Robert Duke (abt. 1735 - abt. 1785)

Ancestors

Son of Benjamin Duke and Mary (Unknown) Duke

Descendants

Died about 1785 at about age 50 in Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina, USA

Problems/Questions Profile managers: US Southern Colonies Project WikiTree [send private message] and Tony Cox [send private message]

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

Biography

Robert was the son of Benjamin Duke and Mary Unknown. He passed away before 1785. Robert's proved children: Thomas married Mary Dougherty, Rachel married Peter Crim, Moses of Richland, SC married Mary Faust, Aaron married Peggy Faust, Hester/Easter/Esther married William Wilson, Anne married Meredith Taylor, and Jesse Duke of Richland, SC. Research on Robert Duke of Fairfield's children can be found here: https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/scduke/dukecamden/SelectedFamilieswiththeDukeSurname.pdf.

Research Notes

Birth Location: Removed "Isle of Wight, Virginia" as birth location since it is not mentioned in the biography.

Which Robert Duke

The purpose of this research note is to provide historical evidence so when you attach your ancestor to a Robert Duke you find the correct Robert Duke of the many men of the same name living at the same time in the same area, and that you avoid going on the basis of published book and online materials which were proved incorrect during the last century.

These men are NOT the same person:

Robert Duke of Fairfield, Kershaw
Robert Duke of Dry Creek, Lancaster
Robert Duke son of John Taylor Duke
Robert Dukes of Richland, SC & Marion, MS

Books and online trees have comingled the life stories of these men and then proliferation of incorrect trees caused the men and their families to become tangled, especially with the addition of same-named men among the following generations. Because of the many Robert Dukes it is important to understand how to distinguish among these men using historical records combined with DNA test results.

This comingling of the lives of these Robert Dukes is the result of the fallacy of using a single source: The Duke Family by Evelyn Duke Brandenberger published in 1979. The book makes many assumptions about the early Duke family of James City Co, VA that are not aligned with historical records. The author’s assumptions about Robert Duke of Dry Creek, for example, were discredited in the late 1990s by South Carolina historical records found by Lynn Teague, Joe Lineberger, Tony Cox and others which are available in research and discussions online. Nevertheless, numerous Duke family trees and DAR applications are based on this incorrect source.

If you are descended from any Duke/s, you should study the online research of Tony Cox which covers all the Carolina Dukes and can be found at https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/scduke/dukecamden/SelectedFamilieswiththeDukeSurname.pdf. Supplementing that effort is the Family Tree yDNA Duke Study and the atDNA Duke Family Study (http://www.winslett.org/ui76.htm). DNA results from those studies participants is used to ensure descendants are aligned with the correct Duke ancestors. If you have tested or want to test both groups can help you align yourself to the correct ancestor.

More information on at least five Robert Dukes of SC can be found in the PDF here: https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/scduke/dukecamden/SelectedDukeFamiliesInCamdenDistrictSC.pdf. General southern Duke information can be found here: https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~ztlcox/genealogynotesduke.html.

For this Robert Duke of Fairfield, Kershaw Co, SC it is easier and more definitive to prove that Robert Duke-3119 is not descended from John Taylor Duke Sr. and Jane Anderson. This can be done by using published Y-DNA data. The Duke Y-DNA spreadsheet can be found here: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Duke?iframe=ycolorized Note that the descendants of John Taylor Duke Sr. are listed in Duke-Y-DNA _Group 4_ (Henrico, Co., VA).

Joseph Franklin Duke, a proved descendant of Frank Appling Duke, Jeremiah K. Duke, Robert Duke of Perry Co., AL, Thomas Duke of Fairfield, SC, and Robert Duke of Fairfield, SC (Duke-3119) is listed in _Group 5_ (Fairfield Co., SC and AL). The difference between Duke-Y-DNA Group 4 and Group 5 is subtle but is consistent enough to justify the division. Joseph Franklin Duke does not descend from John Taylor Duke Sr.

