Person Page - 406

     Lena Cornelia Lively was born on 24 Apr 1885 at Shiloh, Caldwell Parish, Louisiana. She married Samuel Tilden Duke, son of Thomas Washington Duke and Melissa Catherine Ann Meyers, c 1906 at Louisiana. Lena Cornelia Lively died on 15 Mar 1986 at Columbia, Caldwll Parish, Louisiana, at age 100.

     Francis M. Duke was born c 1861. She was the daughter of William W. Duke and Isabelle Carolina Cargile.

     Louvina W. Duke was born c 1862. She was the daughter of William W. Duke and Isabelle Carolina Cargile.

     William Morgan Duke I was born in Apr 1864 at Mississippi. He was the son of William W. Duke and Isabelle Carolina Cargile. William Morgan Duke I married Minnie Windham c 1890. William Morgan Duke I married Laura Guthrie on 28 May 1916 at Mobile Co, Alabama. William Morgan Duke I died on 2 Oct 1953 at Mobile, Alabama, at age 89.

     John Alfred Brown was born a 1840. He married Isabelle Carolina Cargile b 1870.

     Minnie Windham was born in Oct 1870 at Mississippi. She married William Morgan Duke I, son of William W. Duke and Isabelle Carolina Cargile, c 1890. Minnie Windham died in 1911 at Jasper Co, Mississippi.

     Herbert Windham Duke was born on 3 Mar 1904 at Bay Springs, Mississippi. He was the son of William Morgan Duke I and Minnie Windham. Herbert Windham Duke died in 1975 at Clermont Harbor, Hancock Co, Mississippi.

     Laura Guthrie was born c 1870 at Pennsylvania. She married William Morgan Duke I, son of William W. Duke and Isabelle Carolina Cargile, on 28 May 1916 at Mobile Co, Alabama.

     Charles Cash Berry Nix was born a 1830. He married Nancy Cooley Clayton, daughter of John Anderson Clayton and Lucinda J. Duke, in 1851 at Tallapoosa Co, Alabama.

     Nancy Cooley Clayton was born in Sep 1836 at Georgia. She was the daughter of John Anderson Clayton and Lucinda J. Duke. Nancy Cooley Clayton married Charles Cash Berry Nix in 1851 at Tallapoosa Co, Alabama. Nancy Cooley Clayton died on 23 Apr 1909 at age 72.

     John Anderson Clayton was born in 1806 at Georgia. He married Lucinda J. Duke, daughter of John Duke and Mary "Polly" Thornton, on 1 Feb 1835 at Coweta Co, Georgia. John Anderson Clayton died in 1850 at Clay Co, Alabama.

     Lucinda J. Duke was born on 22 Jul 1820 at Morgan Co, Georgia. She was the daughter of John Duke and Mary "Polly" Thornton. Lucinda J. Duke married John Anderson Clayton on 1 Feb 1835 at Coweta Co, Georgia. Lucinda J. Duke died on 17 Feb 1881 at Clay Co, Alabama, at age 60.

     John Duke was born a 1790 at Bute Co, North Carolina. He married Mary "Polly" Thornton in 1812. John Duke died in Jun 1821 at Coweta Co, Georgia.

     Mary "Polly" Thornton was born in 1790 at North Carolina. She married John Duke in 1812. Mary "Polly" Thornton died a 1860.

     Unknown Price was born a 1816. He married Martha Ann Duke a 1839. Unknown Price died b 1854.

     Thomas Duke I was born c 1742.¹ He married Elizabeth "Eliza / Betsy" (Unknown) a 1767.¹ Thomas Duke I married Nancy (Unknown) on 1 May 1808 at Jackson Co, Georgia. Thomas Duke I died c 1830 at Georgia.¹

      Thomas Duke is presumed to be the father of Hardeman Duke who married in Oglethorpe Co, GA in 1805 based on circumstantial evidence detailed in Hardeman's biography.

Hardeman and Thomas were from northeast Georgia where Indian lands surrendered to Georgia became the large counties of Franklin which in turn was subdivided into Franklin, Jackson and Clarke and three counties now part of SC; Wilkes which in turn became Wilkes, Oglethorpe and Lincoln; Baldwin which became Morgan; and Washington became Greene. Although Wilkes Co was created in 1777, Franklin in 1783, Washington in 1784, Greene in 1789 and Oglethorpe in 1792, many early deeds were recorded in Wilkes Co, GA. The point is Thomas Duke senior and his extended family lived and did business in all of these counties, often staying in the same location while the county around them changed names, so records in all of these counties were researched.

