Nathaniel Duncan (abt. 1586 - abt. 1668)

Born about 12 Mar 1586 in Crediton, Devon, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Jourdain) Duncan — married 6 Jan 1616 in Exeter, Devon, England

Descendants

Died about 1668 at about age 81 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts

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Nathaniel Duncan migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See Great Migration Begins, by R. C. Anderson, Vol. 1, p. 595) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Nathaniel Duncan was probably the son of Peter DUNCAN b: 1550 in Devonshire, England, and Margaret YARDE b: 1554 in England. He was christened 12 March 1586 at Crediton, Devonshire, England.

He married Elizabeth Jurdain, daughter of Ignatius Jurdain and Elizabeth Baskerville Jurdain, in St. Mary Arches, Exeter, Devonshire, England 6 January 1616.

Likely arrived on an unnamed ship that arrived in Weymouth, Massachusetts 24 July 1633 - as reported by Winthrop. Aboard: Nathaniel Duncan 1586; Elizabeth Jourdain Duncan (wife) 1594; Nathaniel Duncan, Jr. (son) 1620; Peter Duncan (son) 1629. Also sailing: William Hill, husband of Elizabeth's sister Sarah Jourdain Hill. [They did not arrive in Massachusetts aboard the "Mary and John".]^[1]

Nathaniel and Elizabeth Duncan resided in Dorchester, Massachusetts soon after their arrival in the Colony. Nathaniel was made a freeman in 1635 - as he was made a member of the first church, Dorchester, 6 May 1635. A year later, he joined the second church.

As an educated man and a good accountant, he served as a Deputy to the General Court for Dorchester and sat on the Committee to take the Treasurer's accounts almost continually until his removal to Boston in 1645. He accepted a position there as Auditor General of the Colony.

Nathaniel Duncan joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company - a charter member - in 1638 as did his sons Nathaniel Jr. (1642) and Peter (1654). [It was the first regular organized company in America - receiving a charter in 1638.]

Children

Children Identified

• Nathanyell DUNCAN b: 4 Mar 1617 in Saint Olive, Exeter, Devonshire, England c: 4 Mar 1617 in Saint Olive, Exeter, Devon, England. Died young.

• Nathanyell DUNCAN b: 1620 c: 9 Jul 1620 in Saint Olave, Exeter, Devon, England

• Elizabeth DUNCAN b: 1623 c: 27 Apr 1623 in Saint Olave, Exeter, Devon, England

• Peter DUNCAN b: 1629 c: 10 Sep 1629 in St. Olave, Exeter, Devon, England married Mary EPPES (b: 1629 in Exeter, Devon, England)

1633 - Bequests Elizabeth Jurdain of the city and County of Exon, widow, 27 September 1633, proved 31 October 1633 ". . I give all that debt which Nathaniel Duncan oweth, and is indebted unto me, unto his two sons Peter and Nathaniel Deuncan, to be divided equally between them. ."

1640 - Bequests Ignatius Jurdain, dated in Exeter, Devonshire 1 March 1635, proved 16 October 1640 ". . Also I give to the children of my son Nathaniel Duncan one hundred pounds.."

Nathaniel Duncan died about 1668 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. His estate inventory was presented to the Court in 1668/9.

Sources

1. ↑ *Savage and Pope have him emigrating in 1630 (Mary and John), but Anderson notes that records of his presence in New England begin only in 1633, and argues that "it is hard to believe that a man of his prominence would not have been seen in colony records much earlier." Anderson believes Nathaniel Duncan was probably on the ship that arrived 24 Jul 1633, the name of which has been lost.

See Also:

• England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973, Saint Mary Arches, Exeter, Devonshire, England, 1616.

• New England Historical and Genealogical Society, Great Migration Newsletter, Volume 3, page 16.

• "Freemen of MA Bay, 1630-1636", Winthrop Society Text. Freemen made at the General court 6 May, 1635.

Anderson, Robert C. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Great Migration Study Project, Boston, 1995 vol 1, pages 595 -597. American Ancestors (subscription)

• Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, ed., Volume 1 and Volume 2.

• The History of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company: Rev. and Enl..., By Zachariah Gardner Whitman, 1842, pages 78 and 164.

• Wills from New England Historical & Genealogical Register, Vol. 49.

• http://www.oakbaydesigns.com/Maine/1jurdain.htm Jourdain Wills

• p.102-103 The Winthrop fleet of 1630 an account of the vessels, the voyage, the passengers, and their English homes from original authorities by Charles Edward Banks

Duncan, Nathaniel (4) Devon. Removed to Windsor (Stiles History of Windsor, Conn). (party of 4 presumed to be wife and 2 sons) Devon. Settled Dorchester. Freeman 6 May 1635 (M.C.R., I, 370 Massachusetts Colonial Records); died 1668 (Pope Pioneers of Massachusetts)

• https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2496&h=49592&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=uQd133&_phstart=successSource

Nathaniel Duncan in the New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635

Notes

Origin: Exeter, Devonshire

Migration: 1633

First Residence: Dorchester

Removes: Boston 1646

Occupation: Merchant

Church Membership: Membership in first church of Dorchester prior to 6 May 1635 implied by freemanship. Also mentions wife Elizabeth