Results from a proved descendant of Stephan Duke of Lancaster and Kershaw , SC, b. before 1770 is listed with several others in Y-DNA _Group 8_. Some will associate this group with Robert Duke of Dry Creek, Lancaster, SC and Priscilla Crenshaw. While they lived in the same area of South Carolina, nothing found in the SC historical records proves or disproves the connection. Perhaps an investigation of ancestors for the other Group 8 members will provide the needed information. Historical data proves this Stephen Duke is not descended from Robert Duke of Fairfield, Kershaw, SC (Duke-3119). A will and probate information exist that name all of the heirs of Robert Duke of Fairfield, SC.

More information on the many (at least 5 and maybe 7) Robert Dukes of SC can be found in the PDF here: https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/scduke/dukecamden/SelectedDukeFamiliesInCamdenDistrictSC.pdf. Written years ago, some of the information is out of date, but most is still valid. General southern Duke information can be found here: https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~ztlcox/genealogynotesduke.html.

In addition to the descendant of Robert Duke (Duke-3119), the Duke Y-DNA _Group 5_ also lists a descendant of John Duke of Lancaster, a descendant of Richard Duke of Edgefield, SC, several descendants of Elias Dukes, and a descendant of Robert Dukes of Marion Co., MS. Three members of _Group 5_ have tested to 111 markers. The FamilytreeDNA Y-DNA TiP Report results show a 98.82 percent probability of a common ancestor within eight generations for the three. The Wikitree profiles of the three are here: Moses Duke, Charles Duke, James Dukes.

The Duke(s) DNA Study Group used the Autosomal DNA results from Ancestry.com and FamilytreeDNA.com with the DNA analysis tools from Gedmatch.com and FamilytreeDNA to locate a Duke triangulation on Chromosome #7. For example, the comparison of the DNA results of three cousins proved a normalized 6th cousin link between the Duke_Group 5_ descendants. The three cousins share an 8th-generation common ancestor pair, their 5-great-grandparents. https://ztlcox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DNAX-Duke-Cox.Brawley-Sims.pdf. There are other triangulations to analyze and more connections to prove, but progress is happening.

DNA

Paternal

BENJAMIN DUKE-1700 & MARY UNKNOWN

• Paternal and/or maternal relationship is confirmed by a triangulation group on GEDmatch consisting of Louis Caputo, Lisa Supple, Floyd Bamberg and Arthur Sims, who all share the exact same 7.2 cM segment on chromosome 6. Arthur and Louis are 3rd cousins once removed. Lisa and Arthur are 7th cousins twice removed. Lisa and Louis are 7th cousins twice removed. Floyd and Lisa are 7th cousins once removed. Lisa and Louis are 7th cousins twice removed. The MRCA of all four is Benjamin Duke, and Mary, the 6th and 7th great grandparents of Art, the 7th great grandparents of Floyd, the 6th great grandparents of Lisa, and the 8th great grandparents of Louis.

• Paternal and/or maternal relationship is confirmed by a triangulated group on GEDmatch consisting of Frank Allen, Margie Brawley, Dale Cox, Berge Cox, and Arthur Sims who share the exact same 9cM segment on chromosome 7. Frank and Margie are 5C3R; Frank and Dale are 6C2R; Frank and Berge are 6C2R; Frank and Arthur are 3C; Margie and Dale are 5C1R; Margie and Berge are 5C1R; Margie and Arthur are 5C2R; Arthur and Dale are 6C1R; Berge and Arthur are 6C1R; Dale and Berge are siblings. The MRCAs of Frank, Margie, Berge and Dale and Arthur are Benjamin Duke and Mary, the 7th great grandparents of Frank, the 6th and 7th great grandparents of Arthur, the 4th great grandparents of Margie, and the 5th great grandparents of Dale and Berge.

• Paternal and/or maternal relationship is confirmed by a triangulated group on Gedmatch consisting of Freida Burroughs, Thomas Bamberg, and Jerry Dukes who share a 9.4 cM segment on chromosome 9. Freida and Thomas are 3C1R; Freida and Jerry are 6C2R; and Thomas and Jerry are 6C2R. The most-recent common ancestors shared by all three are Benjamin Duke and Mary who are the 5th great grandparents of Jerry, and the 7th great grandparents of Freida and Thomas.

