Ines was born in 1866. In 1880 she immigrated to California, working for the clothing company Levi Strauss & Co in San Francisco. There she met her future husband, James Duncan.
James’s mother, who was of Haitian ancestry, disapproved of James’ decision to marry Ines, who was of Mexican ancestry. Ella (Reese) Duncan Opposition to the marriage was documented in several news articles in the local San Francisco/Oakland papers. Though ironically Ella Duncan’s mother was born in Mexico according to the census.
Ines was granted US citizenship the year of her marriage. Ines was of indigenous Mexican heritage while James Duncan was African, Haitian, and Mexican.
In 1898 Ines was the subordinate chief companion in the Society of the Companions of the Forrest, a woman’s fraternal order. Later she was the President of the Neighbors of Woodcraft and Catholic Order of Foresters. She also was the President of the Young Ladies institute in San Francisco. In 1901 her family moved from Oakland to Seattle. Her husband and herself made boxed lunches in Seattle. She taught Spanish at the University of Washington during WWI and was the President of the Seattle Spanish Club. She was a nurse in a private home in 1920. She moved to California and was a servant/house keeper for a private home in Sausalito, CA. She was living in San Francisco in 1935 to help take care of her 4 year granddaughter after her daughter, Carmen, succumbed to tuberculosis and her son-in-law was unable to raise Beverly “Jeanie” Hill. In 1940 she was living in Seattle working as a nurse in a private home. He passed away at the house of her first son, James Duncan III, in 1943.
memorial page for Ines S. Rivas Duncan (21 Apr 1866–11 Mar 1943), Find A Grave Memorial no. 157869777, citing Calvary Cemetery, Seattle, King County, Washington, USA ; Maintained by PassingTime (contributor 47816658) .
Ancestry.com. Washington, Death Index, 1940-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2002. Original data: Washington State Department of Health. State Death Records Index, 1940-1996. Microfilm. Washington State Archives, Olympia, Washington.
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Ines is 29 degrees from Herbert Adair, 25 degrees from Richard Adams, 22 degrees from Mel Blanc, 29 degrees from Dick Bruna, 21 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 35 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 21 degrees from Sam Edwards, 21 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 24 degrees from Marty Krofft, 19 degrees from Junius Matthews, 17 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 21 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.