John Earl Duke (1817 - 1903)

Born 28 Jun 1817 in Monroe Co., Georgia, United States [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Ann (Gardner) Duke — married 8 Sep 1836 (to 30 May 1889) in Monroe Co., GA

Descendants

Died 12 Jul 1903 at age 86 in Liberty Hill, Georgia, United States

Biography

John Earl Duke was born on June 28, 1817 in Kershaw County, South Carolina.^[1] He was the son of Green Duke and Nancy Jane McKee.

At some point (it's not clear when), John moved from South Carolina to Monroe County, Georgia.

John married Mary Ann "Polly" Gardner on September 8, 1836, in Monroe County, Georgia (she had also been originally from Kershaw Co. South Carolina, and it's not clear if she moved to Georgia with John or earlier with her parents).^[2] Together they had the following children:

1. Leatha Amanda Duke Biles (1837-1901)
2. Thomas Henry Duke (1839-1906)
3. John Green Duke (1841-1906)
4. Mary Elizabeth Duke Fox (1843-1919)
5. Nancy Jane Duke (1845-1921)
6. Hibernia A. Duke Crawford (1847-1935)
7. William James Duke (1850-1891)
8. Elijah Wellington Duke (1854-1916)
9. Monroe Alexander Duke (1859-1923^[3])
10. Edmund Dumas Duke (1859-1925^[4])

John was a Primitive Baptist preacher.

John enlisted on September 25, 1861, along with son Thomas, in Company C, 30th Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry. He was elected the regiment's 1st Lieutenant. John retired when the company was reorganized on May 14, 1862.

John was mentioned in The Griffin Daily News, Griffin Georgia, edition of May 31, 1888:

“Speaking of old things, John E. Duke of Liberty Hill, has a trunk 124 years old, brought from Ireland by his great grandfather and grandmother in 1764. It is a box trunk, made of rawhide, bound with hoop iron, the latter being painted alternately red and green, and retains the same lock and key in service. He also has a churn that is 47 years old, of which from $60 to $70 worth of butter has been made every year.”

John became a widower when Mary Ann died on May 30, 1889. His daughter Mary Elizabeth Fox, had also just lost her husband, so they moved in with Mary Elizabeth's son James and his wife and their five children. In addition, Nancy River's 17 year-old son Eddy also lived with them on the farm.^[5]

John died on 12 Jul 1903 in Liberty Hill, Georgia, and is interred in the Duke Family Cemetery.^[1]

A small obituary appeared in the local paper which read:^[1]

Rev. J. E. Duke, of Liberty Hill, who has probably passed his four-score years, fell Friday and broke his leg while attempting to reach for a dipper of water. He is one of the best known ministers in this section and has had a the sympathy of all for the past several years, during his increasing feebleness.

As a result of this fall, he died Sunday and his funeral occurred Monday afternoon.

Census information

• 1840 – resided 896th District, Pike Co, 1 male under 5, 1 male 30-39, 1 female under 7, 1 female 30-39
• 1850 – resided with wife and 6 children (Leatha, Thomas, John, Mary, Nancy with incorrect age, Hybernia), Dist 68, Pike Co. GA; age 32, farmer. His farm was next door to brother William Green Duke's farm.^[6]
• 1860 – resided Spalding Co. GA. Age 42, farmer with wife and 6 children (Nancy (15), Hybernia (12), William (10), Elisha (6), Edmond (3), Alexander (1), Mary (16); also listed is son-in-law H. Clay (age 22 and a farm laborer) and Mary E. Clay (16). Living next door was son John G (20) and his wife Nancy.^[7]
• 1870 – resided with wife, 5 children (Nancy, Elijah, Edmond, Augustus and Hybernia Crawford), 3 grandchildren (James Crawford, George Duke and John Duke) at Atkins Dist., Spalding Co. GA; age 52, farmer.^[8]
• 1880 – resided with wife and a granddaughter, Anna Fox (age 13), Atkins Dist, Spalding Co. GA, age 62, farmer. The family also had a Black servant, Charles Price, age 25.^[9]
• 1900 – resided Atkins 1066 Militia Dist, Spalding Co GA, along with widowed daughter Mary E. Fox and grandson James Fox's family (James (26), Della (27), Henry W. (5), John L. (3), Nettie L, (7/12), as well as John's grandson, Eddy Rivers (17).^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16143352/john-earl-duke : accessed 28 June 2022), memorial page for John Earl Duke (28 Jun 1817–12 Jul 1903), Find a Grave Memorial ID 16143352, citing Duke Family Cemetery, Spalding County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by Walk The Earth (contributor 46578531) .
2. ↑ "Georgia Marriages, 1808-1967", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FWDP-LXD : 11 January 2020), John E. Duke, 1836. Image: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PPX-HCN?i=94&cc=1927197
3. ↑ "Georgia Deaths, 1914-1927", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDXG-X2R : 23 February 2021), John E. Duke in entry for Monroe Duke, 1923.
4. ↑ "Georgia Deaths, 1914-1927", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDN4-HY1 : 23 February 2021), J.E. Duke in entry for Edmund D. Duke, 1925.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-67MQ-G4Z?cc=1325221&wc=9BW9-MJ4%3A1030554001%2C1034713201%2C1034722201 : 5 August 2014), Georgia > Spalding > ED 92 Militia District 1066, Akins > image 23 of 39; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZYC-SR8 : 19 December 2020), John L Duke, Pike, Georgia, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBY-S25?cc=1473181&wc=7QMS-HLY%3A1589423245%2C1589423678%2C1589422594 : 24 March 2017), Georgia > Spalding > 3rd District > image 6 of 16; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC35-WML : 28 May 2021), John E Duke, 1870.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YB8-CZC?cc=1417683&wc=XH2T-C68%3A1589395848%2C1589400226%2C1589400305%2C1589395310 : 24 December 2015), Georgia > Spalding > District 1066 > ED 116 > image 11 of 30; citing NARA microfilm publication T9, (National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C., n.d.)