The large, wealthy Duke family living in this area, included Thomas Duke senior, the father of Hardeman Duke of Clarke Co, AL. Based on the research of Cheryl Duke, Thomas is thought to be the father of Charles, James, Thomas, Jane, John T., Henry, Lucy, Elizabeth, Hardeman and Mariah. Thomas was noted in the 1800 Oglethorpe Co, Territorial Census of Georgia. Thomas Dake was in Capt. Shaw's District, Morgan Co, GA census with a male and female over age 45 and 7 slaves in 1820.

Based on research primarily in land deeds transcribed and copyrighted by Joe Lineberger and Jeanie Smith Zadeck as well as other legal records and family histories found online, this researcher constructed a family for Thomas Duke senior. Because of the repeated use of given names in the immediate generation after Thomas senior, the analysis is not likely perfect but provides a path for further research.

Thomas Duke senior was noted in the records of Wilkes Co as early as 1780. John Hardman was a legal witness for Thomas Dukes senior on a complex land deal in 1786. Thomas also purchased land on Hardman Creek in Jackson Co.

Thomas Duke senior was quite wealthy. Although there was no indication in his records he was generous with his children during his lifetime, Thomas' will has not been located. His land conveyance record does not indicate he was magnamimous with his children, hence there was no record of him gifting large acreage to any sons or sons-in-law. Thomas was noted as a Revolutionary War veteran from Oglethorpe Co with two land lottery draws, however this researcher has not seen his military record. He was first referred to with the honorific esquire in 1794 and first used senior in 1796. Although researchers Lineberger and Zadack found many records for Thomas there are many others not yet located. Thomas senior acquired 3,761 acres and sold 5,595 acres in his geographical area in the available records, thus there are either other unlocated or unavailable records, or perhaps his first large land grant was inherited land which was not indicated in the land sales. Thomas' land transactions were often on the same creeks with the same neighbors and immediate family as witnesses, and sometimes as buyers. Thomas himself lived on the north end of a large tract on Dry Fork of Long Creek, which was noted at times in 3 different counties, and also had land holdings on Little Troublesome, Indian and Buffalo creeks in Oglethorpe. He purchased land with and sold to sons and sons-in-law; some of these conveyances may have been gifts. Thomas served as a justice of the peace from 1798 until at least 1827 in Oglethorpe and Morgan counties. In his later years Thomas moved to Morgan Co.

Thomas married Elizabeth, who was also noted as Eliza and Betsy; because of his probable age when he married Elizabeth this may not have been his first marriage. Elizabeth is thought to be the mother of his children, and if she was, Thomas and Elizabeth likely married in 1768 or earlier. In 1786 Elizabeth was first shown on an extant land sale record; doubtless records before then which could better establish their marriage have not yet been identified. Elizabeth, who was able to sign her name, particiapted in a land sale on 7 Sep 1802 but was not party to a 2 Feb 1803 sale, so she was likely dead by then.

Thomas later married Nancy Morgan of Jackson Co, GA on 1 May 1808 in Jackson Co, GA. The most likely option is she was the Nancy Morgan, the wife of Thomas Morgan. In 1802 Thomas senior conveyed a tract of land he received from his son James which was bounded by land owned by Thomas Morgan. Thomas and Nancy Morgan witnessed a Jackson Co, GA land sale for Thomas Duke in 1803; Thomas Morgan's death would need to be found to prove this hypothesis. This Nancy Morgan could not sign her name in 1803 and Nancy Duke could not sign her name on any documents from Feb through 7 Apr 1809, so they may be the same person. Alternatively, Nancy could have been Thomas' Morgan's daughter or sister. Nancy may have died between Apr 1809 and Sep 1812 when Thomas next sold land and Nancy was not a co-seller, although Thomas was still residing with a female over age 45 in 1820, so Nancy may have still been alive and her release of dower in the 1812 sale not recorded.

Published genealogist Jean Holly Day stated Nancy Morgan was born 6 Feb 1763 and died after 1809 in Morgan Co, GA and Nancy was the daughter of William and Joyce Morgan of Morgan Co (1.) The sources provided for this family were not specific to Nancy. In such a case Nancy would have married for the first time at age 45, which was not likely at that time.

In addition, to his thriving land transactions, Thomas was the surviving co-partner of the firm of Francis Gordon and Angus Bethune in OglethorpeCo in 1809 – 1810. Thomas was appointed as a justice of the peace in by 1798. Landed gentlemen often kept taverns in their homes and Thomas was no exception. His tavern license was renewed to keep a public house of entertainment as noted in the court minutes for 1794 – 1808; tavern licenses were usually an annual requirement but those other records if they existed have not been identified. Thomas was noted owning 6 to 7 slaves between 1785 and 1820; his sons Henry and James had 3 and 5 respectively in 1800 and John T. had 13 in 1820. Thomas was last noted at the estate sale of his probable grandson on 19 Dec 1829 in Morgan Co, thus he likely died circa 1830. Unsourced documents indicated Thomas was born in 1734, possibly in Brunswick, GA.

