children of Chester Adaline Fondren and Lovich Sherrod Duke

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Lena M. Duke1

F, ID# 11428, (c 1866 - )
Father:Lovich Sherrod Duke (1840 - 1899)
Mother:Chester Adaline Fondren (1839 - )
     Lena M. Duke was born c 1866 at Alabama. She was the daughter of Lovich Sherrod Duke and Chester Adaline Fondren.

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Emma E. Duke1

F, ID# 11429, (c 1868 - )
Father:Lovich Sherrod Duke (1840 - 1899)
Mother:Chester Adaline Fondren (1839 - )
     Emma E. Duke was born c 1868 at Alabama. She was the daughter of Lovich Sherrod Duke and Chester Adaline Fondren.

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.

Coly A. Duke1

M, ID# 11430, (c 1870 - )
Father:Lovich Sherrod Duke (1840 - 1899)
Mother:Chester Adaline Fondren (1839 - )
     Coly A. Duke was born c 1870 at Alabama. He was the son of Lovich Sherrod Duke and Chester Adaline Fondren.

Citations

  1. [S543] James E. Dukes Research.