James Duke (1677 - abt. 1751)

Born 16 Jan 1677 in James City, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Byrd) Duke — married 8 Jul 1701 in Charles City County, Virginia

Descendants

Died about 1751 at about age 73 in Charles City County, Colony of Virginia

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James Duke resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Biography

He was the husband of Mary (Byrd) Duke and served as sheriff of James City County, Virginia in 1719. He is mentioned in the diaries of his brother-in-law, William Byrd II, of Westover.

William Byrd frequently visited both Col. Duke (Col. Henry Duke) and James Duke and his wife Mary Byrd. However, Mary is last mentioned in Byrd's diary on 6 Apr 1721.^{[1] [2]} It is unknown whether this reflects missing diaries (they are known to be incomplete) or her death.

Duke family researchers since Brandenberger have concluded that her inventory of possible children of this James Duke includes quite a few who appear to be children of a younger James Duke, probably the son of James Duke and Mary Byrd. On the whole, the January 2020 assessment written by Charles Ward appears reasonable.^[3]

One child, a stillborn infant girl, is referenced in Byrd's Diaries.^[4]

Mary Duke who married Benjamin Ward was a child of James and Mary, as attested by family records dating close to the time of her life including a memorial by Doctor William Ward, son of Benjamin and Mary (Duke) Ward, recorded in their family Bible (referenced and discussed in Charles Ward's summary cited above).

He passed away in 1751.

Research Notes

Disputed Mother

Elizabeth Soane was previously attached as his mother. This claim is widely repeated but is disputed. Evelyn Duke Brandenburger in her 1979 book The Duke's Vol. 1 misinterpreted historical documents and came to the conclusion that Thomas Duke's mother, the wife of Henry Duke, was most likely Elizabeth Soane, but that is disproved by a document entitled "Settling The Debate On Who Elizabeth Soane (IV) Married."

Possible Descendants

James DUKE and Mary BYRD, of Charles City Co., VA By Charles Ward May 21, 2006 at 02:44:50 A Preliminary Identification of Some Descendants of James and Mary (Byrd) Duke of Charles City County, Virginia. James and Mary (Byrd) Duke by Charles Ward

Sources

1. ↑ Wright, Louis B. and Marion Tinling, eds. The Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover 1709-1712. Richmond: The Dietz Press. 1941. See Extracts from the Private Diary referencing Col Henry Duke & James Duke
2. ↑ Lockridge, Kenneth A. The Diary, and Life, of William Byrd II of Virginia, 1674-1744. Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press. 1987.
3. ↑ Ward, Charles. An Account of Some Descendants of James and Mary (Byrd) Duke, of Charles City County, Virginia. Ancestry Message Boards. 15 Jan 2020. https://www.ancestry.com/boards/surnames.duke/2268/mb.ashx
4. ↑ Wright, Louis B. and Marion Tinling, eds. The Secret Diary of William Byrd of Westover 1709-1712. Richmond: The Dietz Press. 1941.

• Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880: Georgia. Microfilm Publication M1658, 761 fiche; NAI: 566157.
• Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 217; National Archives at Washington, D.C.Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880: West Virginia. Microfilm Publication M1762, 3 rolls.
• Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 217; National Archives at Washington, D.C.Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880: Alabama. Microfilm Publication M2062, 36 rolls; NAI: 566157.
• Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 217; National Archives at Washington, D.C.Southern Claims Commission Approved Claims, 1871-1880: Virginia. Microfilm Publication M2094, 45 rolls.
• Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Record Group 217; National Archives at Washington, D.C.
• WikiTree profile Duke-396 created through the import of Heflin Family Tree.ged on Jun 12, 2011 by Joani Heflin. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Joani and others.