UNKNOWN DUKES-1600's

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by a triangulated group on GEDmatch consisting of Marla Coleman, Louis Caputo and Private Thrasher, who share 14.5cM and 999 SNPs on Chr 18.
  Coleman and Caputo are 4th cousins once removed;
  Coleman and Thrasher are 9th cousins once removed; and
  Caputo and Thrasher are 10th cousins.
  The most-recent common ancestor shared by all is Unknown Dukes, who is the 8th great grandfather of Coleman and the 9th great grandfather of Caputo and Thrasher.

• Paternal relationship is confirmed by a triangulated group on chromosome 5 for a length of 9.8 cM consisting of:
  Robin Berry GEDmatch Kit# A846205;
  Thomas Bamberg GEDmatch Kit# A681226;
  Arthur Sims GEDmatch Kit# M693205;
  Nancy Saxon GEDmatch Kit# A256561.
  All four people in this triangulation group (TG) share a 9.8 cM segment on chromosome 5.
  Robin Berry and Nancy Saxon are 8th cousins once removed;
  Nancy Saxon is 9th cousin to, Thomas Bamberg and Arthur Sims;
  Robin Berry is 8th cousin once removed to, Thomas Bamberg and Arthur Sims.
  The MRCA of Robin, Thomas, Arthur and Nancy is Unknown Dukes , the 7th great grandparents of Robin Berry and the 8th great grandparents of Nancy Saxon , Thomas Bamberg and Arthur Sims.

Sources

• https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/scduke/dukecamden/RobertDukeFairfield.pdf

• https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/robertdukelwt.htm Robert Duke's Will (transcription)

• https://genealogy.ztlcox.com/~xcc2all/robertdukelwtanalysis.htm Robert Duke's Will (Analysis)

• https://ztlcox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/DNAX-Duke-Cox.Brawley-Sims.pdf Duke Autosomal DNA triangulation

• Marriage

Name: Robert Duke Spouse: Nancy Marriage Date: 1779-1924 Source: South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol 3, # 4 Source Information Hunting For Bears, comp.. South Carolina Marriage Index, 1641-1965

• 1778 Tax Rolls

Name: Robert Duke State: SC County: Camden District Township: No Township Listed Year: 1778 Database: SC Early Census Index Source Information South Carolina, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890

• South Carolina Revolutionary War Account Audited File Number 2067A.

Account Number 252 was signed by Robert Duke and contains a note authored by Moses Duke, a receipt for a steer. Number 252 belongs to Robert Duke of Fairfield/Kershaw who had a son named Moses Duke.

• Probate Record

Name: Robert Duke Probate Date: 10 Dec 1784 Probate Place: Kershaw, South Carolina, USA Inferred Death Year: Abt 1784 Inferred Death Place: South Carolina, USA Item Description: Index and will, Vol 1, Books C, A1, 1770-1841 Source Citation South Carolina will transcripts, 1782-1868; Author: Brimelow, Judith M.; Probate Place: Kershaw, South Carolina Abstract: Robert Duke's Will 1 Series: S108093 Reel: 0014 Frame: 00608 Item: 000 Date: 1/7/1785 Description: DUKE, ROBERT 0F CAMDEN DISTRICT, KERSHAW COUNTY WILL TYPESCRIPT (MSS WILL: CAMDEN DISTRICT ESTATE RECORD BOOK A1, PAGE 240; ESTATE PACKET: APT. 22, PKG. 746) (2 FRAMES). Names indexed: CAREY; CRIM, PETER; CRIM, RACHEL; DUKE, JESSE; DUKE, MOSES; DUKE, NANCY; DUKE, ROBERT; DUKE, THOMAS; HAMMET (SLAVE); JUDE (SLAVE); SAMBO (SLAVE); SIMMONS, WILLIAM Locations: CAMDEN DISTRICT; FISHING CREEK; SAWNEYS CREEK; TWENTY-FIVE MILE CREEK Document type: WILL (TYPESCRIPT) Topics: SLAVES, NAMED