As far as the birth family of Thomas Duke senior is concerned, there are family lineages online for his ancestors, however the same northeast Georgia records detail some of his relationships. Thomas lived in northeast Georgia near his brothers Henry, James and his possible brothers William and John Taylor Duke. Legal documents clearly state Thomas, James and Henry were brothers as noted in Henry's 1780 will, and that Henry and William served in the military together in 1776.

Thomas' brother Henry was granted 1000 acres on Fishing Creek near Michel Cups in what became Wilkes Co and then Lincoln Co. Henry was killed in the war and his then-living parents were asked to live with his family in his 1780 will. Henry's wife Lettice and their children Charles, Miriam/Mary, Thomas and Henry, all of whom reached the age of majority by 1795, have many legal records in the area which will not be detailed herein; in addition Henry had an illegitimate daughter with Nancy Cups. Thomas served as the guardian for his brother Charles' children who generally lived at some distance from Thomas and his family.

Capt. William Duke may have been another brother of Thomas, James and Henry but he was not mentioned in Henry's will although William served under Henry during the war. William, the husband of Winniford, had similar standing in the community as Thomas Dukes senior with land transactions from 1784 – through at least 1802 and perhaps as late as 1817; the period 1802 -1817 was unclear as to which William was involved of several possible men. William lived in Wilkes/Jackson/Clarke counties. Before 1790 William was living adjacent to Thomas Duke senior on Dry Fork of Long Creek in Wilkes Co and in 1794 he was noted living on Fishing Creek in said county; this may not indicate a residence change. William was appointed a justice of the peace in Jackson Co, the same year his presumed brother Thomas was appointed to that position in Oglethorpe Co.

Another early arrival in the area and likely father of the above brothers was John Taylor Duke of Wilkes Co, GA noted as a planter, although no effort has been made to prove John Taylor is the father of Thomas in this research. William Duke discussed above and Taylor appraised an estate in 1774. John Taylor Dukes sold 844 acres in Greene Co in 1787 from land he was granted in 1785 and sold another 350 acres on Fishing Creek the following year. These were the only available records for John Taylor Duke.

In comparing the above research to unverified research in a report on the ancestors of Thomas Duke senior entitled “Descendancy of Col Henry Duke Esq and Elizabeth Soane” (1), the report states John Taylor Duke (~1707 Prince George Co, VA - ~1790 Wilkes Co, GA) and Jane Anderson had sons named Edmund, James, Robert, Thomas, Henry and their father died in the same area in northeast Georgia. John Taylor senior's ancestors are detailed in the report.

     Elizabeth "Eliza / Betsy" (Unknown) was born a 1750. She married Thomas Duke I a 1767.¹ Elizabeth "Eliza / Betsy" (Unknown) died c 1802.¹

     Nancy (Unknown) was born a 1763. She married Thomas Duke I on 1 May 1808 at Jackson Co, Georgia.

     John "Jack" Houston Tarver was born on 23 Jan 1814 at Newton Co, Mississippi. He married Ethia Jane Duke, daughter of PVT Simeon Taylor Duke and Elizabeth Parting, in 1848. John "Jack" Houston Tarver died on 2 Jul 1902 at Rosefield, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, at age 88.

     C. Eliza Starks was born in 1837 at Caldwell Parish, Louisiana. She married James Duke, son of PVT Simeon Taylor Duke and Elizabeth Parting, on 3 Feb 1864 at Calwell Parish, Louisiana. C. Eliza Starks died in 1877 at Bunker Hill, Calwell Parish, Louisiana.

     William Alexander Pool was born in 1834 at Pine Woods, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. He married Harriet Duke, daughter of PVT Simeon Taylor Duke and Elizabeth Parting, in Sep 1853 at Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. William Alexander Pool died in 1863 at Alpha, Catahoula Parish, Louisiana.

     Bernice Bonnie McSween was born in 1850 at Black Bluff, Sumter Co, Alabama. She married Henry W. J. Duke, son of PVT Simeon Taylor Duke and Elizabeth Parting, on 24 Oct 1867 at Calwell Parish, Louisiana. Bernice Bonnie McSween died in 1881 at Caldwell Parish, Louisiana.