About JMJL Duncan, his full name, and how he got it from his mother

Question

My husband's sister received  some long letter's  from her Aunt about the Duncan line. This little excerpt tells a little more about the JMJL Duncan from the censuses, who is the oldest son of John Miles Duncan ...

In a letter to her niece, Barbara, John's Granddaughter, Margaret, She wrote " Grandpa Duncan was the oldest of 5 sons and one daughter. His name was John William James Lester .The story I was told was that his mother(Mary Ellen Maple Duncan) was a tiny woman and already in her late twenties when he was born and she thought he would be an only child. So she gave him all the name's she liked. In those days she was considered an old spinster. "

Answer 1

Are you looking for records or just commenting on an unusual name?

Here's his WWI Draft Registration: Source: "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6F6-TR1 : 12 December 2014), John William Duncan, 1917-1918; citing Columbiana County no 1, Ohio, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,832,015.

Image at: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G1DH-QGG

Name     John William Duncan Male
Draft Registration September 12, 1918      Columbiana County no 1, Ohio, United States
Birth Date     25 Jun 1877 Birthplace, United States
Nearest relative: Margaret E. Duncan

Source: "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ1P-72X : 14 July 2016), J M J L Duncan in household of J N Duncan, Wayne, Columbiana, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district ED 62, sheet 702A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1002; FHL microfilm 1,255,002.

United States Census, 1880 Wayne, Columbiana, Ohio

J N Duncan             Self            M     27     Pennsylvania
Mary E Duncan     Wife     F     29     Ohio
J M J L Duncan     Son            M     3     Ohio
Thomas L Duncan Son     M     0     Ohio

Marriage and other records here:

https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22john%20william%20james%20lester%22~%20%2Bsurname%3Aduncan~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Aoh~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1876-1878~%20%2Bspouse_givenname%3Amargaret~%20%2Bspouse_surname%3Adavison~%20%2Bfather_givenname%3Ajohn~%20%2Bfather_surname%3Aduncan~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3Amaryellen~%20%2Bmother_surname%3Amaple~

Comments

Thank you so much for all of the records. and resources. Trust me, I will certainly use them well in my research. There were a lot of stories passed down by word of mouth about the children and about the ancestors of John Iles Duncan and Mary Ellen Maple/Mapel.  When I find these stories, I immediately want to research for sources that either correct them or support them.  I didn't have to create the profiles for ancestors of the Duncans or the Maples.  That had all been originally created as some sort of collaborative project and then left as orphans. But for me they are the ancestor's of my husbands Paternal Grandmother-the people whom all of the stories (of which I am still finding out) are all about. And I am still trying to conect story with the right person.

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Also I was hoping that if there were any wikitree genealogists who were originally researching them who were relatives, that this post might have served as "cousin bait" for them, LOL

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This looks like his father's death cert in OH

Image at: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPFF-SCTH?mode=g&i=1354&cc=1307272

Source: "Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZGF-6T5 : 8 December 2014), John M Duncan, 18 Jul 1920; citing Washington, Columbiana, Ohio, reference fn 51116; FHL microfilm 1,991,304.

Name     John M Duncan
Death      18 Jul 1920    Washington, Columbiana, Ohio
Residence Place     Washington, Columbiana, Ohio
White Male  Age  69 Married Occupation  At Home
Birth Date     15 Jul 1851 Birthplace     Pennsylvania
Burial Date     20 Jul 1920
Burial Place     Highlandtown
Father Moses Duncan   Birthplace     Pennsylvania
Mother     Levina Pierce   Birthplace     Pennsylvania
Informant: John M Duncan Salineville ?sp, OH

His mother Mary Maple Duncan's death cert and some census data is here:

https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22mary%20ellen%22~%20%2Bsurname%3Aduncan~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Aoh~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1850-1855~%20%2Bany_place%3Aoh~%20%2Bany_year%3A1870-1950~%20%2Bspouse_givenname%3A%22john%20m%22~%20%2Bspouse_surname%3Aduncan~%20%2Bfather_surname%3Amaple~

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Thank you so much, because I did not have any certificate that linked John Miles with Moses and Lavina, When I adopted the profile, the former biography expressed doubts about John Miles Parents.  I remember them being listed in a family bible that I saw 40 years ago, but that doesn't serve as proof today. :)  

As far as Mary Maple, I still have tons to do on her ancestors, as I adopted them as orphans  left over from a different collaborative project, so I still have a great deal of research for them as well.

Thank you again, for all your help!

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Her death cert. lists her parents.  Family search is a great place to start - and it's free.  You just keep plugging in names/date ranges/locations and you often can fill in blanks, or confirm data.  Happy Hunting!